Please help my community!

[Nate The Great]

So it's obvious I need lots of help today.

Here's my prediciment. The community I live near is shrinking at a pretty rapid rate. The entire community is based around agriculture, and as technology and size limits squeeze out smaller or older farmers the community suffers with each family that has to move away.

This is pretty much a HUGE issue all across the Bible belt.

A possible solution: Many small communities that are on the verge of disappearing are taking drasitic measures to help themselves. Some communities are advertising to small business around the US, or even the world. If a small business that needs as few as 5 or 10 or 20 employees would just move to a small community, that community would be revitalized for years and years. This has actually happened in several nearby communities.

Here's where I need the help: Where do we begin looking for small businesses that could move here? I'm thinking of a small business that would like to live in a small community. The advantages would be cheap labor and very cheap warehouse/office/etc. I know there are tons of small businesses that might have an interest, but I have no idea of how to find them or how to attract them.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Here's an example of a business I'm talking about: There's a small business that builds some sort of computer cables that moved into a small town in Kansas. They employ like 15 people. That would be HUGE for my community. The business is happy because the owners get to live and raise their kids in a small community, the office space is SUPER cheap, and the employees show up on time, work hard, and do what they're told.

Make fun of this all you want, but if somebody wanted to make some big bucks you could set up a website that connects these small business with small communities.

 

[lizard]

a music distro. where do you live again?

 

[Nate The Great]

a music distro. where do you live again?

I live near Wallace, KS, but the community in question is Sharon Springs, KS. Wallace only has about 75 people, so I'm not concerned with saving it.

http://www.wallacecounty.net/

 

[lizard]

I lived at ft. leavenworth for six months...I know, other side of the state.

 

[Nate The Great]

I lived at ft. leavenworth for six months...I know, other side of the state.

Leavenworth prison has some of the countries worst or most notorius criminals. Bundy was there briefly. Gotti was there for a while. I'm not sure who they have right now. Melissa Ethridge grew up there.

Did you think the town was a real shit hole?

 

[lizard]

it was like fourth grade...

when we went to the post commissary I remember we'd buy our groceries and they'd go on a conveyor belt through a room of prison trustees who did the bagging....pretty cool stuff when you're just a kid.

 

[Ellestin]

A nuclear waste station

 

[NAD]

Yeah, I've read about this sort of thing (or saw it on TV, I dunno). I really like the idea and wouldn't mind doing it myself if I had a family to raise and shit.

Pretty much any online service would probably work. Hey, I'll bet lurch could move his operations out there.

 

[lurch70]

I'll bet lurch could move his operations out there.

if there was an ocean nearby with those prices ... i would consider it
i mean $4 for a movie theater ... one movie playing ... Big Momma's House 2

how is the ethnic mix there?

 

[NAD]

Yeah hey Nate, how much is a 3-bedroom house with an acre out there?

Now I just need a wife, maybe I should consult that one Uzbekistanian Brides R' Us site that Reign in Acai loves so much...

 

[lurch70]

Make fun of this all you want, but if somebody wanted to make some big bucks you could set up a website that connects these small business with small communities.

oddly enough I am currently working on a project as a partner that is not too far from something you describe ...

attracting businesses might be tough if looking far away. the community has to be ready for people moving in and obviously has to have ample real estate before hand. what are the living conditions like out there?

I always enjoyed these type of projects and am involved with the local Chamber of Commerce here trying to better the business community

 

[Nate The Great]

Real Estate is probably as cheap here as any where else in the USA. 3 bedroom house with an acre would probably be $40,000 to $75,000, depending on how new it is.

Living conditions would not be tolerated by very many people. Hence, the entire county only has about 1,500 people. Western Kansas is pretty dry and it is the windiest place in the USA. Basically, anybody weak in any way would not survive very long.

I think the community would be willing to build warehouse space or office space if the right business came along.

Ethnic diversity is about 90% white, 5% hispanic, 5% other.

 

[lizard]

for those seeking a mate in 1-3 years, http://www.meet-an-inmate.com/
it never gets old

here's one for NAD, she's only 51 and she's in Cali

Looking for the perfect man to occupy my time. Race is not important. My interests are swimming to stay in shape, dancing to set the mood, romantic dinners, traveling and last but not least, wild sex. I want a man to share as well as pare. We can take the term “relationship” to a whole new level. Just write me. Measurements: 36-29-32

Location: California
Race: California
Date of Birth: 6-2-55
Release Date: 3-27-07
Height: 5'6"
Religion: Catholic
Do you have children: One
Do you smoke: No
Sexual Preference: Male
Education: G.E.D.
Occupation before prison: Cashier, Receptionist
Activities in prison: Watching Videos, Reading, Working out

 

[JayKeeley]

Ethnic diversity is about 90% white, 5% hispanic, 5% other.

You realize that 10% non-white is just passing through, or they've got a flat tire.

 

[lurch70]

Ethnic diversity is about 90% white, 5% hispanic, 5% other.

this makes the screening of Big Momma's House at the local theater even more funnier

 

[Nate The Great]

The 10% non-white are mostly low income workers at the local bean plant.

The mayor seems kind of Irish . . . does that count as ethnic?

 

[lizard]

it depends, does he maudlin during st. paddy's day festivities, whinging about the auld sod?

 

[dorian gray]

that sucks. i cant help because i dont know shit about business nor do i own one.
i think my "buy only USA shit" philosophy applies though. the walmarts and their chinese crap - no, actually, its americans *buying* the chinese crap and allowing companies like walmart into their community - are whats destroying midwest communities.

 

[lizard]

that and agricultural megacompanies.

 

[Nate The Great]

that sucks. i cant help because i dont know shit about business nor do i own one.
i think my "buy only USA shit" philosophy applies though. the walmarts and their chinese crap - no, actually, its americans *buying* the chinese crap and allowing companies like walmart into their community - are whats destroying midwest communities.

Yes and no.

Midwestern communities are definitely being hurt by the "big boys" selling things cheaper than they can. But on the other hand, Midwestern communities are doing a TERRIBLE job of evolving with technology. If more of these small stores and markets would learn to use ebay, they'd make more money than they ever thought they could.

Plus, a lot of small communities have been very closed minded about what kinds of businesses they wanted to allow into their area. I know the community I live near could have had feedlots and hog farms near by, but they cried about the smell and stuff. Those businesses would have been the best things that ever happened to my community. But those opportunities were 50 years ago. Nothing you can do about it now.

It will take people that are now in their 20's to change small communities someday. An understanding of modern commerce is essential in turning around small towns. All the old people don't understand the way the world works now. They don't understand that EVERYTHING is for sale, and EVERYBODY is trying to sell something.