Times of Northwest Indiana
Crown Point is one of the latest battlegrounds between those who want to keep the status quo and those who want a Wal-Mart to locate in their community.
This is, on a local scale, the familiar story of free trade vs. protectionism.
The people who fear the category-killing power of a large discount store like Wal-Mart fear that local merchants will go out of business, that the lifeblood of the community will be sucked out by the retail giant's discounting.
But don't forget the story of David and Goliath. While the local merchants might not be able to slay Wal-Mart, they can find a niche and co-exist.
That's an essential aspect of any business plan. Failing to adapt to changing conditions, no matter what they are, will doom any company.
Fighting Wal-Mart and other big-box stores to protect existing retailers is a failing strategy. Protectionism doesn't work when those big retailers already attract Crown Point shoppers to other locations.
The best response is to allow those big stores to locate in the community and help the existing retailers find a strong marketing edge on something besides the low prices for which those discounters are known.
One of the fears by many of the Wal-Mart opponents in Crown Point is that the vitality of the downtown could be sapped.
They need look no farther than Valparaiso, another county seat, to see what can happen when large stores locate outside the downtown.
Valparaiso puts great effort into marketing its downtown and making it an attractive place to do business.
A number of events are held throughout the year to bring people to downtown Valpo. On the Friday before Halloween, it was swarming with trick-or-treaters and their parents when merchants gave out candy and other treats. That event, and others like it, got people out of their cars to notice the businesses that line the streets.
Crown Point already has downtown events like that. It can rely on their drawing power.
Valparaiso also is promoting its downtown as a dining destination to keep it lively in the evenings. The city even got permission from the General Assembly for 10 new three-way liquor licenses downtown to help the restaurant industry.
Crown Point already has good restaurants downtown. It could follow Valparaiso's example to encourage more to locate there.
Big-box stores can offer much to a community. Welcome them, then help smaller merchants find a niche that will help them thrive, too.