Are vacant storefronts at the Franklin Village Shopping Center signaling the struggle of “mall” businesses throughout our area?
In the 1960s, a new department store called Jamesway threatened the local G.C. Murphy with retail locations in downtown Kittanning and Ford City due to its free parking and mass quantity pricing.
Then the retail landscape changed the way we shopped when the Franklin Village Shopping Center offered anchor stores and chain restaurants.
Big daddy retailer Walmart anchored the second strip mall at Hilltop Plaza. National shoe chains edged out four small mom and pop footwear businesses in middle Armstrong County. Service (where they actually measured your foot) was replaced by style, selection, and price.
Now the shopping centers that once threatened downtown business are themselves feeling the pinch of new buying habits of the public. Amazon and other retailers have built on a business model of bringing your merchandise to your doorstep so you don’t have to stand in line waiting to get checked out.
A recent poll shows 76% of the county’s adult population did online shopping for this Christmas season. That doesn’t mean that they didn’t stop by a local merchant. What is does mean is that their patronage to online retailers meant a drop in amount of sales at local businesses.
The new East Kittanning Plaza is providing various medical care at one location.
Just as dollar stores are dotting the (three Dollar General stores within 4 miles of each other) that specialize in items made in China, China has also become the number one online provider of merchandise into the U.S.
Meanwhile the amount of dollars Armstrong County residents have to spend appears to have plateaued over the past two years. Our unemployment rate is more than a percent over the state average.
The main spender is between the ages of 55-64, but they tend to spend it on grandchildren ages 0-17 which make up almost 20% of the population now.
The top four employers remain ACMH Hospital, Armstrong School District, County of Armstrong, and Wal-Mart Associates. Of those four employers, only one is a for-profit company and two are dependent on tax dollars from property owners.
The former Jamesway shopping center in Manor Township (Trader Horn property) is up for sale.
With the old Rodeway Inn demolished, a new medical building will consolidate services in one location.
The new year brings challenges but opportunities for businesses.