What Happens When a Big Box Store Closes?
March 2, 2011 Leave a comment
Cross-posted from StartItUpLLC.com:
BORDERS is closing hundreds of "superstores," including this one in Stafford County, Va.
For some communities, the effect of a big box store-closing is like urban blight; because of the sudden disappearance of a major shopping destination anchor store, fewer cars fill parking spaces. And as a result, some of the remaining stores may too be forced to turn off the lights.
Last month, BORDERS filed bankruptcy and–in doing so–closed hundreds of its so-called “superstores.” Many of these stores opened in the last seven or eight years, in exurban communities such as North Stafford, Va.
Here in Virginia, counties like Loudoun, Prince William, Spotsylvania, and Stafford were once primarily rural places–home to large dairy and crop-growing farms. But according to the latest U.S. Census figures, these counties transformed into some of the U.S.’s fastest growing bedroom communities. In the 1970s, Loudoun County, Va. was home to about 5,000 residents and the little-used Dulles International Airport. In 2010, Loudoun County’s official population eclipsed 313,000 people. And, Dulles International Airport is now one of the busiest in the U.S.
With some rare exceptions, exurban counties lack historic downtown areas; “county seats” often include a courthouse, a post office, and maybe a convenience store or two. That’s why fast-growing communities like these aggressively drew in lots of national-chain retail establishments; in the past 10-15 years, developers went hog-wild building destination shopping areas throughout the outer-counties of Metropolitan Washington, D.C.
But what happens when a Big Box Store closes?
In older suburban communities, there is a greater semblance of economic-diversity and perhaps several popular local businesses fill the void (and a vacant retail storefront or two).
But in exurban communities–those farther-out counties–very few legacy (locally owned) retail merchant businesses exist. When a superstore like BORDERS closes, the effect on the community is devastating.
Although a well-known national brand, BORDERS does its best to provide a sense of place to the local communities it serves. On any given Saturday, Moms and Dads and Au Pairs fill its aisles, reading aloud children’s books to their young charges.
But where will they go once BORDERS closes for good?
While places like Stafford County–which boasts the 13th highest per capita income in the U.S.–grew fast, they turned a blind-eye to economic diversity. A cynic–or an incumbent County Supervisor–might ask: why bother attracting mom-and-pop shops when we can go after low-hanging fruit like WAL*MART and Applebees?
Our economy needs entrepreneurs to grow and be sustainable. And coming out of the economic downturn, many entrepreneurs are considering opening specialty retail establishments in their local communities. Our elected officials need to find ways to support these ambitious merchants as freely as they do the big brand names.
Locally owned businesses lend their communities a sense of place. They provide products and services that big box stores don’t. And often, they are wonderful gathering places for local shoppers who help drive business growth. (Plus, growing merchant businesses hire people!)
How utterly unappealing!
Communities that don’t support local businesses–those with “Miracle Miles” offering so many national brands–are as indistinguishable from each other as two individually wrapped slices of American Cheese.
(Dreadful.)
As voters, as taxpayers, as entrepreneurs we can–and we must–do better for our communities.
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