Chamber applauds judge’s decision to approve the Walmart EIR
By Fran Blackney
Business Advocate
Finally, the wait is almost over and construction can begin on the new Clovis Crossing Shopping Center at Sunnyside and Herndon avenues. After several lawsuits and diversionary actions by a small citizens group against the project, a Fresno county superior judge has ruled in favor of the center.
Bringing the Clovis Crossing Shopping Center to town will bring much needed tax dollars to the town’s coffers. This is critical to help re-instate recently laid off city staff members including police and fire. By saying no to the center, we’d be saying no to our city staff who have been gallant and brave during the recent cutbacks.
By erecting this shopping center that is perfectly located adjacent to Highway 168, it will attract shoppers from the foothills who currently zoom right by Clovis on their way to RiverPark and other Fresno centers. Wouldn’t it be nice to see a line of cars on the Clovis off-ramp at 168 coming to Clovis.
Those shoppers would then see the other areas Clovis has to offer — our quaint Old Town, the newly remodeled Sierra Vista Mall and the Center at Herndon and Willow avenues, home of Best Buy. There won’t be any reason for travelers to go to RiverPark anymore. Everything will be right here, closer and more convenient.
Other companies are watching carefully to see if they’d be willing to risk a location in Clovis. Right now we’re not attracting many new retail stores. Our Gottschalks wasn’t included in the Macy’s/Forever 21 takeovers and Mervyn’s stands empty.
Some people objecting to the new center cite all the vacancies that currently exist in Clovis. Yes, there are a lot of vacancies but turning down the center won’t fill them up. Businesses won’t come here if the city acts against their best interest.
Another objection is the concern of urban decay including those businesses located several miles away in Fresno. Well the name of the game in a free market capitalist society is competition. If a WalMart moves in, you should sharpen your prices and/or improve your customer service. Offer something they can’t find at WalMart and emphasize it.
Secondly, I didn’t see Fresno too concerned about “urban decay” when they approved the Campus Pointe project at Fresno State or RiverPark 2 at Clovis and Belmont avenues. Those two projects will wreak havoc on Clovis retail if we don’t get going on this new center. We need to have our own competition to keep people shopping in Clovis.
Other objections come from union representatives who are against WalMart since their employees have chosen to be non-union. Union members cannot abide by a company that makes a free choice to not join a union. Employees at WalMart are happy with the status quo. No one forces any of them to work there. Yet, members of the SEIU have had an obvious presence at all the WalMart meetings to oppose the project.
The Clovis Chamber Board of Directors has supported the center since its inception in 2000. The Chamber recognizes the value and importance of added retail to the city of Clovis. The Chamber does not believe it will adversely affect the Clovis Way of Life. It believes it will enhance the area with much needed revenue, new jobs and convenience for local and out of town shoppers.
The Clovis Chamber thanks the judge for a common sense ruling and looks forward to a great addition to the city.
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3 Responses to Chamber applauds judge’s decision to approve the Walmart EIR
The Clovis Chamber of Horrors backs China Mart proposal. The residents of Szechuan province today thanked the kind people of the Clovis Chamber for supporting the creation of jobs in mainland China. Our products are superior because our workers can be paid very little wages, and our currency is kept low by the government. This allows China-Mart to sell our fine products to Americans and keep profits away from other stores, which close down and leave empty stores—a sign of victory for China Mart. Manufacturing base in America now located in Provinces of China. Investors in our country buying up Chinese debt,. Good economic news for us. Thank you Clovis. We are sorry for harm done to your local businesses, but this is global reality. Superstore will be empty in 20 years, so do not worry. Not long time damage done.
Oh Fran…
Really? You just don’t get it, do you? WalMart is NOT a good thing for small businesses. Clovis already has one walmart (in the quickly deteriorating Peach & Shaw area). The “new” area will eventually be just as bad. And do you reaslly think it will bring in THAT MUCH MORE business? Not! You’ll just pull shoppers away from the current store. I don’t see how/why small businesses support the Clovis Chamber when support for predatory chains like Walmart just kill the little guys. Who elected you to the chamber? I’d rather have someone in there who was an advocate for small businesses…not someone out to activiely destroy them by inviting in competition they have no chance of beating. Shame on you, Clovis Chamber.
Is this the type of silly thinking that comes from a Chamber? If we build another Walmart our economy will grow? Why not five new Walmarts? Oh, because that’s too many for our town – than how many is just enough to capture every single dollar driving by? Because we all know that as long as we have enough Walmarts we will capture all the regions sales tax and never hurt another business.
And your answer is “Be a smarter business person”? Better service? And how do you charge enough to provide this great service, when the great Walmart has dumbed down the general expectations of consumers to worship at the altar of “Cheap”? Please Fran, spare us the knee jerk idiocy of columns like this.