The Way I See It!

Is a 100,000 sq ft or larger zoning ordinance coming to Cudahy? Part 4

Posted by Randy Hollenbeck on July 14, 2009

Cudahy, Development, Info

One of my concerns has been that companies would do their own studies and this study done by the city would be used by city people to exclude companies that want to come to Cudahy.  The messaging of data can be done to make a point in any direction you want it to!  I just hope someone isn’t or doesn’t pull the strings for a purpose to play judge and jury.

Remember this is a RETAIL MARKETING STUDY.  The Iceport would not have been helped if this were done.  Just like fast food and sit-down restaurants are not in a true retail market.  If it is a comprehensive market study, that is one thing, but a retail market is another. 

Then again, what is your definition of retail?  Seems a tad bit subjective unless strict definitions and guidelines are applied and explained.

Are bars retail since they sell alcohol in takeout cans? 

If you go by the stock market retail doesn’t included fast food at all http://money.cnn.com/data/sectors/Retail/

I was told the study was to find the needs of the south shore area.  What is “The South Shore Area”?  What communities does it include?  Bay View, St. Francis, Cudahy, South Milwaukee, Oak Creek?

Is it a study of leakage out of Cudahy or the South Shore?

I was told Cudahy doesn’t need any fast food because we have the market cornered! 

What fast food does Cudahy have?  McDonalds, Subway, Arbys.  I might be forgetting someone, but if you want chicken from KFC, that is leakage from Cudahy.  You want a taco from Taco Bell, which is leakage from Cudahy.  You want a hamburger from Hardees or DQ, leakage from Cudahy.

I am sure if they placed a category for Propane refilling, all of the $$$$ are leaking out of Cudahy.  One of the closest place for propane tanks filled I am aware of is in Oak Creek at Valley National Gases on 1075 W North Branch Dr # A Oak Creek, WI 53154-1430, but is there a demand for it or are most people just happy exchanging the propane tanks?

Cudahy has a 100% leakage on Gentlemen’s clubs.  They are legitimate legal businesses as long as they reside in the ‘SOD’ (Sexually Orientate Districts).  Is there a need and want?  Does it matter if there is no need or want if one comes in following the rules and laws?  Can we say NO?  Should we say NO?

The "leakage" study just in itself has shortcomings.

The problem is that consultants don't have access to the store sales data and zip code analysis that the retailers have (much like Wal-Mart did when looking at where leakage was coming from). 

The South 27th street store for Wal-Mart is too busy to keep up and service correctly.  They did a zip code study and found if they opened a store in Cudahy/South Milwaukee or St Francis they could take pressure off the S. 27th street store and have two profitable stores.  The consultant did not talk to anyone from Wal-Mart that I know of.  I could be wrong and it would be worth checking.

Question from a reader in email –

Please tell me this is not true, we are paying an outside firm to determine what type shopping we need in Cudahy, the people, a high percentage I might add expressed their feeling to Mr. Mayor about wanting a Wal-Mart and willingness to go with Costco, Kohls or any one who would build here, we know the results of that so we go to an outside source for the answers the Mayor wants to hear?  Its bad enough we are paying someone $75,000 as a development person, now this and in the mean time our stores are closing right and left, we need a wholesale shuffle at City Hall, we need someone who is one of ours, Cudahy born and bred who can relate to peoples needs, enough has been spent on studies the City could have built its own store.

Yes, the taxpayers are footing the bill!

At a time when our city is struggling to find extra money in the budget to hire more needed police officers and make long-overdue improvements to our city's infrastructure, it makes sense to be smart even if that means to take the businesses that want to build or relocate here.

Many people in Cudahy think that a Wal-Mart Supercenter is preferable to empty stores, and dispute the contention that a Wal-Mart would suppress local economic development, “because there's nothing much to suppress”.

Putting in an ordinance either directly, indirectly or applied with fancy data goes too far in regulating business in Cudahy.  An ordinance interferes with the economics of free enterprise and consumers should not be told where and when they should shop.  The city should not stack the deck nor should the city select the players in the game of retail development. 

Banning large stores is the act of elitists.

Keep in mind that so-called land use arguments are nothing more than a way to try to divert the real issues, which is that this is being driven by unions.  Unions and the fact Wal-Mart is nonunion is the real problem for some to come to grips with.

Cudahy is very much a blue-collar town, so cheap prices and cheap groceries do resonate with a lot of people.

Big-box retail stores provide consumers with convenient, one-stop shopping at low prices and that consumers, not regulators, should dictate how and where businesses are allowed to operate in a free-market society.

Please don’t forget that the Mayor and Alderpersons are to be non-partisan and "A" political, but we know in the real word that just isn’t true.  Elected local representatives are normally divided along political party lines on the issue of big-box regulation, with Republicans emphasizing economic benefits and free-market principles, and Democrats citing adverse impacts and concerns about labor practices.

Without big box stores, consumers who shop by price (generally the lower income, fixed income, or in today’s economy the middle class private sector worker) will have to drive for lower prices or pay higher local prices.  Consumers more interested in variety, better-quality goods, or better-quality service (generally the higher income consumers) will continue to shop as before.  But don't ban them because you can afford to pay more at your boutique shops.  Not everyone can.

These Supercenters/hyper-markets are major savers for harried two-wage-earner couples.

We all benefit when local shops are forced to compete with the big chains.  Since they cannot compete on price, they must offer more variety, better quality or better service.