Walmart presents opportunity
Tuesday, September 29, 2009 5:48 PM (pst)
I have Walmart to thank for pushing me into the world of blogging. Walmart is rather like the weather: We talk about it, but we can’t do anything about it.
Walmart did a bang-up job of keeping its Warrenton project a secret. The “why” of that is not a secret – no doubt they were tight-lipped to keep the level of protest down.
But why protest? Walmart will bring 300 jobs. If those jobs are new to the regional economy, won’t that money feed other local businesses? While the ambiance of big-box store mega-park is non-existent, and the highway will undoubtedly be a bit strained, big-box employees need housing, health care, insurance, cars, clothes…the list goes on.
For existing locally-owned businesses that are still worried, what can you do? Niche, niche, niche comes to mind. Change the way you do business if you are in direct competition with one of the new big boxes. Sell something they don't sell, and bring service levels to new heights to retain local customers and earn new ones.
Many Astoria business owners successfully made that shift when 20 years ago Fred Meyer and Payless – now Rite Aid – arrived on the scene. Clothing stores, shoe stores and hardware stores were shuttered, and many storefronts were vacant for years. With the restoration of the Liberty Theater and Hotel Elliott as a catalyst early in this century, downtown Astoria experienced a rebirth. The downtown saw additions to the restaurant scene, a bevy of boutique stores, amenities such as the RiverWalk and waterfront trolley, and a host of cultural opportunities.
But the most important message is to be prepared. Get a new business plan in place if you think your business will be harmed. Doing nothing is not a productive option.
Susan Trabucco
Publisher/Editor