How the outside of your location looks and engages potential customers can matter as much as the inside for retail business. Additional trees and flowerpots, cleaner streets and a more controlled atmosphere can seem like routine community improvements, but on the whole, they can be worth the difficulty to achieve, because they create a much more active retail environment.
Impressions of the outside, can act like first impressions on that all important first date, and give stores and their products an aura of quality and friendliness simply by making the customer feel more comfortable before they enter the premises and begin shopping.
“Past experience shows that businesses prefer to establish themselves in up-and-coming neighbourhoods,” said Brenda Librecz, Managing Director of
Economic Development for the City of Toronto when discussing improvements to the Junction area in an article on Toronto.ca. “Improving the visual character of the community boosts real estate values and pedestrian traffic, as well as benefits businesses by encouraging increased competitiveness as a shopping district.”
In Emery Village, increased security presence, Intelligarde Security contracted out by the Emery Village BIA, and a proliferation of roadside improvements have contributed to a more “walkable” and “welcoming” retail atmosphere, and owners and managers of local businesses are beginning to notice.
Domenic Abbatrista of Domenic’s Quality Meat said the improvements in Emery have led to an improvement in the quality of people residing in and around his business, a big change for his customers and for his atmosphere.
“The plazas, all the landlords took better care of the unit upstairs, fixed up who was up there, Mammoliti has done a good job with that.” His wife Marisa said the change in atmosphere has had the biggest impact. “They’re good, hard-working people now,” she said. “People are just much happier now. Everyone gets along, says hello, the parking is more organized. It’s a good area and we do well. People want what they want, but everyone gets along now, it’s nice.”
Improvements in parking and frontages also led to a better atmosphere for Vince Fera, owner of Millwick Paint and Wallpaper ltd. 
Fera said he’s seen a number of benefits in the past five years from the local efforts on streetscaping and community improvement (like the BIA’s revitalization of Joseph Bannon Park).
“Absolutely, absolutely there’s been a big difference,” he said. “They (City of Toronto) were going to take our parking away, but we called Mr. Ford and Mr. Mammoliti and they improved it for us, instead of losing it.”
A rash of illegal dumping had the city looking for solutions, and eliminating parking was one of the suggestions, however the move would have hurt local retail instead of helping it.
“Mammoliti has been doing a great job,” Fera said. “He’s cleaning up the area, they’ve done different things with interlock – they’ve made it more presentable. Our plaza’s not the greatest, but they’ve done a good job improving the front as best they can.” Fera said now, he wants to see more efforts to get the word out that good shopping is available in Emery.
“Now, we need exposure, we need to let people know that there are good stores here ready to serve people.” Modern Sense, 
a large furniture outlet in Emery’s centre has been open for approximately five years, the time period most business owners attribute to the improved atmosphere in Emery Village.
Manager Mani Khaner said the business has enjoyed its time in Emery, and has noticed substantial infrastructure improvements, and enjoys a consistent and high quality clientele.
“The area is developing really well now,” Khaner said. “We’ve had no problems, we think the environment is great and the type of clients we’re getting are consistently purchasing our products.”
Khaner said the improved infrastructure along with an increased security and police presence has really lent to his business. And Emilio Salandro, co-owner of Woodview Barber shop and Beauty Salon said an additional light in the rear of his building, increased security presence and an added fence and gate have drastically changed the scene in the rear of his plaza.
“It doesn’t matter where you go in Toronto, it’s a big city, you’re going to have the drug dealers, and the people you don’t want hanging around your business. All you can do is try and keep them away, and that’s what all this has done. There’s a big difference.”
Salandro is also looking forward to a project the Emery Village BIA will take on, in the rebuild of the Emery cenotaph. One main aspect of community improvement is the revitalization of its heritage, and Salandro looks forward to the day he can honour past residents, and educate future ones.
“The kids today, they may not get it, and we might have to educate them. But this will give us the opportunity to honour the older members of the community, those still around and those who are gone, and show that we care about what they did. It will be good to see that type of history reestablished and respected the way it deserves to be.”