Recently, I challenged Estill Countians, through the use of email and social media, to answer a short anonymous survey about different issues facing our community. And before any of you statistics geeks (like me!) question the results because I didn’t satisfactorily choose my sample size or something of the like, I stated up front that this is an UNSCIENTIFIC survey. I just thought it would be fun to get some feedback for Local-Motive and other topics about which we need constant input from the public. For those who took the time to give your input, I appreciate it! The overwhelming response has encouraged me to keep using these sorts of tools to gather data. These results are all based on the 100 responses that I received and some questions were skipped by 1 or more respondents. I would also like to point out that I am merely reporting the results of the survey as I received them. Here are the results:
1. 83% currently live in Estill County.
2. 50% currently work in Estill County.
3. When asked what they feel is the single biggest issue facing Estill County today, 45% said drug abuse, 20% said lack of jobs, 14% said apathy, 9% said poverty, 6% said lack of recreational opportunities, 1% said aging population, and the 5% “other” category was split among a combination of the above (2%), people who oppose growth (1%), crime/stealing (1%), and lack of education/family bias (1%).
4. When asked what they feel is the best focus for economic development in Estill County, 44% said searching for manufacturers to relocate here, 43% said entrepreneurial and small business development, 11% said tourism development, and the 2 “other” responses were alcohol sales and entertainment/recreation development.
5. When asked how much, on average, of their total total income is spent within Estill County, here is the breakdown:
(%of income – %of responses)
0% – 10.1%, 10% – 7.1%, 20% – 10.1%, 30% – 10.1%, 40% – 6.1%, 50% – 17.2%, 60% – 10.1%, 70% – 15.2%, 80% – 9.1%, 90% – 4%, 100% – 1%
6. When asked if they would consider starting their own business in Estill County (and if they already own one, would they consider starting another), 25.3% said yes, 5.1% said yes but don’t know how to get started, 22.2% said yes but now is not the right time, 15.2% said yes but don’t know how to get the money, 29.3% said no, and of the 3 “other” responses, 2 said they have no interest in starting their own business, and 1 said yes if more people were open to growth.
7. When asked what reasons they do not trade with Estill County businesses (could choose more than one answer), 75.8% said what they wanted to buy wasn’t offered, 28.3% said higher prices, 15.2% said the hours don’t suit their schedules, 13.1% said inadequate facilities, 8.1% said poor quality, 4% said poor service, and the “other” responses included: only go out of town for unavailable items (2), get everything here because gas is so high, local businesses open and close when they want, live too far away (3), and always try to go with a local option.
8. Question: If a community-owned business were organized in Estill County, would you be interested in investing? In other words, if a general-store type business were organized for which people in the community bought stock in the business and then all the owners decided on what was sold and how the business was operated, would you want to learn more about that opportunity? Answer: 66% said yes, 24.7% said no, and the “other” replies included: it depends (4), can’t afford to, great idea but would have to be done right, live too far away, would be in favor of a food co-op, sounds like the rich folks trying to take over again.
9. Question: If volunteer opportunities in Estill County were better organized and publicly posted, with complete job descriptions and time commitments available, would you be more likely to volunteer for community organizations? Answer: Yes – 83.5%, No – 5.2%, Other – 11.3%: not enough time/live too far away (9), depends on the opportunities available, maybe.
10. Question: What type(s) of business(es) do you feel would thrive in Estill County if opened here and why would it (they) succeed?
Answers:
I have always thought a KFC would thrive in EC but I have no facts to back this thought.
alcohol sales, both pkg and restaurant, recreation attractions, large flea market
Children’s clothing store!
The principle businesses I visit outside the county are, for the most part, specialty shoppes located in larger markets. However, Lowe’s and larger retail outlets such as Wal-Mart definitely pull money away due to selection and prices that are simply unattainable in a smaller market.
coffee shop, fine dining with real chef and no buffets, indoor gun range, well equiped boat dock with amenities and accessibility. dude ranch type experience, liquor store, craft coop with working artisans,
a nice clothing store for ladies–there is nothing here anymore
Department Store would succeed because there are absolutely none here in this county.
Dry Cleaner that stays open the hours customers need. A smaller version of Wal-Mart or some kinda department store. A grocery store that offers value and variety
walmart, or other department store besides a dollar store. its a shame u have to go to richmond to buy things that the dollar store and grocery stores dont carry
Something for our kids could do for fun like a skateing rank, or anything. The old Save-a-Lot building is just sitting there it is a shame we dont have something for them to do.
car part businesses, mechanics
a general type store where you could purchase most anything in one location
Anything for youth…skating rink….paint ball…laser tag…etc.
Not sure.
walmart grocery stores steak houses
Something for entertainment uses…..movie theatre, skating rink, bowling ally, ect. Something for everyone in the community to take part in not just the young or the old.
If tourism and recreational is developed and the Kentucky River utilized, then gift shops, and such like would do very well. Antiques stores are a source for drawing out of town people into our community.
Little Caesars… Cheaper pizza
Technology related businesses
A good restaurant!!!
Anything to do with farm and animal supplies.With fuel so high,it would be less costly to beable to get supplies here.
A YMCA
walmart, more places to eat, because people are going out of town to walmart and counties around us will come to irvine to shop!
Wal-Mart
something for our kids to do….they have nothing to do except balllgames…they need a movie or something…
A major chain such as wal-mart, meijer, etc., would thrive in this small community
Department store Everybody goes to Richmond/Lexington to shop at them
Family recreation. It is a void needing to be filled, a roller rink, bowling alley, arcade multi-plex would be great!
I would like to see a womens/girls clothing store. If we want to buy clothes we have to go out of town.
WAL-MART Everyone goes there.
A department store with affordable but good quality clothing.
Manufacturing (large pool of employees, EC is close to I75 and I64) Craft store (lots of people in the community like these types of stores) Theater, rollerskating rink, youth oriented businesses (not much for kids to do in EC)
A Dry Cleaners… If they would stay open. I also think a theatre could have some potential.
Creative Industries
Dry Cleaners because the one we have is never open and takes too long to get your stuff. Cab service would do well. Has done well in past and several older people could use to pay bills and grocery shop.
Something for young people. A movie theatre, a supervised youth/family center ie bowling. There is absolutely nothing for families to do here for entertainment. In the past when someone would start something of this nature they would not properly supervise and therefore drugs and loiterers would take over too the point that parents would not allow their children to go to these places.
Recreational
Restaraunts that offer a greater variety–coffee house, cafe type place where young folks can hang out, perform music, read poetry, display art. Not a safe place for kids to hang out and do cool stuff, right now, but we need one.
skateboard shop i’ve seen alot of kids on there boards so i think something like that would do good,or a place like Catos where there are dresses and skirts for women to buy because there are alot of churches and thats the only place to buy things like that.
Movie theater
Bowling Alley, Swimming Pool, Movie Theater
We need more merchants! We need bigger selections and lower prices. ANYTHING that brings jobs!
We need more Hair Salons… Car Washes… Gas Stations. jk jk LOL I think a sporting goods store might do well in Estill. A lot of kids are involved in some kind of sport and end up traveling to Lex. or Richmond for their required gear.
(a) A small trade school for young adults and non-traditional students (b) bring-and-buy types of businesses such as organized, low-overhead farmers markets where locals could sell produce, antiques and art possibly drawing in outside dollars as well (c) a seasonal drive-in movie theater could do very well in the county with lower start-up costs than a traditional theater (d) livestock and/or farm equipment auctions (e) elder care [medical or non-medical] (f) Aldi’s grocery chain [www.aldifoods.com] (g) organized, advertised tourism [i.e. what could be the next big idea like the Mushroom Festival]
antique shops, “country” stores, craft suppply shops
A theater, bowling alley, or roller rink would do well here, because there isn’t a thing for a our kids to do in this county. I believe it is putting our children at a higher risk to experiment with drugs, and alcohol.
Kroger, WalMart
I believe if we opened up our trails, we could have one heck of a resort. That would open us up for supplies & gear to be sold. I also think we need to target more of the teenagers. We need to find out what they like.
Something for the kids
Tourism, B&B’s (There’s few options to stay in Estill), Cabins, Riding, kayaking, trails, adventure tourism. Things to take advantage of being an alternate route to The Red River Gorge from Lexington/Madison.
Clothing stores for women and childen. They should succeed because we are limited in this area as long as they had reasonable prices and quality merchandise.
More clothing options
locally-owned department store with clothing
Manufacturing companies, low property cost, good work force. So many people living here have to work somewhere else
Drive in theater-appeals to everyone. Bowling or skating rink – youth need to expend energy plus being contained in a building will make watching them much easier. A REAL park containing lots of activities- this will encourage more activity physically and avoid time to over eat and use drugs. A 4-wheeling park. Lots of people like to take their trucks, jeeps, and 4wheelers off road.
new ladies clothes, barbecue/steakhouse, drive-in movie theater
Office Supplies…. there is no place to buy any of this. Antique Stores…. to get people to visit Estill County
A movie theater or bowling alley… there is nothing for the youth to do close to home i think it would help the community a lot…..
Manufacturing/Industrial. Lower tax incentives along with a high percentage of Estill’s population that meet their target employees would become attractive to producers.
Gym — with pool/activities for kids in addition to health fitness equipment for adults, coffee shop — like starbucks, ice cream shop down town — Graters, a place for stay at home moms to bring kids for activities (like Gymboree)
Without alcohol sales, not many.
We need different types of businesses instead of everyone copying everyone else. When someone does open a business here…three or four open the same thing and it just hurts all of them. Estill County needs to be more creative and try to help the honest businesses that are already here.
DQ
Boat Dock & Store/food on our river A privately owned scenic railway Four wheeling trails Hiking trail or climbing or caving like at Red River Gorge
women’s clothing store, book store, coffee shop
Clothing,entertainment (books, movies, games), and activities (theater, physical pasttimes, etc). Because no such services currents exists.
Restaurant because most local restaurants have succeeded in the past.
A coffee shop that would give teens a place to hang out. More interesting restaurants like Papaleno’s in Berea.
Recreational places for children, other than the park there aren’t any other places in town to take children.
