11 Comments

Interesting analysis. However, I would like to know whether retail leakage in Fairlee, omitting Dollar Store sales, has risen or fallen since the store arrived. An additional shopping destination might bring extra visits to Fogg's, Chapman's, the hairdresser, etc. For the record, I shop at Dollar General only in moments of desperation, e.g., Chapman's closed and Christmas present must be wrapped and mailed, no paper left.... or when they have something no one else in town has.

Expand full comment
author

Hi Heidi - thanks for reading! Agreed. That would be an interesting data point. Unfortunately, all we have to go off of for retail leakage is the static number measured in 2020...

Directionally though, I would think retail leakage has risen over the past decade. Population in Fairlee has been (slowly) increasing and the number of retail locations has remained the same (or decreased, even). It's anecdotal, but I'm hard pressed to name a new retail location that's opened relatively recently. Samurai Soulfood/pizza place/Whistlestop maybe. But then factor in the loss of the Third Rail, Whippi Dip, fireworks store, and Colby Block... I would think that's a net loss that only exacerbates the level of retail leakage.

As far as the Dollar General promoting other in-town store visits, that's a good point. There's a dollar store in Bradford, so folks in Corinth, Bradford, and Piermont would probably shop there. That leaves West Fairlee, Thetford, and Orford for folks that would patronize the Fairlee Dollar General (and, in doing so, potentially another Fairlee business). That said, it's not really the type of business that's conducive to complementing other stores... typically, that kind of interplay comes in a walkable setting, where there's some serendipity in exploring other shops on foot.

Expand full comment

Maybe what we need to rethink is, "What is appropriate retail for villages?" Back when these towns formed, people making a ten-mile trip to town once a week for all purchased supplies was the customer base. With cars, malls and Amazon, that model's completely dead. What seems to work is things that the local buyer consumes on site (restaurants, haircuts and Chapman's, which is an experience more than a shop), things needed quickly (Wing's, Fogg's, my wrapping paper) and maybe professional premises like the new Gray's Electric, which definitely reverses retail leakage by serving multiple surrounding communities. One possibility would be a multi-use space for personal services like yoga classes, exercise (are those gyms by the old Cumberland coming back after covid?), crafting and teaching (a Fairlee mini-OSHER?) In any case, we'll have to build back better, because the old model just won't work any more.

Expand full comment

You are right. Frankly, I've traveled all around this country by car and no matter where you go, there are small towns like Fairlee everywhere. IMO, the problem in trying to recreate the past model of a quaint downtown with little shops is that they don't have the capitalization to keep a broad inventory of things which drives people on-line to get them. In truth, is DG any worse than Woolworths and other 5 and 10s used to be? It makes me nuts but it is the new reality.

As an example, I was recently looking for a simple whistle. None to be found locally. Multiply that by the hundreds of other little items and you get the picture.

To me, services are the future for small towns, not brick and mortar stores. Amazon owns that market.

Expand full comment
author

To Heidi's point, I think a lot of the conversation needs be around reshaping how we (as a community) see and envision our downtowns & village centers. The "experience" component is critical.

Without brick & mortar stores, downtowns & village centers lose their appeal. You lose the benefits & quality of life (social, convenience, walkability, etc) and people will no longer want to live there. Services will definitely play a big role, but I respectfully disagree that brick & mortar is dead. It just needs to be rethought.

As one example, take Galena, Illinois. Similar population as Fairlee. It takes work, but they've been able to thrive. And they don't do it by competing with Amazon or DG - the majority of their retail is in some way experiential or craft.

https://www.visitgalena.org/

Expand full comment

A little background. When the Dollar General came to town Fairlee had absolutely no regulatory means to stop the development. The bylaw was woefully outdated, the electorate divided on whether there should be zoning in the first place, and there was a basic malsie in what was seen as a dying village.

At least DG coming to town focused the mind and began a dialog. We are now ten years out. We have a robust Town Plan, Unified Development Bylaw, an activated and educated Selectboard, local citizen groups which spouted eight years ago have matured into a force for community life. The Town now takes its future seriously and a real consensus supporting housing and scaled economic development.

As the planning professional in town a DG would not have been my druther to inspire this village renaissance but you use what you have at hand, this would not be the first town whose revitalization was trigged this way. The best is yet to come, we are beginning to see the fruits of a decade worth of study, planning and hard work.

Expand full comment

I hesitate to defend Dollar General because I abhor plastic and the exploitation of workers in poor countries, but I agree with Mike that they are the new Woolworths. They fill a need for people who may not drive or be internet savvy (elderly & low income residents). Maybe we need to integrate them into our downtowns by requiring them to locate in existing empty buildings and ensuring that their outside appearance is consistent with the character we want our towns to have.

Expand full comment

So well written and researched. Thank you for contributing to the conversation. I hope you can mobilize towns and citizens before it's too late.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks, Alison!

Expand full comment

Nailed it! And much like the trend Wal-Mart started over 30 years ago, copied by all the big box stores, most of thier products are cheaply made in Asia, which in itself continues to promote unfair labor practices worldwide, and undermines the strength of the US economy. It is more than just a small town problem but a threat to the security of our nation. Thank you for breaking down the 'myths'.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks R.D.! Completely agreed.

Expand full comment