Posts Tagged ‘Menno 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

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Gathering at the Grocery Store

March 18th, 2009

In my post today, I’d like to connect a few dots.  In the past few months, I’ve written about two communities (Clark, SD and Menno, SD) who stepped up to the plate and purchased retail operations when private buyers for the ventures could not be identified.  I’ve also written about the importance of “third places” in strengthening community bonds, and how they can positively impact the community’s economic development. )

It wasn’t until reflecting on a recent e-mail from Dr. Dave Engen, the founder of the “Third Place Project,” that I realized what a great opportunity both communities have to create third places out of their community-owned retail stores. 

We seldom think of grocery and variety stores as being places where “people meeting informally and build strong social connections,” but Dr. Engen’s work provides examples of both grocery and hardware stores that do so. 

I’m not sure if either community has considered their stores as community gather places, but I’d encourage them to do so.  And if they - or any community following their lead - want evidence of how it can be accomplished, I’d encourage them to check out the audio casts at the “Third Place Project“.

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Grocery store finds new life

March 13th, 2009

We’ve heard the story time and time again:  Grocery store owner in a rural town reaches retirement age, wants to sell, but struggles to find an interested buyer.  With no buyer in sight, the store closes. Substitute “hardware store” or “grocery store,” and most small towns in the Upper Midwest have experienced this scenario first hand.

Last month, we learned that the community of Clark, SD banded together to reopen their “variety store.”  Today, we report that the community of Menno, SD (pop. 729) stepped up to save their grocery store. 

The Yankton Press and Dakotan provides details for the story. () When it appeared the store’s owners who were ready to retire couldn’t find a buyer, the Menno Area Development Corporation took action by:

The story is uplifting and motivating.  It proves that communities don’t have to accept decline as inevitable.

What’s really exciting about the story
Digging deeper into the story, however, I found other reasons to be excited. 

First, the store’s manager, Amber Taylor was 27 years old when she took over.  She had been living in the Rapid City, proving that not everyone from Gen Y is interested in living in an urban area. 

Second, like the Nick Graham story, the community values the store and is willing to volunteer their time to work at the store.

Third, the community appears to be supporting Taylor with mentors.  A story in the March 4, 2008 edition of the Town and County Weekly News, suggests Taylor is being mentored by the former store owners and another retired former grocer who retired to Menno.  A review of the Menno Area Development Corporation minutes also informs us that the Southeast Enterprise Facilitation Project has played an important advisory role.  

The idea that communities need to provide mentoring support to entrepreneurial endeavors is often neglected.  It may, however, be one of the more important roles around. 

At the end of the day, the Menno community should feel proud of their efforts.   They have provided us with another example of a “Reimagined” future for rural places.

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Posted in Economic Development, Gen Y, In the News, Quality of Life, Rural | Comments (0)