For several years now I have seen the small businesses here in Pahrump closing.
Is it because they are too expensive, out of our way, or just not convenient? These small businesses rely on us as a community to keep them going.
When our house is on fire, does the fire department decide if our home is in a convenient location, or will it cost too much to help us?
No.
Does the ambulance not come because it’s out of their way?
No.
So why do we as a community not support our businesses?
Sure, the big businesses are much more convenient because we can get everything there. But wait, if we go to those smaller businesses at least once a month, aren’t we helping out our neighbors, aren’t we helping out ourselves?
When I first moved here I was impressed how this small community stuck together. But as the economy has gotten tougher, we have become a group of individuals, not a community.
I’m sure my small letter to the editor won’t hit all of you, but I hope it hits a majority.
Next time you’re heading to the store think about going to a different one instead of your favorite. Let’s keep our town going. Save the jobs.
Julie Stairs
Categorized | Letters to the editor
Let’s save our town
Posted on16 November 2012.
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Why do we not support local businesses? Simple.. most of them still charge 4 times the price of what Vegas stores charge. Another annoyance, they have nothing in stock. I cant tell you how many times I have walked out of a store when I hear “Well I can order that for you.” Why would I want a local business to order something for me, when I can go online and do it myself, and not pay a high markup.
Its a recession and its only going to get worse, people look for deals, if those deals require some gas to get, its well worth it. Blindly supporting local business is foolish. Local businesses need to innovate and find ways to either bring unique products we wont mind paying extra for, or stop the gouging on what we can buy at half the price at Walmart.
Also no one ever seems to address the poor business models that open here. No savings, poor planning, people running payroll on credit cards, there are many reasons why places fail and its not only from lack of business.
Roger, Julie is not asking a lot, I go to a local business about once a month. What about going to Mom’s Diner instead of the fast food places or Denny’s? Maybe using B & C Printing for faxing, instead of the UPS store? There is a lot of choices out there for supporting a local business, and once a month is not asking too much, my family happens to be low income, and we can.
Well, if we are talking once a month, then I guess I would say I do that already. Some places I don’t even know of any other options, a good example would be the UPS store. Its the only place that I know of that even does any printing or faxing. A lot of local businesses don’t even advertise so I don’t know better and go to the UPS store.
I actually prefer to eat at local places, and cant stand chains, so its not an issue as far as that goes. I eat at Red Sky from time to time, but now I notice that there is a for sale sign outside, so much for my eating local.
I used to go to the UPS store, but you should check out Wally’s Mail Service on Vickie Ann Rd., just north of Manse Rd. Wally can do just about anything you need. He is honest and won’t charge you an arm and a leg for the services he provides. He’s every bit as good as his competitors, if not better!
Lamenting at the closing of a small business here in town and blaming it on the people who go to Las Vegas to shop is short sighted. There have been dozens of small businesses that have started up and failed here in Pahrump in the time I’ve been here. Blaming the people for not patronizing them is only part of the problem. WHY don’t the people go or shop there? There are several reasons. The product is not what they are looking for; the food isn’t what they like; the location is not convenient, or the person running the business is too rigid in their pricing.
There are three so-called Dollar Stores here in Pahrump. One has failed and closing down. In that same stretch of shops there has been several businesses that have started up and shut down within a year or so. Why? The reasons are varied. There was a store called Peppers that sold interior design products. My wife and I went in once. They had a bunch of Asian and southern California centric products. Not what one would look for living in a desert environment.
I CAN tell you with near certainty, when this store leaves, another will start up and give it a shot. Like the two businesses that took over that space selling pizzas and pet food. The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well here in Pahrump. When one business fails, another will fill that void with another product. It IS incumbent upon us to at least stop in and see if what they have is something we are interested in.
There are dozens of small businesses in town that are doing well, thank you very much. Seek them out, give them a look see. Who knows, maybe you will find a gem in amongst the desert landscape.
If I had to make a guess I would say the rent is too high in that complex of retail space referring to the closing of the Dollar store. A few years back I was told the pizza place on the NW corner was paying 5K a month rent. No wonder he couldn’t make a go of it. One has to sell a hell of a lot of pizza’s and beer to meet the overhead of rent, never mind utilities, ingredients, labor and of course, government regulations.
Why this particular dollar store went out of business I don’t know. But that’s where America will shop( Dollar stores) in the near future as they stock more items at lower cost to compete with Wal-Mart. The average WM shopper is under duress at this time as shown by the latest financials that revenue decreased.
I suspect some people who open businesses do so because they cannot find a job and haven’t done any homework on what it takes to operate a business. And most of these businesses are small, possibly husband and wife, or a couple employees. Not something that will create many jobs that one can feed their family on. That needs to come from entrepreneurs that sell/market a NEW product or service. That’s how the American economy grew in the early 1900′s to the 1970′s. Small businesses became big businesses and hired many people growing the economy.
I suspect you are correct on the rent issue. I know for a fact the Quiznos sandwich shop closed down because the owner wouldn’t work with them on the rent and I suspect the rent for Pahrump Valley Junction shops is sky high. I have spoken with several potential business people who have tried to negotiate with other property owners on the rent and found them unwilling to offer a lower rate. They continue to believe they are in a robust economy and can get what they want.
Regardless of the rent, when one business shuts down, in short order another will take its place. There is no shortage of people with dreams and are willing to give it a shot, even if the odds are stacked against them.
We should applaud them and give them a fair chance at winning our business.
You are correct. I heard that the rent for the dollar store was 7 grand per month. That is absolutely outrageous. The mall owners would rather the place stay empty than to lower the rent to something reasonable.