Question: What gives a small town its charm?
Thought: Could it be a Lack of Growth or Change?
If you have ever been to the Murphy, NC area you probaly noticed it is a small town. Murphy has all the little tweaks that make a small town so attractive to many people. Driving through downtown Murphy is like driving into the past. Until recently nothing had changed for years. Over the past few years Murphy, NC has really started growing. They are building strip malls and new homes, mostly cabins or chalets, everywhere you look.
While Murphy could stand a little updating for sure, I’m not sure the people (locals) here were ready for the amount of growth that has come their way. Such being the “Ma and Pop” businesses here in Murphy. Nor do I believe that they are willing to accept the changes whole-heartily. They are set in their ways for say.
Most business owners do not have an inkling of what marketing is all about, they depend on the same customers coming into their stores that have been coming for years.
Things are a changing for the locals. One thing I have noticed is that the locals, without realizing it, have brought much of the change on themselves. The landowners have placed such value and price on their property that a man or woman (locally grown) simply can not afford to purchase a piece for themselves on the current wages offered to them here. That leaves the door open for one thing. People from out of town with enough money to purchase their property to buy it. And buy it they are! Murphy now has its own Lowes store. Ace hardware is building a big store right on the main highway. Some will say, they need to be here, some will say they don’t. I predict that the future mayor of Murphy, is living somewhere in Florida right now!
Murphy, before Lowes, had serveral building supply outfits already in place, such as Wilsons Building Supply, Dickeys Building Supply, Murphy Building Supply,
Hughes Electric Paint and Supplies, INC , etc. All of which are basically family owned and operated. Most of them will state that the new Lowes store has not hurt their business. I, myself can’t believe that. I believe the fact is that they may be still doing a good business, yet they would be doing more business if Lowes was not here. Most local contractors would probaly prefer to use Wilsons or Dickeys, but the average homeowner or DIY person, especially those new to the area, would go to the “BIG” Home Improvement Store instead.
I believe the Home improvement chain stores have their place in the community myself. However, I don’t expect to be treated the same way when I go in one. You are just a customer in a Lowes, Home Depot or other large retail store. On the other hand, if you go into a local “Ma and Pop” store, You are someone special to them. They greet you by name in many cases. They will go overboard to help you find the products you need, help you make the right choices, maybe even tell you a good clean joke(Royce). Your business is appreciated and you know it when you leave.