Sinclair Changes Story: Thrift Store Will Compete Against Existing Secondhand Shops

...and that's a good thing, says Clark!

I'm working on a full post on tonight's Madison City Commission meeting and the non-discussion of the thrift store. But first, let's look at KSFY's pre-game coverage.

Last night, KSFY gave airtime to Gayle Maberry's concerns that a thrift store built with public dollars would hurt her profits. Tonight, KSFY let thrift store booster Clark Sinclair respond by changing his story:

I think there's plenty of room for everyone. It would improve traffic on Main Street and it might be good for their business, competition sometimes brings more customers [Clark Sinclair, interview, "Commissioners to Hear Sides of Madison Thrift Ship Project," KSFY, 2012.07.09].

Ah, so the thrift store will compete against existing businesses. The message I was getting from thrift store committee members was that the thrift store was not intended to compete with existing businesses. I guess Sinclair and friends decided that even their manure spreader has only so much capacity, and they had to abandon at least one of their claims. They now concede my dad's point, that the thrift store will compete with other businesses in town.

But notice Clark's clever turn: that competition becomes an advantage, as it may bring the Madison's other secondhand stores more business.

Wow, now if Clark could just convince Dan Roemen of that point, we might see a second grocery store in Madison.

p.s.: KSFY got a major part of its story wrong: the city commission most certainly did not hear both sides of the issue. They listened to and commended Clark Sinclair and Jerry Johnson for their wonderful idea while telling the rest of the citizens in the room to keep quiet. Stay tuned: full report coming up before bedtime!