Consider these two bullet points as they relate to and downtown Davis:
- Target is a big-box retailer that takes away from small businesses downtown.
- Target is a place for us to buy socks and underwear in Davis, keeping sales-tax revenue local rather than sending folks to Woodland or Vacaville.
According to a story by Tom Sakash in last week’s Davis Enterprise, the latter is the more accurate of a two. The story analyzes a study by Susan Handy, UCD professor of environmental policy and planning.
The study said that Davisites now drive 79 miles per month for commerce, whereas they were driving 97 before Target opened. Also, a survey of about 1,000 people revealed that items purchased at Target don’t tend to be items people look for downtown.
But if you look beyond the basic result of the survey, you’ll see that non-downtown retailers throughout Davis have actually suffered since Target’s arrival. You’ll also see the disappearance of retailers like .
So, while one could argue, based on the study, that Target's presence hasn’t affected the downtown core, the same can't be said for the rest of the town, according to the study, which noted declines in non-downtown businesses.
The results are likely more complicated. Busienss owners echo this feeling, as you can see in this CBS video report.
What do you think? Is Target keeping sales-tax revenue in town or is it squashing small businessses? Or both? Comment below.
For more Davis Patch:
This piece does not link to the Handy study itself, so we have no way to evaluate statements such as "if you look beyond the basic result of the survey, you’ll see that non-downtown retailers throughout Davis have actually suffered since Target’s arrival." Given the faulty analysis above, though, I wonder whether the study actually supports that conclusion.
I'll get back to you if I'm able to host the study on the site or provide a link. I have an email out at the moment.
Everything Else I get at Target and I am glad that I can now do that in Davis. I see only two overlaps between Target and downtown: housewares, but I go to Ace for specialty items (higher end coffee pots and cooking tools), and target for towels. The second is the teen clothing market - Forever 21 and Preeti girl downtown overlap with Target's junior clothing. But I don't see Forever 21 complaining - they seem to be doing fine. The downtown merchants have to realize what the shoppers already know: downtown is not and cannot be the primary shopping area - the stores aren't there, and the store footprints are not large enough for national vendors. (And building a parking garage will not make people shop downtown if none of the stores we need are down there.) But downtown is and can continue to be a tremendous success as an entertainment and specialty shop area. If only the merchants would stay open after 7 we could get some nightime foot traffic down there. When I get out from a movie the place is dead - few choices to eat ( but getting better) and all the stores are closed! Working people don't shop until after 5 pm mon - Friday!
Anti-Wal-Mart people claim Wal-Mart has destroyed downtowns in many cities. I’d hate to see that same phenomenon happen in Davis. I know stores come and go and there have been downtown store closures in the past year or two, but I hope the loss of Alphabet Moon and the others isn’t the beginning of another big box store decimating a downtown.