There is no doubt about it. When P&C closed its doors, it left a big hole in Clyde. Now, to pick up a few essentials or a missing ingredient, we have to leave town, heading out toward Lyons, Waterloo, or perhaps North Rose.
As I walk around the village and talk to people, getting a new grocery store in Clyde is on the top of everyone’s list. Unfortunately, it is a difficult process to bring in something that big, especially since large grocery chains aren’t exactly eying small stores in small towns like Clyde.
What Has Been Done So Far
So what can we do? First, let’s get up to date on what has been done so far. The Mayor, the Town Supervisor, and many concerned citizens have been actively trying to recruit grocery stores to add a location in Clyde. All of the major chains have been talked to, along with a lot of smaller regional grocers.
As far as the big chains are concerned, there has been no real interest. Better progress has been made with smaller chains, with at least one grocer giving it more than a passing glance. Currently, elected officials, the Chamber, and concerned citizens are following up on another possible buyer.
The goal is to reach out to possible grocers and to let them know the community will support a new store. We are going to keep those efforts up, and may have to ratchet up the community element to make some real progress. At the end of the day, a grocery store takes a lot of money to start up, and money is tight these days.
What We Can Do To Help a New Store
There are a few things we can do as a community to help bring in new store. From a civic level, we can work to secure grants or loans to help any new store owner. Of course, we can’t just snap our fingers and get money. Getting a grant, for instance, is usually a long and involved process.
Besides the money, we can band together as a community and voice our support for a new store. Any new owner will want to know if Clyde can support a grocery store. We can. We will. If a grocer is interested, we need to be supportive as a community.
Another thing we can do is to help paint a picture for a new store. What would our ideal grocery store look like? Would it be nice to have a deli? A bakery? What about a nice organic section? Part of what would make a small store in a small town successful would be if it filled a niche. If it had something surrounding stores did not, so that our neighbors from nearby towns would travel here.
So, if the closest place to buy organic food is Newark, why not encourage an organic grocery, or at least one that has a large organic section? Or how about a store with a really decent bakery? There are many ways a grocery in Clyde can stand out, serve our needs and attract business from the region.
The Old P&C is Not the Only Option
Of course, if we really want to think outside of the box, we need to consider all of our options. How about a downtown grocery store? There are a lot of vacant buildings and a downtown grocery could have a positive impact on our community. The old Bargain Center would make for a great small grocery. Perhaps Clyde doesn’t need something as big as the P&C. Perhaps what we need is a really quality small grocery.
There is a lot of support for a small downtown grocery, and some great possibilities. But the issues are the same. Getting someone interested, someone with money of their own to invest. We can help out by finding grants and loans, and with the support of the community. All in all, everything and everyone has to work together to make a grocery in Clyde work. It might be cheaper and easier to get a small downtown grocery started, and if so we should pursue it.
We should pursue all options and opportunities when it comes to bringing in a grocery store. What we need is a pitch committee, who can market Clyde and our visions of an ideal grocery to prospective buyers. We can even re-approach some of the larger chains if we have a good enough pitch.
This is something I personally will stay involved in, whether elected Trustee or not. Having a grocery in Clyde is an important issue, and we can not rest until something is accomplished.