Back in the 1970's and 80's a new retail trend was emerging. Big department stores like Sears, Woolworth, JC Penny, and Montgomery Ward began closing downtown stores all over the country. Other stores like Western Auto, Coast to Coast, and hardware stores were also exiting downtowns.
The trend led to big box stores with huge parking lots on the edges of town. It also led to small strip centers developing close to the big box stores.
Now, I believe another shopping trend is happening that will again dramatically change the retail sector -- a trend that will affect shopping districts in smaller cities like Sterling. As more and more products are bought on the Internet, retail stores on the edge of towns are closing.
For example, just recently In Sterling: Kmart left, Radio Shack left, Kidder Music Instruments is gone, Staples is leaving, and even some restaurants in Sterling's shopping core have left. Several people are saying they'll be very surprised if Durham Sporting Goods, in the Sterling mall, will ever reopen following a storm that caused major damage.
Yes, online, tax-free buying is now affecting stores that are on the edges of communities, just like when big stores with big parking lots forced big downtown retailers to shut down.
I'm Phillip LeFevre, and that's my perspective.
