The New Haven renaissance didn’t happen overnight. Nor was it inevitable. It was decades in the making, and Yale has played a critical role. Over the past thirty years, Yale has made historic investments to create jobs, increase tax revenues, attract new businesses, empower minority entrepreneurs, and help reshape the city’s public image.
By the Numbers
In fact, in 2023, the New York Times named New Haven one of the top 52 places to visit in the world, calling the city “a home to tinkerers and rebels, a treasure trove of contemporary art and architecture,” with “one of the best food scenes in the country.”
-
3,000,000+
Annual visitors to downtown New Haven
-
87%
Independently owned and regional merchants
-
38%
of The Shops at Yale businesses are minority- or women-owned
The Shops at Yale
In recent years, New Haven has experienced something of a renaissance.
The Shops at Yale features more than 80 stores, eateries, and attractions with convenient parking and beautiful bluestone sidewalks. But Yale doesn’t just lease these properties. The university also works closely with tenants to help them succeed, hosting merchant association meetings, organizing events to draw visitors, overseeing advertising and promotion efforts, and investing in property improvements. To learn more about the best places to eat, shop, and explore.
Yale’s always putting on events to bring people downtown, which translates into activity and sales. You can sense the community. It’s very supportive. Everybody wants to make a lasting impact.
Kimberly Pedrick, owner, idiom and dwell
Community Investment Program
Promoting diversity among aspiring entrepreneurs
Through Yale’s Community Investment Program, Yale doesn’t just provide support for businesses once they’re up and running. It also helps promote diversity among aspiring entrepreneurs by helping recruit minority and female-owned businesses to our retail districts.
Market New Haven
Elm City, the place to be
In 2000, Yale, the city of New Haven, and the business community formed Market New Haven to ensure our hometown’s public image matches the reality of New Haven, a diverse and vibrant city with so much to offer.
More than two decades later, the impact is undeniable. Through advertising, public relations, strategic collaborations, and popular events like Restaurant Week, Market New Haven continues to make sure everyone knows the Elm City is the place to be.
What’s happening each week?
Chalk art festivals. Acapella concerts. Ice carvings. There’s always something happing here.
Community Voices: Kim Poole
When Kim Poole opened More Amour Boutique in March of 2020, she had high hopes. After years of working for some of the biggest names in retail, she was excited to have her own clothing store. Then the pandemic hit, and Kim wasn’t even sure she’d make it through the first month. But when faced with adversity, she didn’t throw in the towel on her dream. She did what she always does: She buckled down and got to work. With steadfast support from Yale, Kim was still able to grow her new business and
