In a recently released economic impact report prepared by Gruen Gruen & Associates for Home Depot, there are clear indications, supported by their own information, that our area plainly cannot support the sales volume required for this proposed Home Depot in Jackson.
Within this report are terms such as "divert sales from local retailers" which are used as a way to mask the reality of what this store would do to local businesses.
Further, it is acknowledged that Lowe’s would be the primary target of Home Depot and the main source of their sales dollars. However, it is also noted that the local retailers would suffer a loss of sales as well. Anyone who is in business knows that competition is the name of the game. However, this should be called what it really is: "predatory retailing". They want to build this store knowing the sales dollars would not be adequate and that they would be counting on "diverting sales" from other businesses in the community. It is acknowledged in this report that this store’s sales would be less than the usual Depot. These statistics look as far ahead as 2010.

Also within this report are numerous references to the opinion that there would not be any "urban blight" from the closure of competing businesses since it could be presumed that another non-competing business would take its place. That should be comforting news to the businesses who have their sales "diverted" by Home Depot.

Note: This report was commissioned by Home Depot and prepared by Gruen Gruen & Associates as a component of the EIR. Although this report is publicly available, due to copyright issues, this report cannot be reprinted without permission, which would not be granted. Thus, I can only quote excerpts.

Update 6/25: In the Ledger Dispatch Wednesday, June 21, a representative of Home Depot submitted a Guest Commentary. This information was completely typical of misrepresenting the facts to further their cause. Watch this spot next week for a letter by Kathy Allen to counter Depot’s misinformation.