Keeping Up With The Big Boxes – Hometown View

We are told through various sources and statistics that the economy is getting better and on the upswing although I’m sure many of you will disagree. I never know what to make of so-called experts and their analysis because often they use factors which we don’t think of as being that important. I do know that it seems many local businesses have closed their doors lately and many strip malls and shopping centers seem to have more vacancies than occupancies. However in some of those cases it may be a matter of the little guy not being able to keep up with the big boys.

DOING BUSINESS WITH "MOM & POP"

If you have lived here for a long time you know very well that we often relied on the “Mom and Pop business” for many of the things we needed on a somewhat regular basis. Sure in some cases our choices were limited but the upside was we had personal relationships with those places and many of them became vital parts of the community. They not only employed our friends and neighbors but they were businesses that joined local chambers of commerce, donated and supported local organizations and in some cases became pillars of the community.

As consumers though we were somewhat jealous when traveling to other parts of the country and seeing the growing number of chains that usually provided more choices and options and even more importantly at often better prices.

Well eventually those big stores came in to the area and we flocked to them. They did not create new shoppers and customers but rather took them from other places….everything from the local hardware store to corner luncheonette.

Frankly it’s the way our country works but to be honest the little guy in business usually has no chance against the big guy as they don’t compete on an equal playing field.

During the last 20 years or so there were many shopping centers and strip malls built that never attracted an anchor store and just as many who had one that eventually closed and took others with them. Meanwhile more and more established businesses have lost the battle to the economy and competition and every time one of them closes so goes a small part of the community. For them this is clearly not the best of times.