Learning about new ways to land stores, restaurants and other retail services in Cullman County’s smaller municipalities was the focus of a recent seminar put on through a partnership between county officials and the City of Cullman.

Representatives from five area towns — including four mayors — took part in the day-long cram session, presented in Cullman Wednesday by Birmingham-based consulting firm Retail Strategies.

Economic development officials said they recognized the need for a more active approach to recruiting retail to smaller cities and towns as they heard from municipal leaders — particularly at Colony, one of the county’s smallest incorporated municipalities.

“Colony is in an area that all of us had been looking at for a while,” said Ashley Graves, project coordinator for Cullman County Economic Development (CCED).

“Mayor [Donnis] Leeth at Colony has been very proactive about finding new business. He’s been wanting some type of Dollar General-type store there, because the closest thing that Colony residents have access to is a pretty significant drive away, in Hanceville. It’s something that our office and the City of Cullman’s economic development team have already been talking about, probably for the past year now.”

Cullman already has Retail Strategies on retainer to provide analytical data and strategic guidance for retail recruitment in the city. When the county development office approached the city with the idea for to offer retail training for smaller area towns, said Graves, the city was responsive.

“Our office is not involved in retail recruiting on the county side, but we were able to partner with the city and get access to some of the resources they have available,” said Graves. “Cullman was gracious enough to help us make those connections, and it’s been a great experience for everyone involved.”

Mayors Keith Henry (Fairview), Tim Eskew (Garden City), Jerry Bartlett (Good Hope), Bill Oliver (Holly Pond), along with Leeth, all attended the seminar, along with city and county development leaders.

Graves said the next step for each town will depend on what its leaders are able to learn from the demographic information, as well as the advice, they received Wednesday.

“The mayors were all very impressed by all the things Retail Strategies presented, and all the specific information they made available about the statistics and demographics that shape possible retail patterns in their towns,” she said.

“What happens next will really depend on what direction the towns; the mayors and councils, want to go.”