Local Business Closing

[krjwaj]

We live in an area that has been undergoing huge growth; both residential communities and commercial sites. Lately, I am noticing lots of empty units..no new businesses starting up. And that stinks becuase they took down the trees for offices and now its just empty buildings

 

[Homesteadmom]

I live in Lake Oswego. It's the snooty suburb, sorry to say. We moved here because of the schools and proximity to work.

Niether one lives there. You have to make your choices like that sometimes. Especially with the cost of fuel nowadays.

 

[roosmom]

I didnt read ALL the posts but we have had so many stores close that we almost look like a ghost town. I do firmly believe it is because of walmart and the other super stores. People in town found it easier and more conveniant to shop at the big places rather than here in the small town they live in. Pretty soon business were going under because no one shopped there anymore. Yes there are always some people who supported our hometown but not many. Anyway so as it sits now, we have grocery stores, bars, motels. A very struggling Ben Franklin, three hardware stores, 2 movie rental stores, out on the main road is a pizza hut, mcdonalds, there are numerous resturants. We have a hospital, sheriff dept, state police, two or more touristy stores, antique type stores oh and the prison. Even two of our four sporting goods stores have went under, I think it is because people shop online.
I, as I am getting older, realize the importance of supporting stores in your area. NOWHERE in this town can you buy good shoes, good winter coats, good anything really. IT IS A SHAME......

 

[enjoy the ride]

Roosmom- in my area, the local merchants fought like heck to keep Walmart and stores like it out . That meant we had the highest prices for many goods in our area. And still can't get good quality things. We had what they wanted to sell. At the price they wanted.
Food here was higher than in the wealthy area that my parent's live- and they complained about their prices.
Finally a warehouse type food store came and like magic, food prices dropped about 20%. Some of the stores became a lot friendlier too. One one old timer store went out of business as they did not adjust.
Costco put in a fuel station after lots of roadblocks and the fuel they carry dropped to the San Francisco-ish levels. Still high but better. Diesel, which Costco does not carry, is still higher than everywhere else I have ever been.
I do go to a locally owned hardware store as I can always get help there and their prices are only slightly higher or similar to the chains. Same with my pet supplies- they once were out of the food I used and called another store to see if they had it. Then told them to hold a couple of bags for me to pick up. I don't forget things like that and buy my dog food and stuff there even if Costco is cheaper.
So it's a two way street - here a lot of merchants were very, very wealthy and not at all accommodating. I did not cry when they went out of business. But for the ones that gave neighborly service and were helpful- I will stick with them. Even if the parkings bad........lol
The nearest Walmart is 86 miles away overy very bad roads. And it can stay there as far as I'm concerned.

 

[TanksHill]

I went searching for a Dutch Oven yesterday. I am on this whole outdoor cooking kick. Anyways, My downtown main street was missing 3 stores. But, being that I live in a major overpopulated area I only had to travel 2 miles to the next shopping center. It is sad to see the little ma and pa stores closing. I allways try to go there first. things are deffinetly changing.

 

[roosmom]

It makes you sad tho doesnt it....My hubby, who only gets into town once in a blue moon, says that there is so much gone. We went to the sporting goods store-----closed. He actually drew my attention to the stores, bars and other buildings that have been torn down. Even tho they planted grass, it is still a great big hole---right downtown. The biggest town next to us is, like yours, 65 miles away. AND we dont even like that town. We would rather go to Marquette, which is 100miles away.
So yes, I would say that this town has seen lots of closings.

 

[heatherv]

- in my area, the local merchants fought like heck to keep Walmart and stores like it out . .

Our township has been fighting for a few years, and have gone to court, to keep out Meijer's. There is now "town" here, we're in the middle of nowhere. There was a lumber store that went out of business. There is a small grocery store w/ prices triple of what you pay if you go to Meijer's in the next town over. There's a Walmart in that town, but not a grocery one. So the people from this area have to drive 40-55 minutes to get decent priced groceries, and better quality/selection produce. If you have to go to the nearby store, you get robbed basically. It's a chain store, but it's small and expensive.

Other than that, we have 3 gas stations, McDonalds, 2 banks, and a chinese restaurant and K-mart (small one). I think that's about it. So a Meijer coming in would only be competition to the small expensive chain grocery store. (really, who wants to pay $5-$7 for a box of cereal?) Not only that, but this area needs jobs DESPERATELY. There's nothing here, and w/ gas, alot of people can't afford to go to work in neighboring town (not many jobs there anyways). If this town could provide for the local citizens, then I'd be all for supporting local businesses. But I cannot afford the prices at the local store, and their selection is poor. Their sale prices don't even compare w/ regular prices at the store in the neighboring town.

 

[scrambledmess]

Our town is in the middle of a growth spurt. We have about 4500 people living in the town and around 14000 in the parish. Walmart opened a mini "super" center (how funny is that?) here about 2 years ago. It has brought in a lot of traffic and thus new businesses are opening (mostly fast food and gas stations). It is nice because we had one of the highest unemployment rates in the state. This should really help our parish out.

However, I think the two bigger cities to the south of us are hurting. That may trickle up to us over the next few years.

Wanted to add because I hadn't read the post directly above mine until I posted mine: I do believe the grocery stores in our town fought the Walmart. We had two and they are both struggling now. But this is a very poor parish in which I live. Walmart has really been a good thing for the vast majority of the people here who could not afford the prices in the other grocery stores. And as stated above, it has helped to bring new business to town.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Our local steel mill just announced today that they are laying off hundreds. It is supposed to be temporary, but we will see :|

 

[Acre of Blessings]

In the county we live in...............10 years ago when I moved here it was booming. Furniture factories, Sewing factories, etc... all tyoes of jobs. You could actually quit one job and have another before you went home, that's how this county was.

Now, 10 years later, GONE. All but a handful of factories. All but 2 (I think) of the furniture factories are gone. All sewing factories- none left, all gone. Anyplace that you could make good money working there is gone.

Now we have CVS, Walgreens, Dr's offices, etc. places where not everyone can work at. And get this, the county has splurged with our hard earned tax $'s and is building a multi- million dollar soccer field. For who? Not my kids, not your kids. They say it will draw in big teams and bring in money and people. BOLOGNA!!!!

When your at the top of the ladder, you look out for yourself and yourself only, you care nothing about anyone else. This is sad.

My DH has to drive 45 minutes 1-way to go to work due to the fact there is none here where we live.