DECATUR - The city is getting cracking on marketing itself to restaurants and retail shops.

City leaders recently sent a detailed market profile of the community to retailers identified by the customer analysis group Buxton Co. as matching the city's demographic profile.

Top matches include Barnes & Noble, Bed Bath & Beyond, Bedroom Expressions, Borders, Burlington Coat Factory, Chili's, Chuck E. Cheese Pizza, Cold Stone Creamery, Dick's Sporting Goods, GAP, Hibbett Sporting Goods, Joe's Crab Shack, Johnny Carino's, Landry's Seafood House, Logan's Roadhouse, Longhorn Steakhouse, Outback Steakhouse, Slumberland, TGI Friday's and Victoria's Secret.

The city council approved spending $63,000 last year for the study.

That's good news to Councilwoman Betsy Stockard, who has urged the city to aggressively court new businesses.

"It's time, and if any of those companies would want to take a look at us and locate here, I'd be thrilled," Stockard said. "I'm sure a lot of other people would be, too."

Slow action by the city can cost Decatur new business, Stockard said.

Stockard said she was disappointed to read in the Herald & Review recently that Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar will open at a new retail pad on the former Bob Brady car dealership site in Forsyth.

"Rumor gets out, so most of us knew that they (Buffalo Wild Wings) wanted to be in Decatur," Stockard said.

The marketing profile sent to the retailers includes information about Decatur, its cost of living, development incentives and profiles of downtown and shopping centers.

Councilman Patrick Laegeler has urged the city to work toward filling a vacant pad at a retail center anchored by Target at the corner of Mound Road and Business U.S. 51.

The council in recent years decided to buy about 20 acres from the Decatur School District for about $5 million and develop the site into a retail center.

Mayor Paul Osborne said it's important for the city to actively court new businesses.

"But people need to understand just because you want a business here is no sign that they want to come here," Osborne said.

Olive Garden was contacted numerous times by the city and expressed little interest in coming to town, Osborne said. Now, it is a popular dining spot at Mound Center.

"It's not an overnight success story," Osborne said.

Mike Frazier can be reached at mfrazier@herald-review.com or 421-7985.