While downtown's decline has been years in the making, it's been difficult for anyone to put forward a plan to attract people to the area. As a result, those whose livelihoods depend on shoppers don't really know what the future holds.
I asked Mr. Norton about downtown revitalization and how long the discussion has been taking place. He's been a business owner for 30+ years.
It's been talked to death and it's been something that it's all talk and no action. And the thing is, we've tried through administration to administration, city council to city council, to get them to try to understand that you can have the prettiest streets and you can have the prettiest sidewalks, the prettiest parking lots, but if you don't have people with money, spending that money in stores in downtown Laredo, what good is it to have the prettiest sidewalks, the prettiest streets?
Our main focal point now and what we've been trying to fight with our city government for the longest times is, in my personal oinion, I don't think they still grasp the fact that we're not asking city government -- we're not asking any government agency, whether it's city, county or state -- I'm not asking city government to put customers inside my store. I'm asking city government to do their best to compete with cities like McAllen, San Antonio, New Braunfels, San Marcos - cities that over the years have taken away shoppers that normally were shopping in Laredo, they've taken away from us.
Why? All I say is compare the city of McAllen, what they've done; And look at Laredo, and compare the two cities. And there are a lot of whys. You can make a list of whys, probably ten pages long. Why do they have more restaurants than we do, better hotels? Why do they have more stores? Why why why? And the city council continues to get upset when we try to compare McAllen and Laredo, yet when all I'm asking you to do is look at McAllen and see what they have; Look at Laredo and see what we have. Explain to me as a taxpayer, as a property owner, as a large employer, explain to me why does McAllen have what they have. Why does Laredo have what it has? That's all I'm asking. I don't see McAllen wasting $500,000 with an architect firm from San Antonio to develop a revitalization plan that I think is a waste of money. Have you seen the plan that the city spent $500,000 for? I haven't. You know, nobody's seen the final draft. Yet the city spent over $500,000. They wined and dined our city council at basketball games in San Antonio, professional fights in Las Vegas, dinners in New York, and we as taxpayers, what do we get? We get trash fees increased, our water bills increased, all under the guise of the city needs more money. Well, the city needs more money, fine, but don't go telling me that the city needs more money and then they go wasting $500,000 that could've been used much better than to develop pages of good looking paper that serves no purpose more than a paper weight.
25 comments:
Excellent and insightful article/interview Keyrose. Mr. Norton makes many very good and common sense points about why downtown is suffering. The city definitely has not done much to help the plight of downtown merchants and yes, they do get offended everytime someone points out that "McAllen is eating our lunch!".
Parking is plentiful: that should be repeated over and over by as many sources as possible. Also, LISD employees/students should be reminded of how crucial their support of downtown is.
$500,000 spend to promote our current downtown would have been a lot wiser than paying Kell-Munoz for their powerpoint fictional presentation.
Downtown has always catered to the Mexican shoppers especially in its hey day.
I went to his store several times and got bad customer service. Never went back again.
Many stores used to sell factory rejects at retail prices, like some outlet malls.
I noticed that from a downtown western wear clothes.
if downtown suffers so will LISD....is that a threat? or are you kidding?
seems that ever since downtown has gone downhill my LISD property taxes have continued to go up.
I noticed some of the merchandise sold downtown is outdated and dusty at some stores.
Les Norton cries when he dosen't get his way. He needs to worry about bringing shoppers to his store and stop wanting the City to bail out all the downtown stores.
The "revitalization" of downtown has been happening for years. Let's get off the idea that it's so wonderful to shop there. Anyone with more than 20 bucks in their pocket wants quality merchandise. Not some rehashed knockoffs sold with poor customer service. Norton needs to stop whining and start getting with the times. If the Mexican shopper is not coming over then maybe his market has dried up. Oh and parking is not the problem either. What a joke.
Sweet third person usage there, KeyRose.
Just wait, the NEW convention center will save everything....just ask Kell.
The city side walks downtown are dangerous. And the city puts new sidewalks where nobody goes or anything but grass and monte. The city needs to fix downtown more pubic restrooms and better parking.
economic transition and the failure of the status quo
to recognize it.
part of the LURE of shopping in downtown Laredo in the late 70's and 80's was the EASY movement between
LOS DOS LAREDOS.. many of my shopping trips to
EL CANONAZO or IBW etc included a trip to NL for lunch
or dinner. often bringing back a BTL.
no more, I haven't shopped for ANYTHING in downtown
Laredo in 15 years. ZAPPOS, ZUMIEZ, WALMART, AMAZON etc online and without the threat of violence or the cost of burning fuel waiting to be interrogated by government jack booted thugs.
downtown LAREDO has cancer and it is metabolizing..
and the children of the downtown merchants KNOW IT.
metastatis ,, sorry
in other words downtown cancer is growing,, I get your point.
all downtowns in major cities have the same problems. suburbs,malls outlet malls take away from downtown.
Les and other merchants never had a vision for the future. For years they had a lock on the market never planning for tomorrow.
Now they want local government to spend money on "revitalizing" downtown.....no way and not with my hard earned dollars!
Even in its heyday downtown was known for selling "irregular" merchandise.
Some stores would let you know and sell at bargain prices. Still other stores would sell you the defective items at retail prices.
"Jamboozie" is not going to revitalize downtown.
and did you notice all the politicos running for office. I went there for entertainment and not have someone trying to capture my vote.
as I know this guy, he has always treated "native" Laredoans as the hired help
r u kidding,, I thought all downtown merchants paid their employees health care insurance, retirement plans,
and good wages..
plus a Tommy BAHAMA watch after 10 years!!!
True, true, mostly true, true but do we just let downtown be razed and build more government buildings or maquinitas estabishments?
I think i've been to downtown only a couple of times in the last 10-15 years and no, its not anything like it was back in pre-1977 days before Mall del Norte opened. But what to do about it now? One thing's for sure it's not paying Kell-Munoz nearly half a million dollars for (as I said) a powerpoint presentation.
same with Menudo Bowl....every politician running for office giving out t-shirts and trinkets.
___sad to say but "el Mall" is the new downtown,
___we need a need downtown !
I have lived in Laredo for only 23 years, but in those years I have observed and learned alot about Laredo and its downtown.
I love shopping downtown and showing my friends and family how much cheaper I paid for the exact same name brands that they purchased at the Mall or elsewhere at a MUCH higher price(Levis,Nike, Sony, Canon cameras, name brand perfumes, etc.) In 23 years I have never had a problem with the merchandise I bought. Of course I have run into problems with various stores and their employees, but then again a handful of bad ones should not over shadow good downtown stores that have a long history, like Casa Raul and Siros and Sulaks. People have never had issues come up with dealings in Mall stores???
Finally,people attacking Mr. Les Norton should be ashamed of themselves. How many charities has Norton worked for and raise money for while he has lived in Laredo? He is one of the most sincere human beings I have ever heard about when it comes to helping the less fortunate. Although I do not know to much about Los Tres Amigos, I am amazed at how well known and respected they are by my friends and family of Laredo. I believe Les Norton is one of the Amigos???
Finally, to those people condemning Norton and downtown I ask - how much money have you raised or donated to charity, how many employee's pay checks have you had to sign,how much money have you ever paid in property taxes, how much money have you generated for our City through sales tax collected on merchandse you sold at your store.
For someone like Les Norton and family, being in business for over 70 years means they must have been doing something right in the business world in order to survive for so long. Not everyone might be happy, but enough satisfied customers have been kept happy to allow so many legendary downtown businesses to "still" remain open.
I don't want to criticize, I want to help downtown. My children go to LISD schools and I know without the help of downtown merchants and property owners paying LISD taxes through their property tax - LISD would be in financial trouble.
I admire the work of Mr. Les Norton and continue to laugh at the ignorance of his critics.
Thanks for the post Les.
fact is economic transition and market changes are EVERYWHERE,
who reads newspapers??
who uses yellow pages? Checks? landlines? paper maps? payphones?
downtown merchants need to adapt, change, or close down but please QUIT WHINING and asking for government handouts.. if you haven't noticed governments are BROKE
I would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to express their opinions on my commentary regarding downtown Laredo.
Isn't this what makes America great? The freedom to express one's opinion without fear or retribution. G-d Bless America!
The primary objective of this, my first ever blogged response, is to point out to some misguided "anonymous" blogger who implied that I had submitted a commentary under the guise of "anonymous" yesterday(Monday) at 7:01 p.m.
I hate to burst that person's bubble, but at 7:01 p.m. last night, my wife and I were at the 84 mile marker truck stop purchasing a drink and using the bathroom facilities as we returned from San Antonio. Sorry to be a bubble burster!!
Thank you again to everyone for participating in this particular exchange of blogged opinions and for the kind and (not so kind) remarks about me, personally.
May we all work TOGETHER for a better Laredo..."Positive Actions will always speak louder than misguided words!"
get an IPAD with wireless 3/g LES,
then you can post from anywhere, anytime!
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