The debate over whether the opening of the Cochrane Wal-Mart will bring smaller, local businesses more retail traffic or simply lure them out the door continues to rage, and there seems to be a split within the community on what kind of effect the big-box store will have.
On one side of the argument you have some saying the central location of the Wal-Mart will bring more customers to downtown businesses, while on the other side, you have those who feel shoppers will simply make a one-stop shop at the retail giant.
Each argument has its valid points, but truth be told, no one really knows the answer to this concern, and no one will know for some time, until Cochrane sees it with its very own eyes.
Though small business owners are rightly wary about Wal-Mart cracking its doors Jan. 24, it’s the not-so-new reality of the world we live in: If there is a demand for low-cost products, a low-cost retailer will surly find you and provide its services.
And, the contention that a Wal-Mart in northwest Calgary already exists for Cochrane shoppers to take advantage of is a compelling point. If Cochrane residents want to shop at Wal-Mart, it’s not difficult.
Wal-Mart’s annual sales is $405 billion; 100 million customers visit the store every week; the average family of four spends $4,000 a year at Wal-Mart. These kinds of numbers – though they are company-wide – can frighten many small business owners, or they can raise dollar signs.
There will always be those who choose not to shop at big-box stores like Wal-Mart, and that’s their choice. But not everyone has the luxury of making that decision when it comes to the reality of their personal financial situation.
Which is precisely why the Wal-Marts and Targets of the world are in such high demand. For most, it comes down to one simply reality: where is the product I want most affordable?
So, for many middle-income families, a Wal-Mart opening just down the street is a good thing.
Also a good thing is the fact that the Wal-Mart is opening in Cochrane, not Calgary.
Not only does this keep consumer spending in the community, it employs local residents.
Cochrane Wal-Mart general manager Sean Gaudet has said 110 of 175 positions at the store have been filled so far, all but two are local residents. This has many positive effects on the community: More Cochranites are employed in Cochrane and don’t have to travel to Calgary for work; and more employed people means more money to be spent, hopefully at local businesses, whether it be at Wal-Mart, Canadian Tire, Sobeys or a small, specialty business down on Main St. or elsewhere.
The opening of the Wal-Mart should be a chance for local small business owners to be innovative and hopefully thrive. Small business is the engine that drives a community, the batter of the cake; big-box stores are the icing.
Every business starts off as a small business, and those that serve their customers well continue to grow.
Though big-box stores serve a purpose, they do not replace small businesses, they provide them with an opportunity.
