After reading the Sun Journal headline Jan. 18 concerning Austin’s getting the boot from their store due to “progress,” I decided that it was time to send a message. Look around at all the empty stores that we have in the Lewiston-Auburn area. Not one of our malls is full. We continue to build all these new boxes and buildings for select retailers, but all that is being done is moving retailers around.
Just a few examples:
• Lamey’s moves out of the Auburn Mall and is building a new store. Is this a gain?
• Shaw’s in Lewiston builds a new building, but leaves another mall with one-and-a-half vacancies.
• Blockbuster will move to the newly built addition at Shaw’s. Is this a gain?
• New Wal-Mart, empty old Wal-Mart.
• New Gritty’s, displacement of a well-run and respected business.
We continue to read in the paper how difficult it is to attract retailers to our area. If that truly is the case, then the planning boards should stop allowing new buildings to go up and find a way to fill all the empty spaces that exist around the Twin Cities and attract new businesses to the area without playing musical chairs. That would truly be a gain and eliminate some of the empty and ugly eyesores around the area.
Lisa Cesare, Minot
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