Recently, two national retail stores, Five Below and Old Navy, opened in Kirksville. We as an Editorial Board think the addition of these stores will be beneficial to Kirksville, but students should still continue to support small businesses.
Assistant City Manager Ashley Young said Kirksville is a regional hub and the new retail options will draw people in from surrounding communities, bringing in money and providing employment opportunities. We are excited to see the new growth in the community.
Many Truman students are from bigger cities, such as St. Louis and Kansas City, and are used to bigger retail stores in their hometowns. These additions are exciting for many students, who enjoy being able to visit their favorite stores.
However, while many national companies have opened locations in Kirksville, several small businesses, mostly in the downtown area, have closed. For example, Caffiend Fix and Wine on Washington were two locally owned businesses that have closed in the past few years.
We believe that while these large businesses are great additions to the city of Kirksville, students should not forget about local small businesses.
Many small-business owners have lived locally for a long time and care deeply about the community. These small businesses are essential to the culture and history of a small town. They depend on the success of their businesses as their way of life.
As students, we can learn a lot about the community we live in by visiting these businesses and talking to the owners. We believe that students should continue to go to these businesses when possible, because they are the heart of our city.