Willmar Area Economy Retail & Food Services Profile

1. Willmar Area EconomyRetail & Food Services Profile • Cameron Macht, Regional Analyst • Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) • Analysis & Evaluation Office • www.deed.state.mn.us/lmi Regional Analysis & Outreach Unit Communications, Analysis & Research Division

2. Willmar Area Profile • Kandiyohi Co. is a net importer of labor (more jobs than people) • Workers commute mainly from 9 surrounding counties • Lakes and amenities draw tourists in the summer & winter • Studies have shown that regional trade centers captured the largest share of growth over the last four decades • In many rural areas, the fastest growing age group is Baby Boomers; while thepopulation under 14 years and from 35 to 44 years is decreasing • Kandiyohi Co. has the 6th largest Hispanic population in the state • The Hispanic population is expected to more than double (128%) between 2000 and 2030 Kandiyohi County Laborshed Map Regional Analysis & Outreach Unit Communications, Analysis & Research Division

3. Willmar Area Profile • Kandiyohi Co.’s population increased 7.4% from 1990 to 2005, projected to grow 4.0% from 2005 to 2020 (MN = 18.7%; 14.5%) • Kandiyohi Co.’s population was 41,689 people in 2006; 23rd largest • Willmar’s population was 18,948 people in 2006; 7th largest city that is not located in a metro area (Twin Cities, Duluth, Rochester, St. Cloud, Fargo) • Kandiyohi Co. had the 23rd largest natural increase in MN, with 921 more births (2,778) than deaths (1,857) from 2000 to 2005 • Kandiyohi Co. had the 34th highest median household income in MN in 2004, at $43,233 • 5.4% increase from 2000; $8,000 lower than state median ($51,202) • Kandiyohi Co. had 1,399 establishments and 22,514 jobs in 2006 • +330 firms (30.9%) and +5,943 jobs (35.9%) increase from 1990 • 812 firms and 17,068 jobs are located in the city of Willmar (75.8%) • +152 firms (23%) and +4,384 jobs (34.6%) since 1990 Regional Analysis & Outreach Unit Communications, Analysis & Research Division

4. Willmar Area Profile • Health Care and Social Assistance is the largest employing industry in Kandiyohi Co., with 4,963 jobs(22.0%) in 2006 • Manufacturing is the 2nd largest industry, with 3,047 jobs (13.5%) • Retail Trade is the 3rd largest industry, with 3,041 jobs (13.5%) • 81.6% of the retail trade jobs (2,482) are located in Willmar • Educational Svcs. is the 4th largest industry, with 1,469 jobs • Accom. & Food Svcs. is the 5th largest industry, with 1,468 jobs • Kandiyohi Co. also had 3,100 non-employers in 2005 • Includes 436 non-employers in retail trade • Retail sales in Kandiyohi Co. were reported as $614 million in 2005, with total annual sales at $1.65 billion • 70% of the retail sales ($430 million) were reported in Willmar • Willmar’s total reported annual sales were $1.1 billion in 2005 Regional Analysis & Outreach Unit Communications, Analysis & Research Division

5. Willmar Retail Trade Industry Stats • Kandiyohi Co. had 231 retail trade firms with 3,041 jobs in 2006 • The largest specialties are General Merchandise Stores (670 jobs), Food and Beverage Stores (633 jobs), Bldg. Material & Supply Stores (413 jobs), and Motor Vehicle & Parts Dealers (412 jobs) • Bldg. Material & Supply Stores was the fastest growing (+246 jobs) • General Merch. Stores (-130 jobs), Gas Stations (-6 firms, -78 jobs), and Sporting Goods/Hobby/Book/Music Stores (-2 firms, -23 jobs) were hit the hardest in the county • Automobile dealers and parts stores were up in 2002 and 2004 • Willmar had 154 retail trade firms in 2006, a -3.1% decline from 2000; with 2,482 retail trade jobs, a -1.7%decline • Kandiyohi Co. had 436 retail trade nonemployers in 2005, a 14.4% increase from 2003; with $13.2 million in sales • Includes 261 “non-store” retailers – i.e. Avon, Mary Kay, etc. Regional Analysis & Outreach Unit Communications, Analysis & Research Division

6. Retail Trade Comparisons • In comparison to other similar regional centers, Willmar: • Willmar has fewer retail firms (154) than Alexandria (155 firms), Bemidji (172), and Brainerd/Baxter (206); but more than Albert Lea (118 firms), Austin (119), Owatonna (114), and Winona (148) • Alexandria (70 people per firm), Bemidji (77 per), and Brainerd/Baxter (105 per) all have fewer people per retail firm than Willmar (117 per) • While Willmar’s retail trade jobs have dropped -1.7% since 2000, Alexandria (+9.3%), Bemidji (+15.5%), Brainerd/Baxter (+22.1%), Marshall (+20.6%) and Owatonna (+13.3%) have added retail jobs • Brainerd/Baxter has 811 retail trade nonemployers; Alexandria has 418 • Brainerd/Baxter has twice the amount of sales in Retail – Vehicles ($171 million) as Willmar ($85.1 million) • Alexandria has three times the amount of sales in Retail – Furniture ($16.3 million) as Willmar ($4.7 million) • Alexandria and Bemidji have more sales in Retail – Clothing than Willmar Regional Analysis & Outreach Unit Communications, Analysis & Research Division

7. Comparison of Retail Trade & Population Regional Analysis & Outreach Unit Communications, Analysis & Research Division

8. Comparison of Retail Sales & Population Regional Analysis & Outreach Unit Communications, Analysis & Research Division

9. Willmar Accom. & Food Services Industry Stats • Kandiyohi Co. had 77 accom. & food svcs. firms with 1,468 jobs • There are 18 accommodation firms with 303 jobs • There are 59 food services & drinking places with 1,165 jobs • There are 33 limited-service eating places with 676 jobs • 28 of those are in Willmar, with 627 jobs (92.7%) • Willmar had 50 accommodation & food services firms in 2006, a 13.6% increase; with 1,196 jobs, a 10.8% increase • Willmar had 27 accom. & food services entrepreneurs in 2005, a -15.6% decline; with $970,000 in sales • Kandiyohi Co. had accommodation sales of $13 million in 2005, an increase from 2004 ($11.4 million) and 2003 ($10.7 million) • Willmar’s share was $10.8 million in 2005 • Kandiyohi Co. had food svcs. & drinking sales of $40.4 million • Willmar’s share was $27.3 million in 2005 Regional Analysis & Outreach Unit Communications, Analysis & Research Division

10. Accom. & Food Services Comparisons • In comparison to other similar regional centers, Willmar: • Every other included regional center had fewer people per accom. & food service establishment than Willmar (379 people per firm); including Alexandria (167 people per firm), Bemidji (187 per), and Brainerd/Baxter (248 per) • While Willmar’s accommodation & food services employment has jumped +10.8% since 2000, Brainerd/Baxter (+17.7%), Marshall (+26.3%) and Owatonna (+40.2%) have been adding more jobs, faster • Willmar has fewer food services and drinking places (43) than Alexandria (56 firms), Bemidji (62), and Brainerd/Baxter (74) • Brainerd/Baxter has 197 accommodation & food services nonemployers; Bemidji has 68; Alexandria has 44; Austin has 39 (Willmar = 27) • Douglas Co. has twice the amount of sales in Accommodation ($25 million) as Kandiyohi Co. ($13 million); Crow Wing Co. has $61 million • Douglas Co. ($46.5 million) and Crow Wing Co. ($97.7 million) have higher food svcs. sales than Kandiyohi Co. ($40.4 million) Regional Analysis & Outreach Unit Communications, Analysis & Research Division

11. Comparison of Accom. & Food Svcs. Jobs & Population Regional Analysis & Outreach Unit Communications, Analysis & Research Division

12. Comparison of Food Svcs. Sales & Population Regional Analysis & Outreach Unit Communications, Analysis & Research Division

13. Cameron Macht Regional Analysis & Outreach Unit 320-231-5174 ext. 7535 cameron.macht@state.mn.us Dept of Employment & Economic Development LMI Analyst HelpLine 651-282-2714 DEED Publications 651-296-6545 DEED LMI Web Site www.deed.state.mn.us/lmi Questions Thank You! Regional Analysis & Outreach Unit Communications, Analysis & Research Division