Why are so many businesses closing in the tri-cities? (Johnson City: apartment complex, rental)

[PINKYLEE123]

In the past month Johnson City has lost CICI's pizza, Atlanta Bread, and the Burger King by the mall. I have just found it strange there has been no mention of it in the paper. But, we have all heard about the new developments. Kingsport has lost Salt Water Willys, Garfield's and Madagascar Coffee Co. Is this the bust in the tricities? As far as i can tell the development being built between johnson city and kingsport has no anchor stores as of yet. At my business I have an employee, his father was let go last week and said 2 other people in his neighborhood lost their jobs in the past 3 weeks. Any ideas on what is going on ....?

[Serious Conversation]

See thread about "where jobs are being created" on main TN page.

In short, the local economy is not in good shape for many reasons. When many people are underemployed or unemployed, they don't have money to spend frivolously. Local governments are largely dysfunctional and even publicly fight with themselves on occasion (Sheriff Wayne Anderson sued Sullivan County Mayor Steve Godsey over funding).

In some cases, it's kind of a catch-22. The area can't get the types of jobs and employers that pay good wages because there aren't already enough qualified candidates in the area to make it worthwhile for them to relocate. Since the area doesn't have good employers, many of the best and brightest won't relocate here, and the younger generations who were born and raised here have to move to survive financially. Because we lack a diverse economy, area colleges and universities don't have the connections needed in this day and age to make degrees in many fields from their schools meaningful. Local governments either do nothing, go in wrong directions (spending tens of millions dollars for a Bass Pro Shop, Cabela's, and a YMCA center that are going to create mostly low paid customer service work), or compete against one another.

I haven't heard of any more layoffs, which the local media doesn't seem to report on, but I wouldn't be surprised. Many jobs that used to be done by permanent staff are now done by short term, revolving door temps.

I'm really going to miss Garfield's. I would occasionally go in there and have a drink and look at Packard's for old video games. They did have a turkey burger that was quite good.

I noticed Madagascar was gone recently. I thought the place would have stayed in business. Looks like the only coffee shop in Kingsport is Starbucks.

I think Saltwater Willy's was just not well planned. I wouldn't chalk this up to the economy.

[BP72]

People need money to spend. People are not making wages to afford much extras. Losing higher wage jobs and attracting lower wage jobs to replace them only makes the situation worse over time. It's like a race to the bottom. Certain businesses need people to have the extra money like Restaurants, Photo Studios and so forth. It is just not there right now in the Tri. JMO.

Read through the thread Emigrations was talking about... heres the link //www.city-data.com/forum/tenne...ing-added.html

[BadJuju]

Originally Posted by Emigrations

I noticed Madagascar was gone recently. I thought the place would have stayed in business. Looks like the only coffee shop in Kingsport is Starbucks.

Actually, there are several coffee shops in Kingsport. The Nutty Java in the mall, Little Cake (cupcake place, but they make great coffee) and Mustard Seed Cafe. There is also Forestdale Coffee downtown, which is where you can pick up freshly roasted beans. And those are just the ones I happen to know of.

[BadJuju]

They need to stop building these developments on the outskirts of the city. I'll never even get to them because it isn't worth going that far. Never mind that it just saps money from people with them having to spend more money on gas and repairs due to increased mileage.

[PINKYLEE123]

Originally Posted by BadJuju

They need to stop building these developments on the outskirts of the city. I'll never even get to them because it isn't worth going that far. Never mind that it just saps money from people with them having to spend more money on gas and repairs due to increased mileage.

this is sooo true !!!
That is what i have such a hard time figuring out up here - take market street - the Bank of America just closed and there are MANY retail spaces empty and yet they are still going to build more. It seems sad the core of any of the tri-cities are left to die and they keep building on the fringy outskirts.

[BadJuju]

It is terrible city planning, if it can even be called that.

[jabogitlu]

There is no city planning in Johnson City. Kingsport and Bristol fare only marginally better.

The Tri-Cities is a microcosm of America. We have vastly overbuilt our populated areas betting on a cheap energy future that isn't to be realized. It's taking all of what many of us have (me included) to pay for cars for each member of our family, keep us housed, clothed and fed. Don't have cash to go to Atlanta Bread. (I am sorry to hear of its closing, though. When I lived in JC, it was one of my favorite spots because it had free WiFi, years before it was 'the thing.')

[Serious Conversation]

Originally Posted by PINKYLEE123

this is sooo true !!!
That is what i have such a hard time figuring out up here - take market street - the Bank of America just closed and there are MANY retail spaces empty and yet they are still going to build more. It seems sad the core of any of the tri-cities are left to die and they keep building on the fringy outskirts.

A few years ago, a company called AdaptCore ran a gastropub called Kingsport Grocery Company. That one establishment did more to attract people to Kingsport's downtown than anything before or since. They also had a barbecue restaurant downtown. There were many nights I stopped at Kingsport Grocery for a burger and some beer and it was packed for a long time. AdaptCore mismanaged their businesses, which were smash hits for awhile. Ever since those businesses failed, I think investors have been very scared to risks downtown.

Downtown Bristol has a nice strolling area, but parking is difficult to find and there's not much there other than a few knick-knack shops, a couple restaurants, and bars. Downtown JC is a disaster.

I'm not as hateful toward suburbia as some posters here are. Done well, it can be quite pleasant to live in. However, as one poster mentioned, it requires a certain level of affluence to afford, and this area generally doesn't have it.

[jchometeam]

CiCi's was crappy pizza in an area with too many pizza places. Burger King is being replaced by a new fast food chain. Atlanta Bread built and then a better version of the same thing opened right across State of Franklin. I see that as healthy free market myself.

And as for the downtown Johnson City, I agree with the sentiment on here that it needs to improve. But it is improving. More retail going there (though its antique shops, etc.), more restaurants that are being successful, a high end rental complex being built. Tupelo Honey being built downtown, ETSU baseball stadium at the edge of downtown, ETSU's President has openly stated a desire to put more presence downtown such as the bluegrass dept., etc., the old Mullican building will be torn down for a nice apartment complex I hear, and the new park in downtown is making progress, festivals such as the Blue Plum which have been successful, all the new infrastructure investment the city has made in the last year, the large bank that is relocating to downtown to occupy an unoccupied building, and the new mayor's top priority is downtown redevelopment.

Downtown JC has a ways to go to catch up with Kingsport and Bristol, but its also never had a brighter outlook than right now.