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ivan@stellysee.de
| From | "John L. Micek" <jlmicek@mindspring.com> |
| Subject | Re: Wal-mart |
| Date | Wed, 3 Dec 2003 14:43:10 -0500 |
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> Over here in Bozeman they are getting ready to open the Superstore. As a
> result a lot of businesses are doing their best to deal with that.
A few years ago, a Wal-Mart superstore and an accompanying mega-complex
opened on the outskirts of Torrington, Conn., where I grew up.
In the middle 1990s, after years of decline, Torrington's downtown district
was on the verge of a small renaissance. There were cafes and stores
downtown, and a small arts community had developed.
At that point, there were only rumors about a big box plaza (of any
description) coming to town.
In October, my wife and I returned to Torrington. She'd never been there,
and it was my first time back in about four years. The downtown had been
decimated. The shops were shuttered, and those that remained were decidedly
downmarket.
Out at the Wal-Mart on the edge of the city, things were bustling and the
parking lot was packed.
That's about as much primary source information as I need in order to form a
conclusion about the deleterious effects of sprawl development on a
downtown economy.
john.
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