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The
announcement ends weeks of rumors that the national chain was indeed
leaving Logan County for more lucrative venues in other cities, in
other states. Staples isn't cutting back their store numbers. In fact
the chain has a remarkable growth record across the United States —
a growth curve that hasn't been met by the store located on Woodlawn
Road.
Whether
the Staples was losing money or making a profit margin unacceptable to
their corporate honchos is of course their business, not ours. It is
our business that an empty retail location made void by the departure
of Kmart, filled, and then left empty again by another retailing
superstar brings into question whether Lincoln is ready to join the
boom of major retailers situating their outlets in cities with a
population of 15,000 to 20,000.
It
didn't take anyone with a doctorate in business to worry about the
store's viability. On several personal visits I found myself to be
alone in the sprawling business, save a few always-eager-to-please
employees. Selection was always available at the store. Prices were
competitive if not downright cheap. The store was brightly lit and
clean.
I
asked myself often if perhaps Lincolnites had other favorite office
supply businesses that enjoyed their loyal patronage, leaving no room
for another such store in town. I also wondered if the lack of
business activity was just another case of Logan County residents
shooting themselves in the foot by going out of town to buy
everything, including the purchase of an item or two from another
Staples in another town they were shopping in. Although I am sure
there is truth in my former statement, I fear there is also a great
deal of reality in the latter.
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column]
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Whatever
the reason, we will have another huge retail hole to fill in Lincoln,
and it won't be as easy this time to have a grand opening sign at 1308
Woodlawn Road.
Corporate
Retail America is tough. Major retail chain businesses are slow on
patience and quick on severing ties with a community when a store
doesn't fit their national guidelines for financial productivity.
Chains are also smart enough to look at past track records of other
such peers who have tried and failed in a community. What would one
imagine a board of directors of another chain store would pronounce
concerning the possibility of entering Logan County's market? Would
not the fact Kmart and Staples gave it a try and pulled out sway their
vote in choosing not to come to Lincoln?
You
know, through this entire article my worry has concealed a strength of
this community that I would be remiss in not mentioning. For a century
we have been dealt serious economic blow after blow. And although many
of these setbacks have caused us to lose our growth fundamental,
somehow we always make it to another day, another opportunity.
One
of these days, however, we need to start the journey forward without
talking any steps back. We will find the effort less tiresome and
disappointing than continually gaining a store (like a Walgreens) and
losing another (like a Staples).
I
hope the economic and political leaders of this community delve into
the failure of Staples to remain with us. We need to know exactly what
went wrong. We need to understand and correct whatever we can to
dissuade the next Staples from summarily removing us from their
economic growth plans.
I
don't want to slice this onion anymore. I want to throw it in the
garbage. That's where news that stinks like this belongs.
[Mike
Fak]
Other articles
by Mike Fak can be viewed on his website at www.fakmachine.com.
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