Molly Griswold
During a 2024 interview with the Michigan Journal of Economics, the former senator of New York Daniel Patrick Moynihan was asked, “How does one create a great city?” His response: “Create a great university and wait 200 years.”
While Troy, Alabama, is far from both Michigan and New York, it is still true that businesses near a university market and manage their services in a particular way. Often, they cater to the college students with an increase in social media usage, study areas and even by offering student discounts.
“I think that the biggest impact would be that obviously the student body is pretty cyclical,” said Dr. John Dove, professor in the department of economics. . “There are periods of time where there's a pretty significant change in the population within Troy or any college town like that.”
College towns provide beneficial business opportunities due to the influx of first year and returning college students. During the school year, students bring in business.
Adam Vinson has been the owner of Fuse Coffee in downtown Troy since May of 2023. He spoke with The Tropolitan about reality of owning a small business in a college town.
“I have a great business here, and I love my job,” Vinson said. “Regular towns kind of have ups and downs throughout the year, whereas in a college town, my downs and my ups, it's almost like seasonal business, like you would find at the beach, or maybe in like a ski resort or mountain town or something like that.”
Vinson claims business gets cut by about one-thirdduring the summer. However, he still believes having a business in a college town is beneficial.
“There’s nothing I can do about it,” Vinson said. “The population just literally isn’t here, but hands down, it’s beneficial.
“I love college students, and I think that they’re the best customers to have.” Students often find local businesses are good places to study, hang out, and even find a job.
Eli Wiesman, a dorm resident assistant and a sophomore cyber security major from Oneonta, Alabama, advises students in his dorms to support local businesses.
“I've met a couple of international students, and they've asked me questions personally, like ‘what are some good spots,’” Wiesman said. “I tell them that the downtown area has a lot of really cool businesses, if you want a difference in atmosphere, to go there.”
Wiesman believes much of Troy’s economy can be credited to college students.
“Yeah. It's a college town; I mean that's your definition right there.”
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