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Applebee's a mixed blessing for county
Register Star, Our View
December 27, 2007
Wednesday's announcement that an Applebee's Bar and Grill will be part of the Greenport Commons shopping area is a proverbial mixed blessing for Greenport and Columbia County.
The upside is the fact that Applebee's and other national retailers will be going into the shopping center. Tentatively joining Applebee's are Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse, WalMart, Fashion Bug, Marshalls and Old Navy. It must mean that these national retailers believe in the regional economy - Columbia, Greene and north Dutchess counties and western parts of Massachusetts and Connecticut - to place a location in Greenport. The other upside is the jobs that will be created. The businesses also have the potential to bring in millions in sales tax revenues to the county. Money that now goes to malls in Kingston or Albany can now be spent at home.
But there are businesses in Columbia County which claim that it is hard enough to find good employees. There are already a good number of help wanted signs around the county. So where will the employees come from who will staff the stores? Will they clog Route 9 and other county roads commuting to work? If they want to live nearby, will they find enough housing that they can afford?
The announcement that Applebee's is coming likely caused some concern among locally-owned restaurants. Applebee's is as well-known a national brand as any, with an aggressive marketing and advertising campaign. The local eateries might be wondering about their long-term viability, especially since more restaurants are planned for the Commons.
That's why the prospect of Applebee's is a mixed blessing for the area.
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