Brick & Mortar Retail, Restaurant & Service Storefront Growth Lab

Running a storefront is one of the hardest jobs in business right now. Inventory, staffing, margins, marketing, customer expectations -- it all lands on you. The Brick & Mortar Retail Growth Lab was built for owners who are ready to step back, get clear, and build a sharper, more sustainable business.

This is not a seminar. It is not a networking event. It is a working cohort of up to 15 local retail, restaurant or service storefront owners who will spend six Tuesday mornings digging into their actual numbers, solving real problems, and walking away with tools they can use immediately.

Six consecutive Tuesday mornings beginning May 12 to June 16, 2026. Each session will last from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Light breakfast and free parking available.

Each week builds on the last:

• Week 1 -- Know your numbers, for real. We break down prime cost, margins, and break-even using your actual figures. You will leave knowing exactly what it costs to keep your doors open and where profit may be quietly leaking.
• Week 2 -- Increase sales without increasing stress. Average ticket growth, smarter bundling, pricing clarity, and making your square footage work harder.
• Week 3 -- Make your space sell. Layout flow, merchandising, revenue per square foot, and the small in-store shifts that can increase conversion.
• Week 4 -- Marketing that actually moves the needle. No random posting. Practical campaigns, local partnerships, and repeatable systems that bring customers back and produce sales.
• Week 5 -- Tighten operations without burning out. Labor alignment, inventory discipline, waste control, and the behind-the-scenes decisions that protect your margin and your sanity.
• Week 6 -- Build your 90-day plan. You will leave with a clear growth roadmap, defined revenue targets, and a plan you can actually execute.

This program is designed for owners of retail stores and restaurants who are already open and operating, and who are ready to invest focused time and energy into growing smarter. Whether you have been open six months or sixteen years, if you want more clarity and more confidence in how your business runs, you belong in this room. YOU DON’T NEED TO BE A CHAMBER MEMBER TO PARTICIPATE.

The cohort structure is intentional. You will not be working through hypothetical case studies. You will be working through your own business alongside other local owners doing the same. That shared yet confidential environment creates honest conversation, real accountability, and connections that tend to extend well beyond the six weeks.

Julie Reinhardt is the Founder and Principal of Brick & Mortar Retail Consulting Group. With more than 25 years of retail industry experience -- including owning her own retail business, leading municipal economic development, and consulting with retail and hospitality brands at every stage of growth -- Julie brings practical, real-world insight to every session. She has educated hundreds of business owners on financial clarity, operational discipline, and revenue strategy, and she understands the realities of running a storefront because she has lived them.

Southwest Michigan First Chamber members: $299 Non-members: $499

Not yet a Chamber member? Learn more about membership at https://www.southwestmichiganfirst.com/chamber/chamber-membership

Spots are limited to 15 businesses.

Reach out to [email protected].

We look forward to seeing you there.

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