Did anyone read the editorial in the Daily News??Re;Down with the new mall??
I understand what there talking about it, I mean look at Prince George, Kamloops, Vernon and you see the down town core is filled with empty buildings, But as I have said before our little town is a bit different we are a lot like terrace in a way, there down town core is still filled with store fronts, just as ours will be.
When you look at Terrace and see the damage done from wall-mart and Canadian tire opening up its when you go to the old Mall, there are a lot of vacant store fronts there. But really folks is that what we have here in our mall all ready,
When I look back 15 to 17 years ago, I remember, 3 Ave having a lot of empty spots I think in the last 10 years it has looked better, But come on when I hear in the paper about how the new mall on the outside of town is going to have an impact on the 3 Ave store fronts, I say give your head a shake and walk from Credit Union to Papa Jaz’s.
Count the different types of business!!
for you lazy people; we have 3 coffee shops, 6 Asian restaurants 3 home realtors, 2 big business, (Dollar store, bargain store) 3 banks, 2 not very stocked computer stores, 6 clothing stores, 1 very over priced baby store, 1 not very stocked book store, 2 electronic store well 1 because Ray don’t open much. 1 home hardware store. 1 stationary store. 1 Sally-Ann Store. 1 Drug Store, Plus we have the bead lady and her daughter who has opened her own store this year, 2 internet café’s. City Tell, 1 Beer and wine store, 2 bars, 1 furniture store. So that’s the break down of the stores on 3 Ave, if I missed anyone sorry about that.
Now let’s say Canadian Tire comes to town with Wal-Mart, what business will it hurt on 3 Ave, The Bargain Store, and the Dollar Store would hurt, maybe one of them would close. The Baby Store would Close, Home hardware, would feel it, maybe a clothing store our two would close down.
I didn’t go into other business in town that would close down or feel it as in the Paper its always been about 3 Ave.
But our Mayor Herb got it right when he said people all ready shop on the out skirts of town, there just going 90 miles to Terrace to do it.
And really can you blame them we all have some sort of horror story of customer service we could tell each other.
When the boat people come of the ships for 4 months of the year were do they go? they walk up cowbay, then to 2 Ave the over to 3 Ave then to beer and wine store then back to boat, maybe pick up a post card or a a little trinket spend some time at the internet Café’s.
The majority of the boat people don’t really spend to much time here, I would really like to know how much money is spent in the community by the boat people.
So ya there we go, Maybe I’m wrong Maybe I’m right, But really in 50 years who is going to care….
I totally agree with the reply from astrothug and would like to add that in the eventuality that a store or two should close due to the proposed new mall, although that would be sad for that business, Rupertites must bear in mind that at the moment when we travel to Terrace to shop, as we often must, due to some of the lacklustre businesses here in town that we would at least be keeping our money in this town. I travel to Terrace on average once every two months not only to shop but just to have a day away from work and to visit a different “climate” especially in the summer when they have their open market and I always see many Rupertites on their shopping expeditions! As I said, would it not be better to share the wealth and have some of that money remain in our community. We could use it!!  Prince Rupert has so much untapped potential that I have seen in my 7 years here-let us see the town for what it is, beautiful, but lacking in many areas, and try to acclimatize ourselves to some new development and new opportunity. Open minds will move us ahead instead of keeping us in neutral and finding alternative ways of buying those items that we need and do not have in town. I have to wonder if the lady who wrote the letter to the editor either shops through the catalogue at Sears or maybe even online. Is that money staying in Rupert??? Not!@@!@!!Lets open our eyes people!
Prince Rupert has spent decades “protecting” local business from the tides of change, and where has it gotten us. A few local people got pretty damn rich buying up local property and running those protected businesses. Look around town and see where those people are now? How many of these people have closed down in the last 10 years, leaving Rupert with a scattering of shops that barely make rent every month.
The money is going out of town and has for years. We only have ourselves to blame for it too since we turned away the very businesses that have set up shop in Terrace. We have an opportunity to turn that around staring us right in the face.
Mike