When defining the boundaries of a Trade City, it is important to consider the area's demographics. Many communities located on the fringes of a trade area head off consumers before they reach the center of the metropolitan area. Conversely, communities located near people enjoy the benefits of natural traffic patterns. However, if a trade city has few consumers, it may not make sense to build a retail site in this area.
While retail sales are a large portion of the Enumclaw economy, general merchandise stores tend to capture a small share of trade. For example, Target and Fred Meyer are located in the Bonney Lake and Sumner respectively, but are not part of the Enumclaw Primary Trade Area. In the following chart, we analyze four scenarios for growth in the retail sector in the Enumclaw Primary Trade Area.