Chain stores can be great, but local retailers truly help build communitiesDate: 8/16/2018 I read a fascinating story about Dollar General published by The Guardian that points out the changing nature of retail and how that can affect communities.
Here is the link to the story: www.theguardian.com/business/2018/aug/13/dollar-general-walmart-buhler-haven-kansas.
In the story, several small farming communities in Kansas are profiled. In one town Dollar General, a discount general store retailer – we have them here in the Pioneer Valley – came in and effectively closed other businesses.
Another town close by prohibited the retailer from setting up a store.
The advantages touted by Dollar General included offering some jobs to local folks and low prices on a variety of items including food items.
In fact, while they do sell food, they do not sell fresh food and the Dollar General in one town closed the local grocery store which could not compete with the lower prices offered by the chain.
Now some of you I’m sure will puff out your chest and proclaim this is how it should be. Competition kills the weak. The consumer will prevail. Long live capitalism. Make ‘Merica great again.
I’ve got nothing against capitalism, but this story points out there are reactions to those decisions to allow chains such as these into a community. In Kansas, the Dollar General pays less tax than the grocery story it ran out of business and employs far fewer people.
What kind of business that is allowed to come into a community can have both a positive and negative reaction.
Years ago I received a call from a PR person for Golden Corral who wanted to know if I wanted to cover the grand opening of its Springfield store. I said no. I was asked why. My reply was a question: are you ever going to advertise with us?
The public relations person said no. I then explained there is no reason I should cover the opening a chain restaurant that might damage local eateries that do advertise with us.
In Springfield we have plenty of Family Dollar and Dollar General stores. The Guardian article noted the chains go into areas where either local stores have abandoned or larger chains such as Wal-Mart simply do not want to be.
If you live in the inner city – such as I do – there are few options for local food markets for instance. One could argue effectively that Dollar General and Family Dollar fill a void. My issue is why and how that void was created.
Granted Springfield is a city of 155,000 and next to us is the city of Chicopee, a community of 55,000 people. We are not small Kansas farming towns trying to survive.
Yet, we have to be aware of the dynamics of urban life. Where are stores located? Are they locally, regionally or nationally controlled? Is it worthwhile to have a new store come in only to see it close several others?
The effect of online shopping is something also to consider. I have one friend who has health concerns and does not drive. He shops a lot online. I understand that.
I know someone else who loves bragging in social media about the deals he gets online and how he doesn’t shop locally.
I understand the idea of saving money and convenience. I don’t understand the concept of publically advocating the elimination of local retail that provides jobs and a tax base.
If we want our communities to grow we have to be aware of choices that are made. We have to acknowledge the changes in our neighborhoods and what they mean. We have to be more involved and less passive.
I’ve shopped at a Dollar General, but I try to keep as much of my dollar as local as possible. I want local business to survive.
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