Main Street Matters by Heart on Main Street

In Part 4 of our Why We Buy Summer Book Club series, host Patrick Keiser digs into a powerful truth from Paco Underhill’s retail research: the more comfortable customers feel in your store, the longer they’ll stay — and the more they’ll spend.

This episode explores how comfort influences customer behavior and sales, from reducing congestion to providing seating and shopping baskets. Patrick unpacks real-world insigh...

In this third episode of our Why We Buy Summer Book Club series, host Patrick Keiser explores one of the most iconic — and actionable — insights from Paco Underhill’s retail classic: shoppers almost always turn right. This subtle customer behavior holds big implications for your store’s layout, traffic flow, and product placement strategy.

As Patrick walks us deeper into the shopper journey, he breaks down how custo...

In this second installment of our Why We Buy Summer Book Club series, host Patrick Keiser unpacks one of the most overlooked yet critical parts of any retail space — the decompression zone. Based on insights from Paco Underhill’s seminal book, Why We Buy, this episode explores what happens in the first 5 to 10 feet inside your store and why it can make or break your customer’s shopping experience.

Patrick explains w...

Welcome to the kickoff of our Main Street Matters Summer Book Club series! In this special edition of the podcast, host Patrick Keiser dives into the first takeaway from Paco Underhill’s retail classic Why We Buy. And it all begins… before your customer even walks in the door.

This week’s episode explores how the outside of your store sets the tone for the inside experience. From signage and sidewalk engagement to s...

In today’s episode of Main Street Matters, Patrick Keiser explores a game-changing idea: your store isn’t just a place to shop, it’s a full sensory experience. Customers don’t just buy with their wallets. They buy with their eyes, ears, hands, noses, and even taste buds. That’s why the most memorable retail spaces are those that engage all five senses.

In this deep dive, you’ll discover how each sense contributes to...

Join host Patrick Keiser for a special episode of Main Street Matters as he sits down with Bob Negen, the respected founder and owner of Whizbang Retail Training. A seasoned retailer who built an incredibly successful business before launching another venture to teach other retailers, Bob has been a vital supporter of Heart on Main Street.

In this insightful conversation, Bob shares his unique journey, starting with his...

In this inspiring episode of Main Street Matters, host Patrick Keiser explores one of the most transformative forces in retail: community. Through real-life stories from Saratoga Springs, NY, to Lincoln, IL, Patrick highlights how independent retailers across the country are coming together to collaborate, support one another, and create thriving downtowns.

You’ll learn why “community over competition” isn’t just a ...

What if the secret to long-term retail success isn’t just found in your numbers, but in your values?

In this inspiring and actionable episode of Main Street Matters, host Patrick Keiser explores how independent retailers across the country are building their businesses around generosity, connection, and purpose. You’ll hear stories of shop owners who’ve turned their stores into hubs of hope, from disaster recovery i...

If you’ve ever felt like your store’s website isn’t getting the traffic it deserves, you’re not alone — and SEO might be the missing piece. In this practical, no-fluff episode of Main Street Matters, host Patrick Keiser and guest Samantha Conner break down five of the most common SEO mistakes that independent retailers make and how to fix them without hiring an agency or becoming a tech expert.

From page titles and ...

In a world dominated by big-box convenience and digital ads, what truly sets independent retailers apart? Relationships. In this heartfelt episode of Main Street Matters, host Patrick Keiser explores how genuine customer connections are built — not with marketing gimmicks, but with consistent, thoughtful, everyday moments.

Drawing inspiration from Paco Underhill’s Why We Buy, Patrick unpacks how emotion, memory, and...

What if five minutes could make your store more profitable, more welcoming, or more efficient? In this episode of Main Street Matters by Heart on Main Street, host Patrick Keiser shares five small but mighty changes you can make today to improve your retail business, no budget, no major overhaul, just quick wins with big potential.

Drawing on insights from the retail classic Why We Buy by Paco Underhill, Patrick wal...

In this conversation, Patrick Keiser speaks with Daniel Tadros, founder of 360 Retail Management, about strategies for independent retailers to improve sales and efficiency. They discuss the importance of optimizing POS systems, enhancing product listings for better SEO, and leveraging AI tools to streamline operations and improve customer service. Daniel emphasizes the need for retailers to adopt technology to stay compet...

Is Main Street retail really fading away? Are small businesses doomed to lose on price? In this bold and empowering episode of Main Street Matters, host Patrick Keiser busts four of the most common myths surrounding independent retail — and replaces them with the truth: Main Street is alive, evolving, and more important than ever.

Using real stories, community insights, and on-the-ground experience, Patrick breaks d...

Length: 58:38
Hosted by: Patrick Keiser, Heart on Main Street
Guest: Janzen Tew, Photographer & Founder of Denim + Velvet

📸 Episode Description:
Want to take better photos of your store but don’t know where to start? In this actionable episode of Main Street Matters, we’re joined by retail photography expert Janzen Tew, founder of Denim + Velvet, for a crash course in creating beautiful, high-impact...

When disaster strikes, it doesn’t just damage buildings — it upends lives, disrupts communities, and tests the resilience of independent retailers. In this heartfelt episode of Main Street Matters, host Patrick Keiser travels to Western North Carolina to share the powerful stories of two retailers — J. Gabriel in Asheville and Willow Creek in Chimney Rock — who lost everything to natural disasters but found strength in the...

What’s driving the future of independent retail in 2025? In this fast-paced episode, Patrick Keiser breaks down 7 emerging trends transforming Main Street shopping districts across the country. From hyperlocal merchandise and immersive in-store experiences to TikTok-ready storefronts and community-driven collaborations, this episode is packed with insights for retailers, showrooms, and anyone who believes in the power of s...

On this episode of Main Street Matters by Heart on Main Street, Patrick interviews Crystal Vilkaitis, the Founder of Rooted in Retail and the host of the Rooted in Retail podcast. They talk about the need for small businesses and independent retailers to change and evolve as business changes around them. Crystal provides tips and insights on how businesses can change and what she hears about changes that businesses will ne...

Looking to give your store a new look in 2025? Lyn Falk and Suzanne Rafenstein join Main Street Matters to discuss visual merchandising techniques you can incorporate into your store! Whether you're looking to make little tweaks or a whole new redesign, the team from Retailworks Inc. can set you on the path to realizing your visual merchandising dreams this year!

Don’t miss out on expert insights and real-world case...

Join host Patrick Keiser on Main Street Matters by Heart on Main Street, where we uncover the secrets behind America's most vibrant downtown shopping districts. After visiting 50 communities across the country, we've identified what makes a successful Main Street—from small-town gems to bustling city districts.

In this episode, we highlight real examples of communities that have revitalized their downtowns through b...