4/18/06
Itís becoming a challenge for many hometown businesses to stay alive
Two area communities took a hit this month with the announcements that two 100-year-old landmark retail and grocery stores are closing.
Residents in both communities are in denial, because they never believed Enggrenís Market in downtown Lakeville and the Alfred Olson store in the heart of downtown Milaca would close.
Both owners say they regret decisions to close they should have made years ago, and they cite the same reasons: competition from neighboring big box retail and grocery stores. Their lower margins without more customers werenít enough for them to stay in business.
Thereís the usual wailing about how much the community will miss these two stores and how much they contributed to the community. Chambers of Commerce mourn the loss, but are powerless to stop the trend of losing home-grown businesses to the changing buying habits with nationally known retailers.
Meanwhile, both communities worry about where senior citizens will shop, since the stores were so convenient to them.
Leadership in both communities cite how the well-known downtown stores supported community events and organizations.
Enggrenís, for example supported the Lakeville Lions, the Rotary Club, the food shelf, the Action Council and all kinds of food groups.
In Milaca, Olsonís always supported community groups with time talent and money. The thinking was that by playing more than a business role in a community, customers will remain loyal.
Wrong.
Despite where they live, the new generation of buyers will go where the prices are the lowest for the best quality.
The customer mix is changing as well. Dairy farms in the Milaca area are disappearing. In Lakeville and Milaca, most family wage earners commute and stop at the big stores to buy groceries and retail.
Destinations for weekend shopping trips probably were not Enggrenís and Olsonís.
Meanwhile, other newer communities are trying to replicate older-looking downtowns and stores to guarantee a sense of community. The closing of Olsonís and Enggrens is a warning to those who cherish those hometown businesses struggling to stay alive. To keep them, they must have business, not out of charity but out of a need to maintain healthy downtowns.
The Chamber president in Milaca said, ìWhen a business has been around for a hundred years, you take it for granted. I think people are going to be shocked at how much they took it for granted.í
Another grocer who lost his store once lamented, ìWe could have stayed open if people had just bought their short list of bread, milk and meat at our store.î -- Don Heinzman
HometownSource.com
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