Today we went to the Hill District with Terri Baltimore, who showed us around as one of the locals. It was especially interesting to discuss the neighborhood’s image and reputation and how it’s changed and improved over the years. One of the more notable conversations we had involved the neighborhood’s infrastructure, specifically the local grocery store. It had seen some success in the past but ended up closing in April, which is a major issue since it was the only grocery store in the area and people relied on it for convenience and healthy food. In that way, it’s both a success and a failure, but it still has potential for the future since it might reopen. Terri also mentioned how the store failed because it tried to implement irrelevant marketing strategies modeled on grocery stores from outside the neighborhood instead of sticking with what had been working.

There were also some clear successes, like the YMCA, which has an olympic sized pool and is a great resource for the community and its growth. Another example is the country’s first modern EMS system, created in the Hill District, which shows how innovative the community has been. Looking at the results of the past, the key to success in the Hill District for business owners is focusing on the needs of the local community rather than applying outside principles and business models.

Beyond that, one of the most interesting things I noticed was the interconnectedness of the community. Even while walking around, Terri greeted nearly everyone we passed and it was clear that people knew each other well. The community connection showed up in other ways too, like how the grocery store was community owned for a time and funded through a college program grant. We also talked about the importance of social spaces like barbershops and how they act as third spaces for the neighborhood.

Business leaders can support communities like the Hill District by prioritizing the people in their community and focusing on their personal struggles. The grocery store example shows how important it is to ground business decisions in local needs instead of relying on outside models that don’t fit the neighborhood.