Getting local businesses to install bicycle parking I live in the far southern community of Nashville, Tn. If any of you know Nashville, it is very late to the bicycling movement. They have some good efforts currently but they are focused in the high rent downtown areas and super cool East-Nashville. 

The fact is cycling is much better where I live but there are a lot of older people who would not think of cycling the half mile to the store. 
 I have this idea that if we could get all the retail and mall owners to switch out the parking benches for smokers to bicycle parking, it might make the prospect of cycling more inviting.
Anyone have the experience int heir community where bicycle parking was soundly embraced? 
How did you do it?
I wanted to update contributors and thank you for the input. 
The biggest grocer stores, namely Publix and Kroger has Media Relations staff that gobbled up the idea. 
 Bike parking is low investment and has a big payback in PR!
It helped ripping this image from the latest NACTO Bicycle Design Guide and emailing it with my communications (email, phone call followed with a letter) and copying my councilwoman for endorsement.