Visit store before criticizing

Editor,

I would like to respond to some of the comments regarding our downtown. Being a small business owner is hard enough without someone like Mary Ann Haskins making comments about not being able to afford shopping in our store let alone any of the others.

We don't remember even seeing her in our store to see what specials we do offer.

We have great in-store specials daily and one entire store of sale merchandise.

We have people from all over the world that come to our store and love shopping with us, not to mention all the customers we have from Missoula, Kalispell, Whitefish, Ronan, Pablo and surrounding areas. They speak very highly of our quality, prices and service.

We used to have a great shopping community before Wal-Mart came to town — for example, Bear Dance, Doreen's, The Boutique, New Attitude, The Army/Navy store, The Toy Chest, Harbour Pharmacy, Eddie's Drug, Grannie's Gift Gallery, Pauline's, Pamida and more.

Jacki M's, which is a great shoe store, used to carry a large selection of children's shoes, but could not compete with Wal-Mart so they lost that part of their business. This is just one example of a local business that lost a part of their business; there are others.

We try very hard to offer quality merchandise along with customer service, but if I have to downsize or close my business because a Super Wal-Mart or any other type of box store or strip mall comes to town because of zoning changes, then my employees will lose their jobs and there will be two more empty buildings on Main Street.

I also find it very hard to believe that anyone could save $150 by purchasing their groceries out of town with the current gas prices and also the fact that most people have to stop and eat along the way, and what about the wear and tear on a vehicle?

I think Safeway and Super One are great grocery stores with very friendly and helpful sales people and they always have very good sales.

I don't think there is any reason to put down any small business, especially if you have never been in business for yourself. Believe me, it's not easy.

Please, before making comments about our store, stop in and see what we have to offer.

Tali Duford, Owner,

First Resort Clothing Store

Polson