Box store blues

[FSmith59]

What about the stores on the PIB land? Are they "shopping out of market"?

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[FSmith59]

Petcetera is a franchise. They have not been doing well, anywhere. They are currently cutting their worst producing locations. It may help the company to stay profitable, or it won't. My guess is on "won't". It's a dumb business model, and I am willing to bet the company ends up completely bankrupt, and ALL their stores disappear.

This has NOTHING to do with Penticton. It is 100%, a bad franchise situation.

[FSmith59]

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[grammafreddy]

Sorry - I had the wrong name. I mean the Westbank First Nation - the one with all the stores on the west side.

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[smoky500]

I will state my opinion again from another post about the channel crossing, DO NOT go commercial development, start up an industrial complex to attract manufacturing business and jobs, then people will have the money to shop downtown!!

[XT225]

I will state my opinion again from another post about the channel crossing, DO NOT go commercial development, start up an industrial complex to attract manufacturing business and jobs, then people will have the money to shop downtown!!

Good thought, smoky500; Industrial could work; maybe tie some more businesses/jobs into the airport somehow. One only has to see what's happening in Westbank and learn from their mistakes. (Staples just announced that it is closing there; another one gone). I'm not sure how this is all going to work...but from the folks that I've spoken to in Penticton, if the bridge goes in (that's still a big "IF", considering the speed that our Federal Govt works at) and commercial businesses that are already established inside the city decide to move across the channel, people won't be too pleased. We need NEW businesses and perhaps with the Westbank situation, its just not going to happen. Let's hope the Feds (and our tax dollars) don't fund a literal "Bridge to Nowhere". Industrial business as smoky500 suggested above is a different story; that sounds more logical.

http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-st ... htm#114501

[CTF]

Some people like to complain about Westbank and yet it is one of the most financially successful bands in the country - and all without massive mineral revenues. Penticton Indian Band can't sit still forever and needs to develop lands in the manner they see fit. I can't criticize them for that - I would do the same.

[driveangry]

Some people like to complain about Westbank and yet it is one of the most financially successful bands in the country - and all without massive mineral revenues. Penticton Native Band can't sit still forever and needs to develop lands in the manner they see fit. I can't criticize them for that - I would do the same.

You are absolutely correct, they are damned if they do and damned if they don't.

[Tony]

PIB is now developing Arrowleaf. That's a great step in the right direction I think. From what I've seen and read so far it will be a great place. As far as the Channel Crossing - they've been working on that for years now. Maybe (and I do mean maybe) they haven't started on it because they can't find the anchor tenant that they need. Perhaps the big box boys looked and have all said no thanks - Penticton isn't quite big enough to host a big commercial complex. Take a look at Westbank - although built up and the band being reasonably successful, the stores are starting to fall because they are "over retailed" to the point of ridiculous. The Osoyoos Band (most successful in BC) has done it with industrial, agricultural, and business acumen and smarts. They have developed businesses that benefit the area and have managed to stay away from retail - other than their wine shops. Penticton would do well to follow in their footsteps.

I really hope that Chief Kruger can make Penticton stand out in the future. Good luck to him.