Last summer, I wrote an article regarding Wal-Mart’s impact on small-town businesses. As I wrote there were two things that surprised me. One, two businesses that felt Wal-Mart was slowly driving them into extinction declined to be interviewed or go on the record. It seemed strange that someone would be offered an opportunity to give their story but decline instead. I guess they had their reasons. Two, most of the other businesses I spoke to generally had neutral things to say about Wal-Mart. A few were even positive. Originally, I intended this story to be for one of my freelance clients. It didn’t work out, unfortunately, and my attempt to sell it to another client fell through. With that, I have chosen to post the story, written in four parts, on this blog. I don’t know how often, possibly once every week or two.
In fairness, for the story I also asked Wal-Mart’s opinion. The folks at the Clio, Michigan Wal-Mart referred me to corporate public affairs. It took several weeks, but I was finally able to get their answers. They are incorporated into the article.
Is Wal-Mart bad for small-town America? I’ve done my best to allow both sides to give their opinion. Now it’s up to you to read and decide for yourself.
In fairness, for the story I also asked Wal-Mart’s opinion. The folks at the Clio, Michigan Wal-Mart referred me to corporate public affairs. It took several weeks, but I was finally able to get their answers. They are incorporated into the article.
Is Wal-Mart bad for small-town America? I’ve done my best to allow both sides to give their opinion. Now it’s up to you to read and decide for yourself.
(All photos taken by Richard Zowie)
Richard Zowie
Arbela Township, Tuscola County, Michigan
April 7, 2008
Wal-Mart: the culprit for the demise of Mom and Pop in Clio?
Part 1 of 4: Downtown businesses mixed about department store super giant
By Richard Zowie
CLIO, MICH. – Take a drive or walk in downtown Clio, and for some who have grown up here, the sight can be discouraging.
Some buildings, with their rich histories, are vacant with FOR SALE signs in their windows. If walls could talk, the buildings certainly would have endless, illustrious stories to tell about customers, products and services offered throughout the years.
Some businesses, such as Porky’s Hogg Trough, have closed and are now just a memory, a testament of how difficult it can be in today’s economy for businesses to stay afloat. Others struggle to stay in business. Among the many businesses in downtown Clio are an electrolysis shop, jewelry store, hardware store, sports wear shop, chiropractor, dance studio, pharmacy, pet feed and supply shop, insurance companies, mortgage lenders, banks and several restaurants.
When looking at the closed-up shops, the question arises: what ails downtown Clio? Is it the sluggish economy? The collapse of Delphi? The struggles of the Big Three automakers?
Some say the problem is only a couple of miles down on West Vienna Road in the form of a big-box store that offers low prices.
And if you ask around, you’ll find that the subject of Wal-Mart in mid-Michigan is as controversial a subject as the state’s economy, Michael Moore and how to turn the seemingly-incorrigible Detroit Lions into a winning team.
For some, Wal-Mart represents a chance to get department and grocery store shopping done with low prices that are painless for the checkbook and a godsend to a shoestring budget.
For others, Wal-Mart is the epitome of Big Business whose philosophy of “Always Low Prices” forces local Mom & Pop stores to go out of business and threatens to write a disturbing chapter into a town’s economical history.
The debate has almost certainly continued with the opening last fall of a Wal-Mart in the Clio area. Specifically, the store is located in Vienna Township right off of West Vienna Road on North Linden Road just west of Interstate 75. There are seven other Wal-Marts within a 25-mile radius of Clio. The closest is about 12.5 miles south in Flint. Grand Blanc and Saginaw both have Wal-Marts.
The Vienna Township Wal-Mart is not the only big-box store in the area. Kmart is located at just east of I-75 on West Vienna Road. And in 2008, a Meijer store will open less than 10 miles north in Birch Run.
Frankenmuth residents have fought efforts to build a Wal-Mart there.
In downtown Clio, especially among the businesses that have been open for decades, mentioning Wal-Mart tends to invoke a lot of mixed discussion. Two businesses had very negative feelings about the department store super giant; one declined to be interviewed for this article while another refused to go on record. Others voiced their concerns about Wal-Mart’s prices and how difficult it is to compete with them. Some businesses said they felt no negative impact from Wal-Mart while some even stated that the store helped downtown businesses.
Debbie Taylor, who owns Floral Expressions on 186 W. Vienna Street, said that when Wal-Mart first opened, she was worried at first.
“I think I’m more concerned about how Wal-Mart affects other businesses in town, since it doesn’t carry a lot of what we carry except for flowers and plants,” she said. “If other businesses in town close, then this town starts looking a lot more vacant than it already is, and that’s not good for us. People then won’t stop [to shop] since there’s nothing in town.”
Taylor pointed out that Michigan’s sluggish economy, particularly in the auto industry, has not helped the local economy.
“We were affected a lot more when Delphi announced they were going bankrupt than when Wal-Mart opened,” she said.
Richard Zowie
Arbela Township, Tuscola County, Michigan
April 7, 2008
Wal-Mart: the culprit for the demise of Mom and Pop in Clio?
Part 1 of 4: Downtown businesses mixed about department store super giant
By Richard Zowie
CLIO, MICH. – Take a drive or walk in downtown Clio, and for some who have grown up here, the sight can be discouraging.
Some buildings, with their rich histories, are vacant with FOR SALE signs in their windows. If walls could talk, the buildings certainly would have endless, illustrious stories to tell about customers, products and services offered throughout the years.
Some businesses, such as Porky’s Hogg Trough, have closed and are now just a memory, a testament of how difficult it can be in today’s economy for businesses to stay afloat. Others struggle to stay in business. Among the many businesses in downtown Clio are an electrolysis shop, jewelry store, hardware store, sports wear shop, chiropractor, dance studio, pharmacy, pet feed and supply shop, insurance companies, mortgage lenders, banks and several restaurants.
When looking at the closed-up shops, the question arises: what ails downtown Clio? Is it the sluggish economy? The collapse of Delphi? The struggles of the Big Three automakers?
Some say the problem is only a couple of miles down on West Vienna Road in the form of a big-box store that offers low prices.
And if you ask around, you’ll find that the subject of Wal-Mart in mid-Michigan is as controversial a subject as the state’s economy, Michael Moore and how to turn the seemingly-incorrigible Detroit Lions into a winning team.
For some, Wal-Mart represents a chance to get department and grocery store shopping done with low prices that are painless for the checkbook and a godsend to a shoestring budget.
For others, Wal-Mart is the epitome of Big Business whose philosophy of “Always Low Prices” forces local Mom & Pop stores to go out of business and threatens to write a disturbing chapter into a town’s economical history.
The debate has almost certainly continued with the opening last fall of a Wal-Mart in the Clio area. Specifically, the store is located in Vienna Township right off of West Vienna Road on North Linden Road just west of Interstate 75. There are seven other Wal-Marts within a 25-mile radius of Clio. The closest is about 12.5 miles south in Flint. Grand Blanc and Saginaw both have Wal-Marts.
The Vienna Township Wal-Mart is not the only big-box store in the area. Kmart is located at just east of I-75 on West Vienna Road. And in 2008, a Meijer store will open less than 10 miles north in Birch Run.
Frankenmuth residents have fought efforts to build a Wal-Mart there.
In downtown Clio, especially among the businesses that have been open for decades, mentioning Wal-Mart tends to invoke a lot of mixed discussion. Two businesses had very negative feelings about the department store super giant; one declined to be interviewed for this article while another refused to go on record. Others voiced their concerns about Wal-Mart’s prices and how difficult it is to compete with them. Some businesses said they felt no negative impact from Wal-Mart while some even stated that the store helped downtown businesses.
Debbie Taylor, who owns Floral Expressions on 186 W. Vienna Street, said that when Wal-Mart first opened, she was worried at first.
“I think I’m more concerned about how Wal-Mart affects other businesses in town, since it doesn’t carry a lot of what we carry except for flowers and plants,” she said. “If other businesses in town close, then this town starts looking a lot more vacant than it already is, and that’s not good for us. People then won’t stop [to shop] since there’s nothing in town.”
Taylor pointed out that Michigan’s sluggish economy, particularly in the auto industry, has not helped the local economy.
“We were affected a lot more when Delphi announced they were going bankrupt than when Wal-Mart opened,” she said.
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