Lack of loyalty

Dear Editor,

In 1958, immediately after graduating from high school "summa get outta towna," I left McCook. At that time, almost everything we saw in the "Picture Shows" at the Fox or Bison was available within our town.

We had several hotels, a news stand, a country club, an all-night cafe, three downtown department stores, etc. You could dump your trash for free, a young fella too poor for an annual membership could walk to the "Y" from the farthest points of the city and enjoy the day for only 25 cents. Myatt, Ben, Harry and J.T. were at the helm. It was as if Norman Rockwell had set things up.

About 30 years ago, these memories began to haunt me. I realized I was in love with this town. I wanted to move back.

When I returned five years ago, I realized how many amenities had vanished or had been transformed into imitations of the "big time." (Give me back the old street lights.) Population was declining, retail choices had diminished, buildings in the heart of town sat vacant, some about to fall down.

Why?

One reason, I believe, is the lack of loyalty to local merchants by many McCookites that has, and is ever so gradually destroying the enterprises the city and trade area must maintain to be viable.

Here is a true example. Two weeks ago, a local professional came into our store and announced that he was buying carpet for his office in Omaha. "I'm not paying X#$ a yard," he said.

(He hadn't even asked us to give him a price) ... however, he would like to pay us to unload his Omaha carpet with our forklift and store it for him, which would also be a location for his carpet layer to make his cuts during installation!

My response was less than civil, and included the question "when all McCook merchants go broke because guys like you shop out of town, who are you going to practice your profession on?"

He said he felt we would be happy to make a little something rather than nothing.

Sorry, sometimes principles are more important than money.

The money he spent in Omaha came from the pockets of McCook. This was money he wouldn't have had without your patronage ... he gave it to Omaha's economy. The money is gone forever from McCook's economy.

True, some things cost a little more here, but remember, what goes around, comes around, especially dollars.

Next time you take your checkbook and head out of town to "save money," stop at the city limits and ask yourself, "where did I get this money?" "How much of it will come back from North Platte, Kearney, or ??"

Local governments must adopt the same school of thought. Every dollar they send to North Platte for a pickup, or send to Omaha for a loader, is a dollar they have taken from us and sent elsewhere.

'Nuff said.

Bill Frasier,

McCook