Speaker to talk about box-store impacts

The Daily Inter Lake

Presentation centered around Wal-Mart plans for Polson

On May 4, a national expert on box stores' economic impacts on communities will address how a Wal-Mart Supercenter might affect Polson.

Jeff Milchen, co-founder of the American Independent Business Alliance, will relate his experiences working with other communities that debated whether to allow box stores as part of their commercial development.

Milchen's group helps local business owners form alliances to strengthen the community economy while preventing chains from putting locals out of business. Milchen has helped both rural and urban communities create these independent business alliances.

Lake County First is hosting Milchen.

According to Carolyn Beecher, president of Lake County First, the community organization supports planning for Polson without big box stores.

"We're not specifically opposed to Wal-Mart," she said. "It's just that Wal-Mart has the application in."

Wal-Mart currently has a 55,000-square-foot store on the corner of U.S. 93 and MT 35. The company proposes to triple its size and turn it into a Supercenter.

Some Polson residents and business owners are worried the store might have a negative impact on the community, especially with its prominent position near U.S. 93.

"It's really a turning point for Polson and Lake County whether we begin a process like what's happening on Highway 93 and Reserve" Drive in Kalispell, Beecher said. "It's an opportunity for clarification of what the future might look like."

The purpose of Milchen's presentation is not to rail against Wal-Mart or other large chains, she added.

"He encourages people who are for it or against it to come and learn about how independent businesses will be impacted by big box stores," she said.

"It's our hope that some of the officials who are making these decisions will be coming to this meeting, as well as people who care about planning their community."

The presentation will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 4, at the Polson High School Auditorium. For more information, call Beecher at 676-5169 or 883-1500.