Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Armstrong,IL
Posts: 3348

Drive in to a small town today and what do you see? Wal-Mart, McDonalds and a Home Depot? There was a time when each business had an proud owner who cared about his customers and employees. A small gas station or grocery store was more that a place to make purchases, it was a part of the community.

[img]http://willinois.com/buildings/building01[img]

[img]http://willinois.com/buildings/building04th[img]

Can we rebuild America form in the Heartland, is rebuilding rural America the answer?

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Registered: Sep 2009
Location:
Posts: 35

I think about this all the time. I use to love going to all the hometown stores and gas stations. It is now a thing of the past. very sad.

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Luke Meade

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Armstrong,IL
Posts: 3348

Whats happening cat, how ya doing?
Besides that look at all the lost income to those local economies.

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Registered: Mar 2009
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 2005

yup grew up in a small town in iowa,for a long time the only service station in town had a dirt floor, one bar,little hardware store,now you can drive 15 mins away and all the big names are there and its killing my home town ,really sucks to see this happen where you grew up your entire life ,oh and everyone used to know everyone and even that is gone

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Jim Hill 651-775-1783

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Armstrong,IL
Posts: 3348

Down deep I feel if we can build up rural America to a self- sufficient level then the tide will raise all boats.

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Registered: Mar 2009
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 2005

that it will i agree 100% with you!!! lets keep out fingers crossed that we pull out of this very soon

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If You Cant Stand Behide Our Troops ,Then Try Standing In Front Of Them
Jim Hill 651-775-1783

Been following these walker dogs since 1983,and love every min of it !!!!





http://minnesotastatecoonhunters.webs.com/

Use SunSpot Lights, so bright its like the sun came out at night !!!

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Registered: Not Yet
Location:
Posts: N/A

It's called evolution. Nothing stays the same. Our greatgrand parents prolly lamented the passsing of the horse and buggy age but they still went out and bought cars.

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Armstrong,IL
Posts: 3348

We need to hear every single idea, there may be someone out there with the answer.

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Armstrong,IL
Posts: 3348

quote:

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Originally posted by JiM
It's called evolution. Nothing stays the same. Our greatgrand parents prolly lamented the passsing of the horse and buggy age but they still went out and bought cars.

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Registered: Aug 2009
Location: Kellogg Mn.
Posts: 294

As of lately Ive been looking for a set of tires for my pickup . I went to a little town I used to live in and got a quote from a fix it shop / tire dealer . This shop I have known the owner his kids all the employees for all of my life , my best friend even works there .I got quotes from other tire shops also . So I go to WalMart and they are $ 100 cheaper for a better set of tires . Now I haven't worked since last Nov. . My Question to you is where would you buy the tires ?

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Armstrong,IL
Posts: 3348

If years ago when all of America first saw those bumper stickers that read " Buy American the job you save might be yours" had heeded this message would you still have a job to buy those other tires and keep your long time friends in business?

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Armstrong,IL
Posts: 3348

I myself have only worked 3 months since last Nov myself and it doesn't look to get better.
So I would be driving them tires until I just couldn't get another mile out of them.
As that is exactly what I am doing along with poking a hole in one of my catalytic converters to get buy instead of buying one.

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Registered: Mar 2004
Location: Bunn, NC (Near Raleigh)
Posts: 1584

I am not as concerned about empty stores as I am about the empty older plants/warehouses/factories....

I was hoping some of the stimulus cash might be used to refurbrish some of those, a good example is the old BLOUNT factory here in my hometown, we offer incentives here in my state to attract businesses but I feel that offering them a ready building is cheaper than building a new structure, does not require new land development, and might attract companies??? The company I work for left a building empty a few years ago, but before they left they gutted it (actually a good thing for prospective buyers), cleaned it, landscaped the property, and basically made it attractive to potential customers. This property was snatched up within 12 months. These buildings if used as an incentive could create long term jobs rather than the short term jobs being created by road construction which is what my state is using their Stimulus cash for????

PS - I don't care where you buy the tires...but I would suggest you buy an american made tire...

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