Welcome to the OTBA (Old Takoma Business Association) Spring 2007 survey. Full answers are available for selected questions.

To look for specific words or phrases, bring up a text screen for one of the questions (question 5, for example) and use your browser to search. Both Firefox and Internet Explorer have a search function started by CNTRL-F (for find). Enjoy!

Survey Question/Answers Count Percent Graph
1. Could Takoma Park support an additional restaurant(s)?
Yes 792 90.21%
No 17 1.94%
Not Sure 69 7.86%
2. What would you be willing to pay for an average breakfast (per person)?
$5-$10 544 62.39%
$11-$14 251 28.78%
$15+ 28 3.21%
Not Sure 49 5.62%
3. What would you be willing to pay for an average lunch (per person)?
$5-$10 334 38.35%
$11-$25 506 58.09%
$25+ 9 1.03%
Not Sure 22 2.53%
4. What would you be willing to pay for an average dinner (per person)?
$10-$20 289 33.18%
$21-$35 445 51.09%
$35+ 117 13.43%
Not Sure 20 2.30%
5. When you go out to eat now, where are your typical destinations? Please check all that apply (fill in textbox if your destination is not listed): View textual responses for this question.
Takoma Park 416 15.75%
Silver Spring 791 29.95%
Rockville 122 4.62%
Bethesda 452 17.11%
DC 629 23.82%
Adelphi 17 0.64%
College Park 82 3.10%
Laurel 19 0.72%
Other 113 4.28%
6. If someone tells you about an interesting restaurant, how long would you be willing to drive in order to eat there?
5-15 minutes 143 16.49%
15-30 minutes 561 64.71%
30+ minutes 135 15.57%
Not Sure 28 3.23%
7. How many times a week on average do you eat lunch out?
0-2 571 66.01%
3-4 228 26.36%
5+ 66 7.63%
8. How many times a week on average do you eat dinner out?
0-2 719 83.31%
3-4 130 15.06%
5 14 1.62%
9. What type of cuisine would you like to see added to Takoma Park's restaurant scene? View textual responses for this question.
10. Please share with us the last three restaurants you ate at, as well as their locations (e.g. "Lebanese Taverna, Silver Spring"): View textual responses for this question.
11. What days of the week are you most likely to eat out in Takoma Park? Please check all that apply:
Sunday 498 18.53%
Monday 188 6.99%
Tuesday 203 7.55%
Wednesday 233 8.67%
Thursday 319 11.87%
Friday 612 22.77%
Saturday 635 23.62%
12. What features, apart from food quality and price, would be very important to your decision to patronize a Takoma Park restaurant? Please check all that apply, and add, if necessary: View textual responses for this question.
Parking proximity 351 21.30%
Kid-friendly 332 20.15%
Drinks (alcohol) available 520 31.55%
Music / entertainment 172 10.44%
Other 273 16.57%
13. What other service business(es) would you like to see in Takoma Park? Please check all that apply and add, if necessary: View textual responses for this question.
Bakery 564 33.49%
Butcher 209 12.41%
Shoe Repair 222 13.18%
Jewelry Store 40 2.38%
Garden Shop 317 18.82%
Other 332 19.71%
14. What other goods business(es) would you like to see in Takoma Park? View textual responses for this question.
Wine Store 505 23.07%
Flower Shop 140 6.40%
Bagel Shop 427 19.51%
Niche Hardware Store 405 18.50%
Bookstore 621 28.37%
Other 91 4.16%
15. What the three local service businesses that you currently patronize most frequently (they don't necessarily have to be in Takoma Park)?View textual responses for this question.
16. What features, apart from goods / service provided, would be very important to your decision to patronize a Takoma Park business? Please check all that apply: View textual responses for this question.
Parking Proximity 374 23.22%
Hours of Operation 635 39.42%
Local Ownership 433 26.88%
Other 169 10.49%
17.  Where do you live?
Takoma Park 558 67.39%
Takoma DC 117 14.13%
Washington, DC (not Takoma DC) 33 3.99%
Silver Spring 96 11.59%
Other 24 2.90%
18.  What is your age?
Under 21 4 0.48%
22-39 284 34.38%
40-49 261 31.60%
50-59 207 25.06%
60+ 70 8.47%
19. What other old town-type areas do you visit? (e.g. Ellicott City, Alexandria, Leesburg, Frederick, etc) View textual responses for this question.
20. What typically draws you to these destinations? View textual responses for this question.
21. When parking and walking to a local business, how far away would you be willing to park?
1 block 67 8.16%
2-3 blocks 414 50.43%
4-5 blocks 211 25.70%
5+ blocks 129 15.71%
22. Is free parking important to your decision to patronize Takoma Park businesses?
Yes 325 39.59%
No 496 60.41%
23. What do you think are the most attractive aspects of downtown Takoma Park? View textual responses for this question.
24. What do you think local shops could do in order to attract more business? View textual responses for this question.

Total Survey Participants Answering At Least One Question: 879