RAINER'S RAMBLINGS
Excessive building
By RAINER ARNOLD Union Sentinel Publisher

Everytime I drive around in Blairsville and Union County I see new construction somewhere. And, I am not talking about residential. I actually understand that people would want to move to our beautiful area.

What I am a little puzzled by is the commercial building that is going up all over the place. The reason I mention this is because a lot of commercial/retail space is vacant. The reason, in my opinion, is that people have overbuilt that market as there is not enough business to sustain the number of stores that are being built. There are too many stores of various natures and no one can survive and make a living.

Seems to me, whenever some one has a good going business, some other person decides to go into that business themselves. After all, if Joe Jones can make a living at this particular business, why could the other person not be successful. At least so is the thought.

But, let's talk numbers for a minute. Joe Jones makes $100,000 a year in his business. So, if someone opens a similar business it will reduce Joe's income to $50,000, roughly speaking. At the very least, Joe's business will take a big hit. However, the other person's business will not do that well and make very little money. Thus, by getting into the good going business that Joe had, the newcomer is actually hurting Joe's business and not doing his own business any good either.

So, my suggestion is for people who want to get into a small business is for them to come up with a unique idea that might have a chance to survive here in our county. You would be surprised how many ideas people have regarding potential new businesses. So, go out and network and see what might work.

Also, I realize some people would say that the Sentinel is just such a business. After all, it came along later than the established paper in Union County. But, it is slightly different. In terms of media, there is always a need for another opinion. Another way of presenting news and one paper can not cover everything that happens in a county. It is just the same with grocery stores. One grocery store is not enough. After all, different people have different needs.

However, being unique is a benefit and a means of having more opportunity for success. So, let's get the empty retail spaces filled up with stores that serve a special need within our community. And finally, let me give you an example of a store that might make it. I like food. But I am tired of the same old thing. So, maybe someone could open up a store that sells European foods at a reasonable price. And I know there are many people in Union County that are of European descent. They might actually like to have some of the foods their forefathers consumed. Anyway, it is just an idea that might work.