The death of downtown...

The Morning Sun has an article about our local businesses going under.

Apparantly it has nothing to do with big box stores moving in:

With close to a dozen local stores in recent months either closing or with their doors already shuttered, it might seem like Mt. Pleasant is a tough place to do business.

And that appearance would be right.

Sort of.

Recently the SB Party Store (formerly known as Tuma's Country Gourmet), the Burger King on West Remus and Lincoln roads, Rooster's Restaurant, and Ethnic Creations have closed.

The Pickwick Office Supplies, Skateboard Shop, Chloe's and Martin's, all in downtown Mt. Pleasant, have closed or are in the process of selling their stock and turning the lights out for the final time.

Someplace Special in downtown Mt. Pleasant is selling off it's stock and will close in a move to consolidate with its sister location on South Mission Street, which will remain open under the same ownership.

Other stores and restaurants also are modifying hours or services in response to a sluggish local economy.

Come on Sponseller (who later says that it's the economy, not the big box stores). This is all about the big box stores moving in.

My cousin told me how his mom loved Wal-Mart. I asked him if it was the low wages or the gutting of downtown that she loved so much. Wal-Mart is the reason for our dying community, no matter how many crappy jobs come in.

But, our biggest problem is not Wal-Mart, but their enablers in Union Township. The community around Mt Pleasant is one hell hole of box stores and Apartment suburbia. Hello, Union Township? Check out this department at the University. They have students who learn about planning, specifically land use planning, you know the type of thing a community does.

Sheesh.