Editor, Commonwealth:
Recently when I read the article that Greenwood officials are thinking of spending money on attracting new retail and restaurants, my first thought was, “That would be great if we had the population to support new businesses.”
Instead of picking up the phone and making a call, I chose to just keep quiet so hopefully someone with a more persuasive voice and firsthand experience with their own business being affected by changes in local demographics and the internet would take the lead in speaking up.
After reading Sunday’s editorial, “City officials focus on wrong problem,” I applaud Tim Kalich for taking that lead, as we all know the newspaper industry has taken a huge hit from the internet.
I recently spoke at the Rural Entrepreneurship Forum sponsored by Ole Miss. I focused a lot of my speech on the 19 percent decline in population since I took over Fincher’s 17 years ago, the average income in our area being $27,000, in what ways millennials affect the economy and how retailers have stayed alive in Greenwood.
All the local retailers who have been able to keep their doors open over the years have been blessed and have their own slice of the Greenwood and surrounding area pie. With internet sales rising, that piece of the pie is getting smaller.
Growing the Greenwood population, as Tim suggests, would also be great, but as we all know, this would be part of a long-range planning effort that may not produce quick enough results to raise sales tax collections that are needed for the city budget and to keep property taxes from rising again.
As a retailer who sees and interacts with consumers on a firsthand basis, tourism is the quickest answer for Greenwood. The marketing strategy with tourists is totally different than the strategy used on local residents as to why they should keep their dollars home. Tourists arrive ready to stay, dine and shop.
Maybe take the $120,000 and invest in areas such as more events to draw tourists, as do the marathon and bike race, host outdoor concerts or possibly organize a pilgrimage of all the beautiful homes and history in our town. Even heavy advertising on why one could choose Greenwood as their next weekend road trip.
There are lots of ways to increase tourism, but funding is needed to accomplish this task. The $120,000 would be a great start!
Melisa Fincher
Greenwood
