As appeared in the Albuquerque Journal Rio Rancho section 8/22/09
Surveys are very popular on the Web these days, and many of my clients have requested surveys on their own Web sites. It's a great way to pick their customers' brains and find out what their favorite cake flavor is or how they can improve their motocross track.
Facebook is notorious for quizzes and surveys, which I try to avoid, fearing that after taking the "What's your hippie name?" I inadvertently tell the whole world I am Tiny Tim. I did put myself out on a limb and took the "What dead rock star are you?" as did my 16-year-old daughter.
Turns out she is Jim Morrison. Hello? I surveyed out as Jerry Garcia. Go figure. I never was a huge Grateful Dead fan, and if I had to pick, I see myself more as a Rick James. Or maybe it's just his song "Super Freak" and memories of dancing on the beach with naval aviators at Fort Story, Va., in 1982 that I relate to.
But, I digress.
As part of the development of a comprehensive retail plan, the city of Rio Rancho has published an online survey of its own, asking residents which retail and restaurant chains they would like to see in the City of Vision. I took the survey, and let me just say, it definitely raised my level of anticipation.
The survey asks residents to select their level of desirability from highly desirable to no interest for a variety of restaurants, clothing stores, furniture and electronic stores, sporting goods and entertainment stores and department stores.
The first category is women's clothing stores, and among the prospects are Chicos, American Eagle, Ann Taylor, Pac Sun, Coldwater Creek, Talbots and Gap. I am almost salivating at the thought of having a Talbots or Ann Taylor this close but fear it is just a dangling carrot in front of my nose.
Next came the shoe store question: DSW, Jarman Shoes, Naturalizer, Famous Footwear and Payless shoes. Being a woman, I checked "Highly Desirable" on each one.
On the grocery store question, I remembered how many years it took to get a Trader Joe's in my former town in California, so I put a hopeful check mark next to Whole Foods Market and TJs anyway.
Ruth's Chris Steak House? Somehow I cannot imagine one of those in the state. But Macaroni Grill, Panera Bread, P.F. Chang's and Cracker Barrel (I go for the Mallo Cups) are easily doable.
Do we want furniture and electronics stores? Of course we do. American Home Furniture, La-Z-Boy, Ethan Allan, Best Buy: check, check, check, check.
Do we want a Pier 1, Cost Plus, Crate & Barrel, JoAnn Fabrics, a Hallmark store and a Michaels? Absolutely.
I suppose we could use another sporting goods store, and I'll take a Barnes & Noble and a multiplex movie theater. And while we are at it, why not make the movie theater an IMAX?
The best part about the survey is the comments box at the end where it allows you to add your own write-in candidates. I think the city should make it easier for businesses to set up shop here. I think a Dave & Busters would do well here, a grown-up version of the Chuck E. Cheese eat and play restaurant. I would love to see a children's zoo and more local restaurants from Albuquerque open up branches here.
The survey runs until Sept. 18 and will be used to entice more businesses to the community, so I say, as a resident of Rio Rancho, go to ci.rio-rancho.nm.us and make your opinion count.
Quote of the week: "She's a very special girl. The kind of girl you want to know. From her head down to her toenails." — "Super Freak" by Rick James
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