We have all seemingly wondered when life would resume as normal. It looks as though we are as close as we’ve been for over two years now (if you ignore the inflation that is only rising.) Below are a few bits of information you might find interesting, along with a few upcoming events that might just lift your spirits.
• According to data from Lending Tree, 60% of people say they are having some difficulty meeting their usual household expenses, and the number of people having a “very difficult” time has increased by 85% nationwide. In Tennessee, the number of people having a “very difficult” time financially is up 136%.
• April total tax revenues were $3 billion, which is $525.9 million more than April of last year and $915.3 million more than the budgeted estimate, according to the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration. The total growth rate for the month was 21.27%.
• The Kingsport Chamber Golf Scramble will be held Wednesday at Ridgefields.
• The Downtown Kingsport Association will host a Downtown Loft Tour on Saturday from 2-5 p.m. Six downtown properties will be featured on the tour. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 the day of. For more information, go to www.downtownkingsport.org.
• The Kingsport Chamber will host a ribbon cutting at General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems on Tuesday at 4 p.m. at 108 E. Main St.
• Gravel at the Gate, a 50-mile or 20-mile bike trail cutting through scenic Scott County, will be held on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Gate City. For more information, go to https://www.bikereg.com/gravel-gate.
• Since last Monday, gas prices across the state have risen nearly 13 cents, according to the American Automobile Association. As of Monday, the Tennessee Gas Price average is now $4.20 — nearly 36 cents more expensive than one month ago and $1.31 more than one year ago. The Kingsport and Bristol average is $4.23.
Notes from the field
It’s no secret that most malls aren’t what they once were.
Many malls across the country have closed and are taking their final breaths as trends continue to float further and further from the mega mall foundation that gained traction in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Retailers would ride the mall wave through the next three decades until, according to the Smithsonian, the year 2007 — the first year since the ‘50s that America did not see a new, major, enclosed mall open its doors.
Factors such as online shopping, the 2008 recession, lower-priced retail options, and, most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic have all, in part, driven a proverbial nail in the coffin of major malls across the United States since the late 2000s.
But all is not lost — it’s just shifted.
I often say history has a way of repeating itself. It may not be for the same reasons or the same way as before, but history often finds a way to find a foothold once again.
Much like the malls of recent years, downtown shopping saw its own decline and fall from popularity. When gathering information on Bristol’s State Street last fall, I talked with the Paramount Theatre’s Vice President David Grace. He shared with me the history of the theater, dating back to when it saw lines down the street full of eager movie-goers ready to watch “It Pays to Advertise” and many others throughout the years. But as time went on, the trend shifted toward large, enclosed malls full of large retailers. That’s when the Paramount fell into disrepair. Many years and work went into the theater, which is now alive and well, offering musical performances, theatrical events and more in the heart of downtown — which also seems to be thriving.
It looks as though downtown spaces, smaller retail options and even smaller malls and strip malls are on the upswing across the country. But I believe that has less to do with location and more to do with people.
I don’t know if you witnessed the same, but since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, people seem to have changed their perspectives on most everything, including where they shop. Online options had a clear advantage, but I believe there has also been a big shift in people wanting to support local businesses and shop small. In the same way our country went from small to large decades back, it seems we’re shifting from large to small.
Companies like Amazon and Walmart are still on top financially, but there has been a shift. And the interest in revitalizing downtown spaces reaches beyond Bristol, Kingsport and Johnson City.
Even large companies like Macy’s are cashing in on the small business trend. Macy’s launched its small-format “Market by Macy’s” stores in 2021 and has announced plans to open 10 new non-mall locations in the coming year after starting off with five Market by Macy stores located in five large cities throughout the U.S.
The shift is also moving back to small on a local level.
Last week, I spoke with members of Gate City Frontier, the nonprofit group that works with the town to promote Gate City and revitalize its downtown. They too mentioned the interest they have seen in locals both in Gate City and throughout the region who are hungry to support small, local businesses.
One member and town council member, Allan “Cotton” Roberts also made an excellent point during our conversation — we are coming up on the summer months, and nothing can make you want to stay local like the rising prices of gas and across-the-board inflation.
I look for local events, especially this summer, to see local and regional folks looking for a close-by chance to get out, have some fun and hopefully spend some local dollars in and around small businesses and downtown options.
Send your business thoughts or business anniversaries (ending in a five or zero) to mwaters@timesnews.net.
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