Citizens Oak Ridge

Letters to the Editor

Existing OR stores smaller than in K’ville

5/23/2007

To the editor:

I chose to live in Oak Ridge because of the reputation of the Oak Ridge Schools. I feel that paying higher taxes for good education is an excellent investment.


I do, however, plan to vote NO, against the referendum. I believe local retailers know their businesses and that there is a reason why neither Belk, nor Kmart, Wal-Mart, Sears, JC Penney, and others do not offer the breadth and volume of products as do their sister stores in Knoxville. Even if Target comes to town I can not expect it to have the same offerings as the store(s) in Knoxville. The experience shows that stores in our locale are not magnets and thus either stay alive on a smaller scale or close.

I would very much like to see more retail coming to Oak Ridge. To do so successfully one needs to offer an alternative that will also draw shoppers from other communities.

Has someone thought about trying to bring to Oak Ridge a store like IKEA? A store like that might draw shoppers from not only East Tennessee but possible even from places as far as Nashville. (Currently there is no IKEA in TN).

Just some food for thought!

Hanna Shapira

Oak Ridge

http://www.oakridger.com/stories/052307/opi_172023897.shtml