The death of plainfield

[snoogit]

Snoogit, I'm going to ask you to do something for me. I would like you to find and watch a documentary entitled: Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Prices.

I'm serious now....I would really like you to do this for me.

You will never look at that company in the same light ever again, and you will realize that no good can come of that organization on any level. They drain the resources of the community, country, and world as a whole.

I would encourage everyone to see this movie. It is a real eye opener. Not a thin dime of my money will be spent at that establishment ever again.

Nitro, I used to work for a competitor who was contracted under the UFCW who did everything but hand us free copies of that (I did end up watching it at the only UFCW meeting I went to)

I know how bad Wal-mart is, and what it does and I still think its a good idea. I'm probably to the left of everyone on here, and I still think its not a bad idea. My Honest opinion is if Meijer went public, we would be saying the same things about Meijer, and Wal-mart would be a small regional chain in the south east. The only difference being that Meijer was unionized before it got too big, and Wal-mart wasn't. That might help Meijer's image a little bit, but not much. Meijer is no different from Walmart in who they buy from Meijer sells just as much Chinese made goods as Walmart. Although they don't set prices like Walmart does, if they got big enough who knows?

Maybe its better to make a list of what Walmart would hurt if it came to Plainfield:

Walgreens

Meijer

Rite Aid

the MC Sports complex off I-96

Thats really all I can think of off the top of my head.

and MC Sports is really nearing the end of its life anyway I'm sad to admit.

The problem is I want to see the revitilization of Plainfield. There aren't many options out there to do it. Walmart causes a lot of damage to already thriving communities I understand that, but when you put a Wal-mart in an area thats not thriving, it tends to help, even if just a little bit. With minimum wage going up, the people who would have those jobs won't be making a horrible wage like they would if there was no wage increase.

I hate walmart with a passion, but I do understand the concept of the enemy of my enemy is my friend. and right now that other enemy is the decaying Plainfield.

[Nitro]

I know how bad Wal-mart is, and what it does and I still think its a good idea.

Snoogit, we'll have to agree to disagree. I still contend that it is the worst thing that could possibly happen to Plainfield

Maybe its better to make a list of what Walmart would hurt if it came to Plainfield:

Walgreens

Meijer

Rite Aid

the MC Sports complex off I-96

What you are listing are businesses........all of which are chains to some degree. You aren't even talking about how the community is affected.

Wal-Marts are almost always subsidized by the communities that they go into, whether it be tax abatement, infrastructure, free land, reduced taxes, etc. etc. etc. The average Wal-Mart subsidy per store is over 1 million dollars.

So now you have a huge Wal-Mart in your area that the municipality had to either reduce or wave taxes, and pay for a bunch of infrastructure with tax payer dollars and is not getting much in return. You kill off all of the local businesses and weaker chain stores and further reduce your tax base. The municipality will be much worse off.

Wal-Mart can't seem to pay their employees a decent wage so now people working there have to recieve government assistance just to make ends meet. Making a further drain on my tax dollars.

So no Snoogit, it is not the best thing for Plainfield. If you want to set a nail in Plainfield's coffin then Wal-Mart may be a good choice.

As a taxpayer of Plainfield Township, Don't want a Wal-Mart and sure as heck don't need a Wall-Mart. There are other solutions.

[snoogit]

Snoogit, we'll have to agree to disagree. I still contend that it is the worst thing that could possibly happen to Plainfield

What you are listing are businesses........all of which are chains to some degree. You aren't even talking about how the community is affected.

Wal-Marts are almost always subsidized by the communities that they go into, whether it be tax abatement, infrastructure, free land, reduced taxes, etc. etc. etc. The average Wal-Mart subsidy per store is over 1 million dollars.

So now you have a huge Wal-Mart in your area that the municipality had to either reduce or wave taxes, and pay for a bunch of infrastructure with tax payer dollars and is not getting much in return. You kill off all of the local businesses and weaker chain stores and further reduce your tax base. The municipality will be much worse off.

Wal-Mart can't seem to pay their employees a decent wage so now people working there have to recieve government assistance just to make ends meet. Making a further drain on my tax dollars.

So no Snoogit, it is not the best thing for Plainfield. If you want to set a nail in Plainfield's coffin then Wal-Mart may be a good choice.

As a taxpayer of Plainfield Township, Don't want a Wal-Mart and sure as heck don't need a Wall-Mart. There are other solutions.

Maybe my brain is a wee bit shrunk from reading Project X threads, but I'm just trying to think what could rebuild Plainfield.

[Nitro]

Maybe my brain is a wee bit shrunk from reading Project X threads, but I'm just trying to think what could rebuild Plainfield.

Frankly, I'm just happy to be talking about something else besides Project Whatever.

[snoogit]

Frankly, I'm just happy to be talking about something else besides Project Whatever.

This is true.

I'd like to see somthing go in plainfield that changes it for the better, but I dont know what it could be, perhaps we should brainstorm a little

[GRDadof3]

Auto dealerships expansions planned

Plainfield is not dead.

[NorthEnder]

Auto dealerships expansions planned

Plainfield is not dead.

If it isn't dead, it is on life support.

Plainfield TWP is backwards and super conservative, i don't know if they can get out of their own way sometimes.

[torgo]

If it isn't dead, it is on life support.

Plainfield TWP is backwards and super conservative, i don't know if they can get out of their own way sometimes.

Plainfield's website says they are working on their master plan right now....perhaps they will address the Plainfield Ave wasteland?? I hope they do, it could use the help. I don't think conservatism has a whole lot to do with it though.

[GRDadof3]

Plainfield's website says they are working on their master plan right now....perhaps they will address the Plainfield Ave wasteland?? I hope they do, it could use the help. I don't think conservatism has a whole lot to do with it though.

Plainfield may not be glitzy, but it's probably one of the few commercial corridors left in GR chock-full of locally owned businesses.

[snoogit]

I know I'm going to make you want to kill me by asking this, but Is Target just as bad in your eyes as Walmart?

[Occam]

But there is one on Alpine

Actually I think Plainfield has taken a 1-2 punch. Alpines development drew away consumers to the west and the East Beltline drew consumers away from the east.

I havea a friend who lives in a condo just off Plainfield, but she considers herself to live "Off the Beltline". She takes the beltline to work, shops on the beltline, and basically tries to ignore plainfield as much as possible, even tho its basically in her backyard.

So the beltline gets just as much credit as alpine for killing Plainfield.

[TenPoundHammer]

Oh dear - didn't hear about that one. I loved their sourdough sandwiches.

And yes - they were about as far away from the mall entrance as possible.

What? There's no mall on Alpine!

Also, I've never heard of a Cracker Barrel closing before.

[torgo]

I know I'm going to make you want to kill me by asking this, but Is Target just as bad in your eyes as Walmart?

I think they're pretty much the same. Wal-mart gets the most wrath (and rightfully so) because it seems to be the absolute epitome of a gigantic, sprawl-driving, soulless company who's number one policy is ruthlessly turning a nice cornfield into a god-awful crapscape of parking lots and crappy chain restaurants in the name of profit. Maybe I'm wrong, but Target doesn't seem to be as aggressive when it comes to building their junk. Other than that, its the same store with a different name. I haven't been into a Wal-mart in years.

[Greedo]

Plainfield's decline is the result of both the rise of Alpine and E.Beltline shopping district. What really hurt that area was the reconstruction of North Park Bridge, which basically shut Alpine and Comstock Park shoppers out of the area.

Once it reopened, people had already moved on.

[Nitro]

I know I'm going to make you want to kill me by asking this, but Is Target just as bad in your eyes as Walmart?

Well, lets turn the question around a bit.............

Why do we think that big box stores in general will be saviors for the area? What is the ultimate good they are bringing?

Wouldn't it be better to help foster the smaller local places that already are set up and in the area?

[snoogit]

Well, lets turn the question around a bit.............

Why do we think that big box stores in general will be saviors for the area? What is the ultimate good they are bringing?

Wouldn't it be better to help foster the smaller local places that already are set up and in the area?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. The huge problems local companies face on Plainfield is the Meijer stores on plainfield, and Knapp's corner, and the Algoma store.

Local companies are great, and I would advocate a local company over a big company anyday of the week. But Plainfield is already chock full of local companies, and not to be a downtrodden pooper on the subject but they alone can't resurrect the retail flight of the area.

[grrwymg]

What? There's no mall on Alpine!

Also, I've never heard of a Cracker Barrel closing before.

LOL - sure there is ... it starts at about 3 Mile - and goes north to about Alpine Church Rd.

[Nitro]

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. The huge problems local companies face on Plainfield is the Meijer stores on plainfield, and Knapp's corner, and the Algoma store.

Local companies are great, and I would advocate a local company over a big company anyday of the week. But Plainfield is already chock full of local companies, and not to be a downtrodden pooper on the subject but they alone can't resurrect the retail flight of the area.

Ok, but we still haven't gotten to the root of the issue. What is the greater good that one or two big box stores (insert name here.......Target, Costco, Best Buy.......etc, etc.) going to bring to the area?

Is the assumption that if you build it they will come? Is it then the assumption that if we build a big box that it will spawn retail growth to the exsiting stores nearby?

I'm just trying to figure out what the base level assumptions are here.

[snoogit]

Ok, but we still haven't gotten to the root of the issue. What is the greater good that one or two big box stores (insert name here.......Target, Costco, Best Buy.......etc, etc.) going to bring to the area?

Is the assumption that if you build it they will come? Is it then the assumption that if we build a big box that it will spawn retail growth to the exsiting stores nearby?

I'm just trying to figure out what the base level assumptions are here.

there is some groth attributed to something large coming into an area, look at Standale, theres a lot of stuff going on there since Meijer moved in.

And I would say Standale was almost left up for dead up until that point as well.

[GRNetAdmin]

Well, lets turn the question around a bit.............

Why do we think that big box stores in general will be saviors for the area? What is the ultimate good they are bringing?

Wouldn't it be better to help foster the smaller local places that already are set up and in the area?

Yes, why do we need to build up Plainfield? I don't like traffic, I want to keep it more of a neighborhood than a busy road with a million stores and restaurants. I already don't like driving on 28th st, sometimes it overwhelms me.

[joeDowntown]

But the blight left in its place isn't the answer either. Plainfield looks horrible these days until you get into the city (kind of a funny twist, eh?).

I thought for sure the Jupiter extension would help rehab the area a bit but it seems like it didn't do anything for development.

Joe

Yes, why do we need to build up Plainfield? I don't like traffic, I want to keep it more of a neighborhood than a busy road with a million stores and restaurants. I already don't like driving on 28th st, sometimes it overwhelms me.

[Thrillhouse]

But the blight left in its place isn't the answer either. Plainfield looks horrible these days until you get into the city (kind of a funny twist, eh?).

I thought for sure the Jupiter extension would help rehab the area a bit but it seems like it didn't do anything for development.

Joe

I thought so as well. Now it seems as if its a way to leave the area faster and nothing more.