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Posts Tagged ‘Clark SD’
More on the Clark Variety Store
May 24th, 2009
The Clark Hometown Variety Store received more good publicity today in a story published in the Sioux Falls Argus Leader. Titled “Buying a store sells Clark on small-town power“, the article describes how the residents of Clark, SD (pop. 1300) banded together to create a cooperatively-owned variety store.
If faithful readers of ReImagine Rural think the story sounds familiar, it should. Back in February 2009, I posted about the store, emphasizing the importance of small retail operations like this in small, rural communities. They are often just as much a part of a community’s “infrastructure” as streets, cell phone service, and broadband internet.
The Argus Leader identifies that cooperative-owned stores like this are on the rise, but they missed an opportunity to provide another “local” example of the phenomena it in action. After all, the community of Menno, SD took similar initiative to maintain the presence of a grocery store in their community.
The story also raises the question: What is happening to Clark’s city sales tax revenues? Most people are not aware of how important city sales tax is to the operations of a municipality in South Dakota. My guess is that Clark has seen a rise in its revenues since the store opened. It would be fun to see.
Other stories about the Clark Hometown Variety Store
- “S.D. residents buy shares to open town’s only general store” in USA Today (basically the same story as in the Argus Leader, but the comments are very interesting)
- “South Dakota Town Creates Community-Owned Variety Store” at the New Rules Project (Check out their link to a “how to guide” for creating community owned retail operations)
- “Hometown Variety” at Tim Manners blog
- “Small-Town Socialism: Clark Opens Community Store” at the Madville Times
Tags: Buy Local, Clark SD, grocery stores, Menno SD, retail, sales tax, South Dakota
Posted in Economic Development, In the News, Quality of Life, Rural | Comments (0)
Rural Infrastructure — The Clark Story
February 13th, 2009
The stimulus package currently in Congress focuses on job creation and infrastructure development. While the urban infrastructure most discussed revolves around roads, schools, and mass transit, the rural infrastructure appears focused on broadband internet.
After reading about the establishment of a “community owned” variety store in Clark, South Dakota, I was reminded that rural infrastructure comes in many forms. I was also reminded that decisions about prioritizing any community’s infrastructure needs is best decided by an informed citizenry at the local level.
The Clark Hometown Variety Store
According to an article in the Watertown Public Opinion, the community of Clark has been without a place to buy many household necessities since the community’s convenience store closed three years ago.
After struggling to reestablish the store through more traditional means, 115-120 community residents “stepped up” and purchased stock ($500 a share) in the newly formed community-owned variety store.
Since opening its doors on Christmas Eve, the store has been an economic boon for the community. Greg Furness, President of the Clark Chamber of Commerce, is quoted in the Public Opinion article saying people from Watertown and Huron have been making the trip to purchase fabric. The store also employs one full-time and four part-time workers.
More importantly, the store fills a need within the community. Communities that offer places to purchase necessities are much more attractive places to live. In many ways, they are a necessary part of the community’s infrastructure, just like good roads, schools, etc…. (source: Joe O’Sullivan, “Clark community store revived”. Watertown Public Opinion, Feb. 9, 2009).
Other forms of rural infrastructure
I’m not the only one who considers stores like this a vital element of a rural community’s infrastructure. The Center for Rural Affairs also categories grocery stores and public libraries as infrastructure. I’d probably place “third places” in the infrastructure category as well.
This brings us to the broadband internet debate. I believe that broadband internet is vital to the economic development of all rural communities. In fact, I’d go a step further and say that we have to develop greater access to wireless internet as well. Young people will demand access to both, and will move away from communities where they can’t get it.
The stimulus package is a pretty complex bill, and I admittedly haven’t paid all that much attention to it.
I just hope that the federal government’s approach to stimulating the rural economy isn’t limited to increasing broadband service. If it is, there will be a lot of rural communities left out of the stimulus plan altogether.
Tags: broadband, Clark SD, economic stimulus plan, grocery stores, retail, rural infrastructure
Posted in Economic Development, In the News, Rural | Comments (2)