Don't let downtown die

Downtown Oberlin will see the end of an era later this year when Dave Parsh finally calls it quits and closes Dave's Army/Navy Store.

We can't blame him. Many people perceive his store as largely serving a niche market, and in the current economy they do not have the discretionary income to support that niche.

But it would be unfair to blame the demise of the store on the recession. Competition cut into Parsh's profits long before the housing crisis or the collapse of Wall Street were on anyone's radar.

Parsh said his business fell off 30 percent when Wal-Mart opened. Other large national sporting goods chains also cut into his business with their lower prices.

But here we are reminded of the words of 19th century art critic and architect John Ruskin. "There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man's lawful prey."

But Parsh is the collateral damage of that mindset. And if we are not more careful to support our local merchants, the entire downtown could be in danger.

Some among us remember shoe stores, men's and women's clothing stores, and car dealerships downtown. As fancy new malls with acres of parking sprouted up in Elyria and Sandusky, shoppers abandoned those stores, and the local merchants closed.

Losing this downtown anchor is a tremendous blow to downtown. Oberlin Main Street-Chamber director Greg Tisher assures us spaces like the army/navy store fill quickly in Oberlin, but if people will not support whoever goes in there, the new business will suffer Parsh's fate.

Support your local merchants and keep the downtown vibrant.