"A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or…" (Wikipedia)
Will Winder be the next Ghost Town? As you look around town at the old buildings, and the new ones, and see them vacant do you ever stop and think about how they have gotten this way? When I talk to people about where they buy things it seems like they almost always go out of town to get them when they could have gotten the same products right here in Winder and Barrow county for the same prices and supported local businesses. It seems like everyone thinks going with a big company is always better or that if they go to a chain or franchise they will get a better deal. Well it doesn't always work that way. Purchase from Larry's EZ Pay and they deliver, set up and service the product. Sanders furniture as well and they both stand behind the products they sell. Bentley Photography, you know those guys, also guarantees there work and stands behind the product 100%. Some figures that I heard a few weeks ago were that 62% of what you spend stays in your community when you shop at a locally owned small business. That number goes down to only 40% when shop the big chains and 0% when you purchase on-line!
Over the past month we have seen several of the things we depend on for our business be taken away from us by these big companies leaving us wondering just what the future is for the local small business. County operated orginazions are choosing out of town big companies while bypassing local companies that can do just as good or better work. Experience or being a part of the comunity has nothing to do with choices it all comes down to the bottom line, which isn't always black and white. I keep hearing the backbone of America is its small businesses. Well people, we better start taking care of each other.
Just a few empty or closing businesses in downtown Winder that I shot this afternoon, most within two blocks of each other.