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Ever Heard of Walmart leaving a town?
texshooter
Member Posts: 1,002 ✭✭✭✭
From the Paris,Texas newspaper
Clarksville Tx. is a small N/E Texas town of about 4000 people
Life after Wal-Mart
By Krista Goerte
The Paris News
Published January 31, 2008
There is life without Wal-Mart.
The City of Clarksville has learned that the closing of the retail giant may have closed one door, but many others have opened in its place.
From the completion of the Town Square Project, to new businesses and the promise of upcoming projects and attractions, the City of Clarksville now has a second wind, according to Mayor Ann Rushing.
One of the most recent boosts to the community is the new Family Dollar store moving to town.
With the closing of Wal-Mart, Rushing and City Manager Doug Smith immediately started looking for something to fill the gap, and the Family Dollar store stepped in.
Construction on the $800,000, 9,200 square foot store is due to start in February. The project is in the permitting stages right now, and is on schedule to be completed by mid April, according to Rushing.
"We're just very excited to have them here," Rushing said. "They are part of the positive changes and redevelopment taking place in Clarksville."
According to Rushing and Smith, the closing of Wal-Mart has led to many smaller local businesses stepping up to fill the needs of the community, instead of relying on the major chain store.
One of the city's biggest concerns with the closing of Wal-Mart was a place for the community to fill their prescriptions. The Medicine Chest pharmacy solved the problem. The pharmacy transferred more than 400 accounts before the Christmas holidays.
"The younger generation has never known a town without Wal-Mart," Smith said. "This is breaking a pattern."
According to Rushing, the city is now concentrating on getting the downtown buildings filled and in better condition, and in retaining businesses as well as attracting new business to the area.
Much of Clarksville is beginning to come alive thanks to the city's determined efforts to secure grants and clean up the community, she said.
The completion of the Clarksville Square Project has given the city a facelift.
The Square project was just a vision in 2001, but with persistence on the part of the city, the project received the funding to make it a reality.
Grants from three different sources were combined to complete the project, including $415,000 from the Martha, David and Bagby Lennox Foundation; $235,105 from the Transportation, Community, and System Preservation Program funding through TxDOT; and $150,000 from the Texas Capital Fund, Department of Agriculture Main Street Program.
The planning, started in December of 2006, brought together many different organizations and individuals in Clarksville, including the Historical Society, Tourism Committee, PRIDE, business owners,
city and county officials, Rotary members, and the Main Street Design Committee.
The Clarksville Main Street Project was dedicated in October of 2007. Results include a bigger monument area, new railings, seating, numerous shade trees, landscaping, period lighting, new sidewalks, curbs, and brick walks.
"The transformation is amazing," Rushing said. "Our square is once again a meeting place for community members. It is a place to bring family and friends, hold festivals, musicals, other events, and a place to shop, visit, and just enjoy the scenery."
The newly remodeled square ties in well with the restored, historic six block walk along Delaware Creek in Clarksville. The Historic Creek Walk project was completed by PRIDE, which is now working on acquiring signage and banners to go on the lighting poles.
Other improvements around Clarksville include the Langford Lake Nature Trail, which will be a two mile stretch over a 57 acre piece of land less than two miles from Clarksville. Langford lake and the surrounding area is home to a variety of native flora and fauna. The development of the Langford Lake Nature Trail will serve the community in ways such as training for wildlife teams, wildlife management courses, soil judging, forestry and photography.
Organizations such as the Boy and Girl Scouts, 4-H, the Wild Turkey Federation, the Rotary Club, the Kiwanis club, the Lion's Club, and PRIDE will have this area to enhance their learning experiences.
Facilities of the nature trail will include an all weather walking trail, an entrance restricting motorized vehicles, a gate for maintenance and emergency vehicles, 20 benches, a 350-by-6 foot boardwalk, and an entrance sign. The project is expected to be completed by July of this year.
The improvements in Clarksville and the surrounding area are giving the city a boost in the right direction, it mayor says. Although the city may have lost Wal-Mart, it has not lost its determination to improve and better serve the community.
Clarksville Tx. is a small N/E Texas town of about 4000 people
Life after Wal-Mart
By Krista Goerte
The Paris News
Published January 31, 2008
There is life without Wal-Mart.
The City of Clarksville has learned that the closing of the retail giant may have closed one door, but many others have opened in its place.
From the completion of the Town Square Project, to new businesses and the promise of upcoming projects and attractions, the City of Clarksville now has a second wind, according to Mayor Ann Rushing.
One of the most recent boosts to the community is the new Family Dollar store moving to town.
With the closing of Wal-Mart, Rushing and City Manager Doug Smith immediately started looking for something to fill the gap, and the Family Dollar store stepped in.
Construction on the $800,000, 9,200 square foot store is due to start in February. The project is in the permitting stages right now, and is on schedule to be completed by mid April, according to Rushing.
"We're just very excited to have them here," Rushing said. "They are part of the positive changes and redevelopment taking place in Clarksville."
According to Rushing and Smith, the closing of Wal-Mart has led to many smaller local businesses stepping up to fill the needs of the community, instead of relying on the major chain store.
One of the city's biggest concerns with the closing of Wal-Mart was a place for the community to fill their prescriptions. The Medicine Chest pharmacy solved the problem. The pharmacy transferred more than 400 accounts before the Christmas holidays.
"The younger generation has never known a town without Wal-Mart," Smith said. "This is breaking a pattern."
According to Rushing, the city is now concentrating on getting the downtown buildings filled and in better condition, and in retaining businesses as well as attracting new business to the area.
Much of Clarksville is beginning to come alive thanks to the city's determined efforts to secure grants and clean up the community, she said.
The completion of the Clarksville Square Project has given the city a facelift.
The Square project was just a vision in 2001, but with persistence on the part of the city, the project received the funding to make it a reality.
Grants from three different sources were combined to complete the project, including $415,000 from the Martha, David and Bagby Lennox Foundation; $235,105 from the Transportation, Community, and System Preservation Program funding through TxDOT; and $150,000 from the Texas Capital Fund, Department of Agriculture Main Street Program.
The planning, started in December of 2006, brought together many different organizations and individuals in Clarksville, including the Historical Society, Tourism Committee, PRIDE, business owners,
city and county officials, Rotary members, and the Main Street Design Committee.
The Clarksville Main Street Project was dedicated in October of 2007. Results include a bigger monument area, new railings, seating, numerous shade trees, landscaping, period lighting, new sidewalks, curbs, and brick walks.
"The transformation is amazing," Rushing said. "Our square is once again a meeting place for community members. It is a place to bring family and friends, hold festivals, musicals, other events, and a place to shop, visit, and just enjoy the scenery."
The newly remodeled square ties in well with the restored, historic six block walk along Delaware Creek in Clarksville. The Historic Creek Walk project was completed by PRIDE, which is now working on acquiring signage and banners to go on the lighting poles.
Other improvements around Clarksville include the Langford Lake Nature Trail, which will be a two mile stretch over a 57 acre piece of land less than two miles from Clarksville. Langford lake and the surrounding area is home to a variety of native flora and fauna. The development of the Langford Lake Nature Trail will serve the community in ways such as training for wildlife teams, wildlife management courses, soil judging, forestry and photography.
Organizations such as the Boy and Girl Scouts, 4-H, the Wild Turkey Federation, the Rotary Club, the Kiwanis club, the Lion's Club, and PRIDE will have this area to enhance their learning experiences.
Facilities of the nature trail will include an all weather walking trail, an entrance restricting motorized vehicles, a gate for maintenance and emergency vehicles, 20 benches, a 350-by-6 foot boardwalk, and an entrance sign. The project is expected to be completed by July of this year.
The improvements in Clarksville and the surrounding area are giving the city a boost in the right direction, it mayor says. Although the city may have lost Wal-Mart, it has not lost its determination to improve and better serve the community.
Comments
this is a far cry from climbing up a hill. this is a slide backwards if you ask me[xx(][V]
the closing of Wal-Mart has led to many smaller local businesses stepping up to fill the needs of the community
When a Walmart comes into a town, many of the existing small business close.
It only figures that when they leave, these businesses can open and flourish.
Before Walmart.