Fear of Change.
Many downtown’s all over the country are facing more and more competition from “big box” stores. As they face these threats some refuse to change, and some make the leap to meet the challenges. Downtown Fort Frances is one of those who refused change and is meeting stagnation.
Several initiatives have been hobbled together by various groups all falling flat out of the gate. Take the “Great Canadian Main Street” campaign put out last year. A plan was made, comprised of ideas seemingly half thought out, and now all that’s left of it is Inukshuk signs collecting snow. I don’t think anyone actually thought through what the campaign, and examined what was so great about the downtown to begin with.
An editorial in the local rag recently chastised people for shopping on the over side of the bridge in International Falls Minnesota as the greenback fell and the Lonnie grew stronger. The chamber of commerce threw together a campaign at the same time directing people to “Keep your business in town, to keep the town in business”.
Both missed the mark completely, the problem isn’t the consumer, it’s the downtown.
Doug Jensen of Betty’s rightly responded in a letter to the editor noting the fact that consumers go where they are better accommodated, be it by their pocketbooks or hours of operation. I went to a seminar put on by the Rainy River Future Development Corporation on dealing with big boxes before the wal mart opened in 2003. A lot of information was provided at that seminar, but no one has seemed to be able to act on any of it in the three years since. Downtown businesses still close at 5:30, prices are still ridiculous, and customer service is still appalling.
Some business owners downtown act as if the people owe them something. It’s an attitude that has been prevalent for too long now as evidenced by the childish comments on the local rags website in response to Doug’s letter. Are these the sort of people you’d want to do business with? Rather then acting like a spoiled child who is not getting his way, business owners need to act like business owners and face the new way of doing things or get out of the business.
Indeed Fort Frances itself needs to rethink what it is, and what it has to offer.
Known for being in the middle of nowhere on the border with a foul smell and a paper mill. The town has done little to advance it’s image in the last several years. Fort Frances could be the jewel of Northern Ontario, a hub for the entire country even if managed right, but a lot of drastic change in the people and the leaders are needed to effect such ideas.
But the local monopolies held by a select few are afraid of change, being dethroned. As such, Fort Frances will continue to fall behind.
