More blank storefronts appear in Polson business district
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POLSON — More and more storefronts in downtown Polson have “for rent” or “for sale” signs posted in their windows.
In the downtown business district from Highway 93 to Third Avenue West and from First Avenue West to First Avenue East, there are 17 spaces for rent, according to Dan Weed, owner of True Value Hardware. After 19 years in selling hardware and paint, Weed and his wife announced they are quitting business.
Business hasn’t been as good for Weed since Safeway moved to its present location. Weed said there had been a slowdown in construction and even the snowbirds haven’t spent as much as usual this year. So Weed and his wife are taking semi-retirement since their children and grandchild are still in the area.
“True Value has been there so long it’s kind of an anchor for the community,” said Todd Erickson of Polson Job Service.
Recently, Crazy Mike’s Video also closed its doors. DeVoe Electronics, Page by Page Books, Mountain Home Lighting and Quinn’s Wrap Shack, to name a few others, also went out of business during the last year.
According to rumor on the street, DRS Technology let half of its employees go; the other half will leave in August. The whole office will be shut down in September.
Information on the Job Service website, www.ourfactsyourfuture.org, showed a national rate of unemployment at 8.2 percent while Montana’s rate is 6.3 percent. Lake County hovers around the national rate with a 8.3 percent jobless rate.
But Erickson said there are 90 job orders in the Polson office.
“That’s about double what we had last year at this time,” Erickson said.
He also said employers are taking their time hiring because the employee supply is so good.
Even with jobs available locally, many Montana workers have gone to North Dakota for jobs in the oil fields.
