Hey all, here is an article I sent in to our local newspaper and to our Mayor. Though I am a pretty serious social activisit, or so I like to think, I have come across the double edged sword of the need for bigger corporations to come into our city in order to keep our shopping local. Read on and you can see what I mean by that. Your comments are certainly appreciated.
The Article:
As a member of this beautiful city and as a contributor to the work force in our community I have become deeply concerned at the state of local consumerism. Our city council has urged us to buy local, to support our city and the businesses within it. This is something I would certainly do, and do if I can actually get what I am looking for here in Steinbach.
I work at Reitmans in the Clearspring Mall. Countless times a day we have customers come into the store and ask “do you carry this or that? Do you know where I can get it?” And for many of those questions, we have to sadly say they will need to go to Winnipeg to get what they need. And with that, they often choose to leave behind what they would have purchased in our store and decide to purchase it in one of our bigger, more stocked stores in Winnipeg, since they “have to go there anyway.”
This brings me to the discussion of Wal-Mart coming to Steinbach. Now, as a person who is socially aware and wants to promote social awareness this thought is certainly a double-edged sword for me. Yes, Wal-Mart has many controversial work ethics surrounding it. Yes, the clothing they supply is likely made in the slave trade. At the same time, it is a corporation like Wal-Mart, if brought into Steinbach that could help make our city thrive. Besides the obvious employment opportunities, a big store like Wal-Mart actually helps with growth in other stores also. For example, the store I work in right now can only offer so much in product because we are a “small store” for our chain. We don’t generate enough in customer walk-ins to carry all the same product the bigger stores within our chain do in Winnipeg. If we get a store like Wal-Mart, we can build a bigger box store near the Wal-Mart because we are then guaranteed the customer base that is generated by those going to Wal-Mart and we can carry more product in our store which stops customers from having to head to Winnipeg. The same could likely be said for Bluenotes, Warehouse One and Mark’s Work Wearhouse. It also generates the possibility of more stores moving in because of the bigger customer base generated and not just clothing stores. This is a possibility for all stores. Steinbach’s existing stores should not feel threatened by a big store like Wal-Mart moving in, but rather see it as a way of “keeping it local”. Even for those who refuse to shop at Wal-Mart, they still don’t have to shop there, but they will notice growth in the stores they like to shop at because of it.
We now have the problem of people buying in Winnipeg because it is there they can get everything they need. We are in a time of “save money, fewer stops, less store to store shopping” and that sends Steinbachers to Winnipeg to get all they need, rather than buying what they can get here in the city and getting the rest in Winnipeg. Don’t we rather want to keep it all in Steinbach? Don’t we rather want to generate more employment opportunities for our growing population? We need to find a way to cater to ALL people who live in our community.
The same idea goes with bringing in the Boston Pizza or a hotel/convention center. Yes, our city is holding a referendum in October to allow for alcohol to be served in lounge settings which could then decide whether these businesses can move into Steinbach or not. Saying no to this will harm us employment wise, it will harm us growth wise also. Saying yes will not bring out all the alcoholics of the world. It will not promote drinking in excess. That stuff happens regardless of the outcome of the referendum. Saying yes can only benefit our city. We are keeping it local; we are bringing in more business, creating more jobs and adding potential for much more growth. Don’t we want that for our city? Don’t we want that for ourselves? This is a city that was built on faith values. Opening doors for growth brings in more people, more people to see our faith in action, to see the message presented. Allowing for alcohol to be served in sports lounges or at a hotel does not go against those faith values. There are rules and regulations that are set in place to control consumption in venues such as that. Like I said earlier, the bad apples will still show up in the basket, regardless of how careful we are. Our city had no problem having beer gardens throughout the weekend festivities of Summer in the City. And no referendum was needed for that. So let’s look at the big picture, what can we do to grow our city? What can we do to promote employment? What can we do to keep it local? Just some food for thought.
