When it comes to doing business in Parkes, Parkes Shire Council’s focus is on creating an environment where they can succeed.

It provides range of initiatives to support local businesses.

"Local business owners bring the expertise and energy that drive our economy, and council works alongside them, helping foster collaboration and stepping in where individual businesses can’t act alone," a spokesperson for council said.

"It’s about complementing their efforts so that together we can build a stronger, more connected business community."

Recent initiatives, that have been made possible thanks to funding from Transport for NSW, have included:

Shape Your CBD: The Parkes CBD is a big draw card for visitors, people looking to move here, and businesses. Council has been working with the people of Parkes and industry professionals to ensure the CBD absolutely reflects its local personality but can also act as a progressive area for the next decade.

Council hosted 18 free small business workshops over two weeks in October.

They were delivered by industry professionals, topics ranging from AI to marketing and regional trends to visual merchandising.

"We’re working to bring back some of the most popular sessions in 2026," council said.

There's also new lighting in Cooke Park and Clarinda Street as a way to make the CBD a more inviting place for people to spend time.

Since council discussed its trial on empty shopfronts at its October meeting, staff have been working with multiple partners to secure owner consent to proceed.

"While the current economic environment presents challenges, we know this initiative matters to the community and we remain committed to progressing it where possible," the spokesperson said.

Council's economic development team is excited about the future of Parkes it said.

"Despite our cost-of-living pressures, many of our local businesses have shown incredible resilience and adaptability.

"We’re fortunate to have highly capable business owners who continue to thrive, and we’re seeing new ventures open their doors, such as a new brewery, a bookstore, and a kebab shop, adding to the diversity of our local offering," the spokesperson said.

"Combine that with the opportunities created by the Parkes Special Activation Precinct, and there’s a real sense that we’re building something special here.

"The future looks bright, and we’re thrilled to be part of it."