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This Weeks Letters
BIG BOX EQUALS BIG DEAL
February 22, 2007
Council Chair [Riki] Hokama shows leadership and courage to take
decisive action to protect the viability of local owner-operated (Mom
& Pop) shops (Coconut Wireless, Feb. 1, 2007). Planning for
appropriate business expansion land use takes understanding the
dynamics and resulting impacts of competition that presents an unlevel
field.
Most Super-sized (big box) operations require a gross floor area of
90,000 s.f. (two acres) containing over 25,000 product units with more
than 20,000 s.f. of dedicated grocery area. National statistics reveal
that for most big box entries, 60 small mom/pop operations get hurt or
bite the dust. Furthermore, these offshore operations return about $.05
cents on the dollar of their profits back into the local economy as
opposed to $.65 cents reinvested by homegrown outlets. Our established
small businesses deserve our continued support because many offer
personalized service, proved living wage jobs with security and
benefits and also participate with several local community fundraisers,
etc.
Many towns across the nation have had bad experiences from Big Box
(superstores) that obliterated the "little guy" and then not making
their quotas have shut down leaving virtual ghost towns in their wake.
Free enterprise and competition will reinforce the fabric on our rural
communities only if corporate giants are willing to significantly
downsize their operations and abide by established Business Country
Town design guidelines. If we want the quality of life on Maui to
remain NO KA OI, we must afford our local owner-operated businesses our
continued loyalty and a fair chance of survival.
-Joceyln A. Perreira, WMSA/Tri-Isle Main Street Resource Center
CLARIFICATION
The Feb. 8, 2007 edition of The Maui 10 on the discovery of ancient
Hawaiian remains at the Kapalua Bay Hotel didn't make clear that Maui
Island Burial Council Chairman Charles Kauluwehi Maxwell, Sr.'s quote
"That whole area, that Kapalua area, is considered sacred because of
the thousands of remains on the sand dunes," was referring to the dunes
fronting the Ritz-Carlton hotel, not the Kapalua Bay Hotel, which is
about a half-mile away.
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