What Business's Would you Like To See In Oscoda?

How about for a start..... Having the existing businesses in Oscoda experience some physical labor. The cost of paint and a little bit of elbow grease would certainly tell a tale to some passers through. Look around this town and see the simple things that could be "spiffed up" without much expense. After you have done this, maybe the pride will come next, and onto bigger and better things!

Newby,

Where this forum lists you is where your ISP is registered, I live in Greenbush but it always lists me as East Tawas, through CharterMI

WEB wrote:

How about for a start..... Having the existing businesses in Oscoda experience some physical labor. The cost of paint and a little bit of elbow grease would certainly tell a tale to some passers through. Look around this town and see the simple things that could be "spiffed up" without much expense. After you have done this, maybe the pride will come next, and onto bigger and better things!

That has already started hopefully due to the Cool Cities initiative. Last year we had a spring cleanup that was a lot of fun. Several businesses painted or redorated in some way or another: Truly Yours, the Office Lounge, a beauty shop on Park Street, a new mural painted on Tait's,another is being painted at the Yatch Club, the Pocket Park clock was repainted. This year Hallmarks is being prepped for painting, Enchanted Blooms has a new sign up... other signes are being repainted (if it would stop raining long enough). It's hard to come up with the money to do those things when you are struggling just to stay open. The Cool Cities initiative is offering a 50/50 grant for facade improvement and hopefully the banks are going help those who do not have the money up front that has to be place in escrow. Some make fun of the flower projects but it has been a major factor in brighting things up and instilling hope. The mood is right if we can hold on to it.

I actually love the flowers. I'm not sure why anyone would make fun of them since they do brighten up the town. I have seen some new signs around and they look good! Truly Yours has been painted and it sure does make that stretch of town look great. It's a start so I hope local businesses can keep it up. OD I know you said that you don't like "big box" stores but Payless Shoes is the only place I can get shoes to fit my tiny feet and not have to pay a bundle (not that I want one is town but sometimes those "big box" stores sure do come in handy). BTW I'm still not liking that three lane hazard downtown. I have had at least two near death experiences when someone didn't know they had to merge into the lane going south and almost hit me. I mean they missed me by only a couple of inches. Yikes! Well, that wasn't my exact word when it happened but you get what I mean.

Ah, yes, Township Board meetings are televised on channel 3 and sometimes the audio is almost good enough you can hear what's being said.... I'm certainly no fan of Wal-Mart but unfortunately many folks have no choice. The "hometown" store in Oscoda takes advantage of the captive audience with higher than necessary prices. Tell me how Neiman's with its three stores and Wal-mart to compete with offers better value than Glens with 30 some odd stores. Must have something to do with buying power.....

I think Oscoda needs a big box discount lumber retailer, if my friend Noah needs some lumber... anybody know what a cubit is??

I could stand to see a Wendy's. I can't see any new stores coming to town, definitely not a big-box. Big Lots, maybe, in the former Carter's (if Family Fare will ever let go of that building; otherwise it's probably going to stay vacant until it crumbles to dust), but I can't see anything else.

As a motorcycle rider I would love to see a harley dealership in the old carters building. There has been a huge growth in bike ownership in the last ten years that I have been back in town. There is nothing this side of the state for bikers. We have to travel over to west branch or bay city. But from rumors that i heard glenns has purchased the building so no one else could put in a grocery store of any kind and has already refused to sell it no matter what the people offered to sign that they would not put in a grocery store. Besides it's a tax write off for them anyways as long as it sets empty.

Actually that rumor is incorrect.

I do not know for sure who ha the current lease but apparently the building is actually owned by A&P and leased to someone who very much would like to get it sub-let to get out of the lease - but is unwilling to accept the realities of the economy.

I understand Habitat for Humaities approached the current lease holder to see if he would negotiate the building for a Habitat for Humanities resale shop. They were quoted some outrageous amount (which I suspect is at least the existing lease amount in total).

My guess is that is why it sits empty - the amount is toohigh for today's economic situation.

Taxes on the Carters store are paid by the lessee, THE GREAT ATLANTIC & PACIFIC TEA CO., to the tune of more than $18,000 a year.

If anyone is attempting to garner support to encourage new businesses to locate in Oscoda, then consider the overall implications. Meijers wiuld be the most beneficial to all from an economic standpoint. They are the modern day version of a general store. Meijers would offer realiistic competition to the locally owned businesses who have currently inflated pricing. Something needs to happen to pry local PUBLIC SERVANTS from their complacency. My city assesed taxes in Frankenmuth are less than the same value home in Oscoda>>>>> Also, check to the north and south of Oscoda. Alpena and Tawas have state harbors thereby making them attractive places to live. What are the Oscoda PUBLIC SERVANTS doing for Oscoda???
We are considering retiring next year and moving to your city.

Why?
I'm curious.
You say our local stores have inflated prices (though they don't have the buying power of a chain and for us to shop elsewhere adds gas and milage to that cheaper cost elsewhere) and our tax assessments are higher than your Frankenmuth (I'm sure everyone has ideas on why), and we don't have a harbor (except that you can find docking within the AuSable river mouth area). So what is it about our city that draws you (though with another big box there will be no city.)

I know why I stay. But I am wondering what you see that you like?

I would like to see a miejers or even a kroger cause I'm sick of Walmart! They never r stocked properly and I have to drive an hour to get want I need! They need something to compete against to make them stock better. I'll even take a SAMs club maybe that'll get them in gear!

We have a train access to oscoda. All the stores could do is pack up a box car and send it up. there is a spur where it could be put aside then empty. Small amount of trucking, maybe we could use the trucking school at first. Just a though

how about a harbor frieght how about a pet supply big and small pets maybe with some things for the wild life like deer and birds

somebody mentioned harbors in Alpena and East Tawas but didn't mention Oscoda's planned 12 foot wide undetermined length walkway into Lake Huron.
Rumor is that the Carter's store has been bought.
Don't know what's coming but it won't be any kind of big box store. Not enough population here to support one. That's just the way it is.