Tuesday, 2/12

Before you know it there won't be any places left within walking distance.

Many of you know that, if I can help it, I don't drive anywhere. Heck, I don't even personally own a car. If I need something and I can I'll walk there. It's what I've always done. I'm pretty sure it's what I'll always do. But these days more and more wrenches are being thrown into my plan.

The news last week that Shopko in Marquette is closing was a bummer for two reasons. It was Marquette's original “box” store, a store that I grew up with, Just because of that it's kinda sad it's going away. But the other reason has to do more with my lifestyle. If I needed something that you could only buy at a store like Shopko I'd just hike (or bike, depending upon the season) up the Washington Street bike path and get it. Now, once the store closes in May, I won't be able to do that. All the other stores like that are far enough out that you have to drive to them.

And that's not right.

Shopko's closing comes on the heels of Valle's closing, which took away my pedestrian option when I needed a grocery-like item, and Valle's closing came on the heels of Bookworld's closing, which is where I went whenever I needed a gift. I realize that I'm not in any way representative of an average Marquette resident. I realize that I may be the only person who walked to those stores. But in case I'm not, it sure seems to me like there's a huge market hole for a store selling food & stuff in downtown Marquette.

I know I could almost literally keep it in business single-handedly.

Like I've said before, I try to keep my carbon footprint as small as possible. I don't believe in hopping into my car and driving three blocks to pick up a jug of milk. It's not very environmentally responsible, and it seems like a good waste of gas money as well. Yet I'm not really being given much of a chance here. My pedestrian options are rapidly disappearing. I know it's not a conspiracy or anything, but it's almost like every single business in Marquette WANTS you to have to drive to them. For those of us who live near downtown or on the East Side there will soon be no places to go if we need something. We'll all have to hop into our cars, catch a bus, or catch a ride to pick up a roll of masking tape.

To me, at least, that just doesn't seem very sustainable. Or very right.

I know; once again I'm so far out of the mainstream that it's not even funny. Almost every single person out there probably doesn't even give a second thought to hoping in their car and driving the 5 miles and 15 minutes it takes to get to Target or to Meijers. And that's probably one of the reasons that the store I used to frequent are no longer there. That's just the way things are these days. Those of us who walk just don't make up enough of a market to keep these places in business.

I get it. I don't like it, and I don't agree with it, but I get it.

At least Walgreen's is still open. It's about the only store both within walking distance and not on the “wrong” side of a very busy highway that carries most of what I might need. And since they picked up Shopko's pharmacy business, I'm guessing they'll be busy enough to stay open for years. Heck, maybe they'll be so busy they have to open a second location.

And if that were the case, I have a great idea as to where they could locate it.

(jim@wmqt.com), walker