Donna wrote:
> I just heard yesterday that Dorn Hardware, in Northgate Shopping Center, > N. Sherman and Aberg Avenues is closing and currently running a liquidation > sale. This is a great loss, as Dorn's has the inventory variety to compete > with Mennards and Home Depot and is so very close and bikable for near > east neighborhoods. > > I'm guessing this is one of the businesses the Northside Business > Association was referring to when they said bike lanes will cause stores to > close. If this is the reason, Dorn is closing on the BELIEF that bike lanes > will cause their store to fail--a textbook example of thoughts creating our > realities. I'm guessing they have stats to back up their decision, but I I've noticed the liquidation sale signs this week, too. I doubt it has anything at all to do with the conversion of North Sherman from four-lane to five-lane. There could be lots of reasons, including the fact that there are two decent-sized hardware stores (both True Value) on North Sherman, only a mile apart, and the other one in a larger and more recently renovated space in Sherman Plaza. I haven't seen mentioned here another issue relating to how much businesses can benefit from easier bicycle traffic near their stores--decent bicycle racks. Indeed, I recall one instance some number of years ago when I intended to stop at that very same hardware store for something on my way home, but ended up going elsewhere because I did not find a bike rack near the store. I don't know whether any have since been installed at Northgate, but having convenient and secure bicycle parking is essential for local businesses who want to attract customers who arrive by bicycle.
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