Letter to the Editor: Business closure affects entire community

By CRAIG BUSWELL | Kendall

On Nov. 15, Schroeder Lumber in Kendall is scheduled to close its doors. Another failed business in a town of failed businesses. Business failure is a multifaceted list of causes. I will address one of the causes: lack of support from the community. Businesses need volume to keep inventory up and prices down. Community loyalty is critical to make these two things happen.

This is what we stand to lose: a place to fix your broken windows; a place to sharpen your chainsaw; small-engine repair; siding, shingles, paint and lumber; and a weigh scale. With their closure comes Kendall’s loss of choice in the aforementioned services. Now it will be a trip to Tomah or La Crosse no matter the inconvenience.

Local jobs are necessary to support small-town emergency services providers. With the closing of the lumberyard, the Kendall Fire Chief will most likely have to seek employment away from town. This will have a crippling effect on emergency personnel. The nationwide struggle to support emergency providers with employment has now come to Kendall. Once providers leave the community, the village will suffer and struggle to fulfill vacant roles. We will have too few people to do too big of a job.

Lastly, empty buildings eventually become empty lots. Empty lots with no prospect of sale become worthless. Empty lots end up as county property. The county pays no property tax. Not only Kendall’s, but also the Royall School District’s tax base will shrink.

I urge voters and community members to support Kendall and stem the loss of local business.

Comments are closed.

  • Letter to the editor: Is Big Brother already listening?

    March 14th, 2024
    by

    By DANI SULIK | Kendall When George Orwell’s novel 1984 was published in 1949, it was seen as a fictional cautionary […]


    Letter to the editor: Vote no on constitutional amendments

    March 14th, 2024
    by

    By JOAN KENT | La Farge Some things are not what they appear. Like the two constitutional amendments on Wisconsin’s April […]


    Letter to the editor: Oath/pledge

    March 14th, 2024
    by

    By LEE D. VAN LANDUYT | Hillsboro An oath is a solemn promise regarding one’s future action or behavior. Our Pledge […]


    Letter to the editor: Questions remain about Vernon County Landfill

    March 11th, 2024
    by

    By CATHY LUND | Viroqua I appreciated the well-articulated article Gail Frie wrote in the paper regarding the landfill. It is […]


    Letter to the editor: Vernon County and Wisconsin are national leaders in landfill safety

    February 8th, 2024
    by

    Recently I became aware of information being circulated in the county through social media and emails that questions the safety of the Vernon County landfill.


  • Your Right to Know: Don’t charge records requesters for redactions

    February 6th, 2024
    by

    You’ve already paid for them. They’re yours. But if you want to see the public records that show what your government is doing, some state lawmakers want you to pay again — this time, for redactions.


    Letter to the editor: Transgender lunacy: Let’s just call it nuts!

    February 5th, 2024
    by

    By BOB BREIDENSTEIN | rural Ontario Nuts! That the latest U.S. Supreme Court justice, at her confirmation hearing, with a bewildered […]


    Letter to the editor: The clock is ticking

    February 5th, 2024
    by

    You’re thinking, “She’s complaining about the Republicans again.” And you’d be right.


    Letter to the editor: Democracy vs. dictatorship

    February 5th, 2024
    by

    Otto von Bismarck once said: “Only a fool learns from his own mistakes. The wise man learns from the mistakes of others.” 


    Letter to the editor: Warm memories and perspectives 

    February 5th, 2024
    by

    Winter meant skating, ice and roller skating. The new pavilion in Ontario has taken the place of the old Ontario Community Hall for skating.


    Letter to the editor: In defense of grammar

    January 4th, 2024
    by

    By DANI SULIK | Kendall Who doesn’t love grammar? Okay, so you may not love it, but you know when it’s […]


  • Archives