<b>To the Editor:</b><br>

LET'S GET BEHIND THE WAL-MART SUPERCENTER

If the people of Winslow don’t stop arguing and bickering about the Super Wal-Mart, we are going to lose what we have.

Do you think Wal-Mart officials care what we all think?

They might change their location to Holbrook; it makes perfect sense. They have the junction of I-40 and State Route 77. It is the county seat. It is close to the Navajo and Hopi reservations.

What will happen to Winslow? Down! Down! Down!

We have no other place to buy the many things that Wal-Mart offers. Winslow folks are famous for not supporting the small businesses that are here (and have been here in the past). Would you all like to pile into your station wagon and run to Holbrook to shop at Wal-Mart? I wouldn’t.

I am so happy to have a place to shop here.

And with a Wal-Mart we will have many more people from all around Winslow stopping here, thus adding to every other business in Winslow – service stations, flower shops, Basha’s and Safeway.

I have been here a long time, born and raised, and went to work for my grandfather at age 14, learning here and there about Indian arts and crafts.

Back in the 1950s, we had Route 66 pushing through Second Street, a captive audience for the small businesses.

We had a large J.C. Penney store here and two drug stores on Kinsley and Second Streets. Traffic was terrific, so state highway officials made Third Street the westbound one-way artery for Route 66.

Winslow was growing. I remember in 1960 when the neat rock sign on the West end of Winslow read: “10,000 nice people welcome you to Winslow.”

Do you know what the 2000 census showed for the population of Winslow? Less than 10,000.

In 40 years, we have fewer people. Santa Fe offices left Winslow, Penney’s left, and it’s unbelievable how many stores have left Winslow because of the small population.

Our store closed in 1996 for a lack of business. The freeway went around us in 1978, and from then on our business became less and less.

We had many Indian arts and crafts stores here. One by one they closed. Everything in downtown Winslow finally was boarded up.

Bless the Downtown Committee for trying to rebuild. It’s finally working.

The “Standin’ on the Corner Park” now bring many people into Winslow that wouldn’t normally give us the time of day.

The Old Trails Museum is marvelous and houses a grand collection of Winslow memorabilia, thanks to Janice Griffith and her dedication, plus the help of the historical society.

The La Posada now draws a lot of people here, thanks to forward-thinking Allen Affeldt.

We can’t blame any one person or group for the demise of Winslow, but we can now at least band together and let progress happen.

Do you remember when the main freeway to Phoenix planned to connect with Route 66 (I-40) at Winslow? Do you remember when we had both a K-mart and a Wal-Mart?

I thought we finally were going to progress. But no-o-o-o-o!

Winslow people wouldn’t support the K-mart, so it pulled out.

Do you know why so many people move to Flagstaff from Winslow? Because of the shopping!

Do you know why so many people go to Flagstaff to shop? Because of the diversity of shopping.

Do you know how many people from Winslow go to Lakeside/Show Low to shop at the Super Wal-Mart?

We were there yesterday to pick up our son who was visiting a friend. Of course, we went to the Super Wal-Mart. It has way more stuff than the Winslow Wal-Mart. And you have seen how the area is growing and progressing over there.

There is no space left between Show Low, Lakeside and Pinetop. They have so many more small businesses than we have in Winslow.

So, let’s support the Super Wal-Mart. Think how it will benefit the restaurants, service stations, grocery stores and all the neat new shops downtown, the hotels and motels.

People might even move here because they like the atmosphere.

I love Winslow and don’t want to move. It’s the best place to raise children and grandchildren. Property values are still reasonable.

There are so many reasons to stay here and support what we have, so let’s all get behind progress and push.

Donna Bruchman Harris

Winslow

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