Client:
Plymouth, Wisconsin
Plymouth 2020: The Cheese Capital of the World
Plymouth, Wisconsin is the second largest community in Sheboygan County. Plymouth is best known for its world-class cheese makers, supported by the small and large dairy farms that surround the city. The town is home to nationally known cheese names like Sargento, Sartori, Masters Gallery, and a Great Lakes Cheese. It is estimated that 15% of the nation’s cheese is processed and sold from Plymouth-based facilities and makes the community the “Cheese Capital of the World™.” The city was also home to The Wisconsin Cheese Exchange, which was founded there in 1918.
Economic Strategy:
Downtown Planning and Rebranding
Plymouth 2020: The Cheese Capital of the World is more than a slogan. It is a vision that combines what is important and unique about Plymouth and maximizes the value those features bring to the community in four specific ways: by supporting key economic drivers, especially the food industry; nurturing the workforce pipeline to extend that vision into the future; developing its most visible focal point “the downtown;” and creating more destination opportunities supporting this vision.
Outcomes:
The City engaged Diane Lupke & Associates, Inc. to facilitate a downtown planning and re-branding process highlighting Plymouth’s cheese heritage and incorporating its economic power to fuel area employers, inspire restaurants and shops, and create an overarching theme for area events.
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Lupke developed and conducted an online community survey of downtown usage and interests
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Accessed proprietary data sources to identify market opportunity
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Facilitated alignment among regional clusters, downtown development, and cheese-themed events in a new unified downtown brand and plan for development.