Dollar store extravaganza!

[Snoggera]

This town, a former "railroad" town, has lost half its population, after reaching a peak of 10,000. One by one, businesses have failed, and the stores on main street consist of only cracked windows and slogans exhorting the '97 high school football team to kick some ass.

The only new businesses that have moved into this town in the last 4 years can be numbered: 2

The Dollar Store

and

Dollar General

Everyone shops there.

What does this say about small town america?

Is this in any way consistent with what is happening across this formerly great land?

[lottie244]

1. And most of the $1 goods come from China, Taiwan, Korea

Isn't that lovely?

[Snoggera]

5. I constantly find the "made in china" stickers

stuck somewhere.

I long for the days when we could laugh about "made in Taiwan".

[eaprez]

2. Isn't the collapse of small town America directly related to the demise of

the family farm? Is that a farming area?

[Snoggera]

7. This is a cattle ranching area

so this collapse doesn't directly relate to those in the Midwest, I don't think.

Made in China! Thank Buddha for those that will work for 15 cents a day.

fucking corporatists. I never realized I hated them so much until, years ago, I began looking into what was happening with "reebok" tennis shoes.

[Nikia]

12. Not necessarily

Some small towns had a few good relatively large manufacturing employers. Losing a quarter or so of the town's jobs with a plant or two closing is devestating for those type of small towns.

[meisje]

3. It says that stuff worth a dollar should be sold for a dollar and no more

[Snoggera]

10. It's worth a dollar

because some sweat-shop slave halfway around the world made it possible for Americans to value it, at retail, 1$.

[physioex]

4. Yes....

That and Wal-Martization. Where we you work for minimum wage, no benefits, and no union........

[eaprez]

6. Can never beat WalMart unless you can convince the shopping public....

...that its in their best interest to pay more by shopping elsewhere.

[CrispyQ]

9. Ain't it the truth!

The communities who are affected by Walmart are often complicit in the destruction of their community by shopping there!

[eaprez]

13. The same kinda thinking that keeps them voting Republican...against their.

..own intersts.

[Gogi]

8. The Great Depression......

showed up first in small town America. During the 1920's rural America was already suffering before the 1929 stock market crash.

[daligirrl]

11. Thank you for bringing that to the forefront!

I've been telling people this for a long time now.

[jburton]

14. This is also happening in older suburbs

Suburbs home to workers at no-longer existing companies.

Dollar Stores and Payday Check Cashing places.

[Snoggera]

15. Dollar Stores and Payday Check Cashing places.

and title loans!

Get your loans here for 333% interest! Are you poor? Need a loan?

We got yer money!