Stand in front of the biggest eyesore in town and ask, “how could we use this now?” 

ByBecky McCray

One advantage Deb and I have when we tour your town is that we are not from there. We look at your worst long-term problem properties, and we think about how we could use them now.

We’re not hung up on what this place used to be, or the environmental issues that keep it from selling, or the long sad story of how it ended up a mess. We just try to think of what it could be used for right now. 

In Marienville, Pennsylvania, there’s an old gas station that’s currently empty. It still has underground tanks, so it’s going to be a big project to get it back into productive use. 

Unless…. we could figure out a way to use it now. One thing it has going for it is its location right at the main intersection. And the parking area is ok. And there’s one good window. And there’s a big sheet of plywood over another window. 

Let’s get to thinking.

Since it’s at the main intersection, it’s a great place to post banners, flags or signs for events. Since there is room for parking, we could park cars on it. Since there’s one good window, we could paint a design on it or hang signs in it. Since it has the huge sheet of plywood, of course we could paint that up with a little art. 

Put it all together, and you could set up an amazing display during car show weekend. Flags and banners for the event on the corner, classic cars parked on the parking lot, posters and memorabilia in the good window, and a new piece of old car art painted on the plywood. 

That’s a lot better than leaving it to rot until the whole environmental thing is fully funded. 

You’ve probably got an empty gas station in your town. How could you use it for something good right now? 

And yes you can hit reply and tell me an objection, but you better have a positive idea to go with it! 

Keep shaping the future of your town, 
Becky

PS –  This is just one example that Deb and I share in our next webinar, the Embedded Community Experience. It’s only a $20 investment, and it’s only available through June 6.