Having lived in the Muncie area all of my life, McGalliard Road, or State Road 332, has been the center of my life as a consumer. The Muncie Mall, Target (which used to be where Rural King is now), Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Meijer, Showplace 7 and the old Hills store (where Hobby Lobby is now) were the stores I frequented most as a kid. However, when looking at the landscape of McGalliard Road as an adult, I find myself sick.
If there is any road in East Central Indiana that is too overpopulated with commercial zoning, it is McGalliard Road in Muncie. The flooding of superstores and restaurants on this road is hurting Muncie business -- there is too much in one area. Other areas in Muncie are hurting more and more every day.
Drive down Wheeling or Madison avenues, Walnut Street or Memorial Drive to see what McGalliard is doing to Muncie.
Area community staples, like Danner's Books on Wheeling Avenue, are being driven further and further into extinction because of business growth on McGalliard and areas adjacent to McGalliard, like Clara Lane.
The Web site for Danner's Books (www.dannersbooks.com) lists many reasons to support local businesses. One that hits home is the stated fact that chain store sales have risen over the last five years, but economic returns to the community have actually decreased over that same stretch of time. However, more of the revenue from independent stores and shops goes back to the community through taxes and community togetherness.
Local businesses in Muncie are currently faced with a double-edged sword. Small business will fail on McGalliard, because of the big businesses. Small business will fail outside of McGalliard, because of the big businesses. Big businesses on McGalliard casts a long shadow over businesses to the south.
It doesn't help that the Delaware Chamber of Commerce does not face the music. On its Web site, it states that Money Magazine called Muncie one of the "up-and coming" cities with a population under 250,000. However, in 2005, Muncie ranked dead last on Money Magazine's 2005 list of cities to have a business. Muncie was even worse than Gary and Flint, Michigan -- the city featured in Michael Moore's ground-breaking documentary "Roger & Me." No small business can thrive against the force of a McGalliard Road in a city with a population of 67,430.
I wonder how much longer shops like Danner's Books can last with the big business boom. Small businesses have a hard time surviving with Meijer, Wal-Mart and Target taking a vast segment of their needed income, but how long will it be before a Barnes and Noble or a Borders completely ruins the revenue of a battered and beaten Danner's Books? I do not want to see that happen. I enjoy the quality of service and the friendliness of local independent shops.
However, in a college town, many residents are college students who cannot afford to shop anywhere other than the "big blue monster" on Clara Lane. I do shop at the Wal-Mart on Clara Lane, but I also support local businesses by shopping elsewhere, too: I do drink hot chocolate at the mt cup. I do buy books at Danner's Books.
And with my purchases at the local shops, I feel like I have helped the community. I've helped the community member who owns (and most likely runs) the shop. I've helped the community members who are employed there. I've also helped the thousands of community members who will benefit from the existence of the shop.
Write to Matthew at
mlstephenson@bsu.edu
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