Sign of things to Come??

This week's local paper carries the story that YET another local business is closing its doors and shutting down - for the first time since 1883, Minnedosa will be without a Jewellery store!

No big deal say those from outside; jewellery is a luxury item. But one of the MAIN reasons that there was a Jewellery store on Main St for all the years there has been a town called Minnedosa is because of the Railway line that runs through our town. Until the digitial age broke upon us, the need for acccurate watches in the hands of the conductors and managers who kept the trains running on schedule was a necessity. So, generations of Railroad men took their watches in regularly to the local Jeweller, and he in turn kept them (if you'll pardon the pun) running on time.

But now, like so much of what once was, the local Jewellery store slips into the sands of time and becomes nothing more than a memory.

In January on Main St we will have two vacant lots, two vacant restaurants, one vacant hardware & Building supply store and adjacent lot, one and no less than two vacant store fronts! It's getting harder and harder to be optimistic about the future of our little town.

The new Economic Development Officer wants to bring people down to Main Street, but the only thing drawing people today seems to be the bright lights of stores in Brandon. If this doesn't turn around soon we will have only cafes, hair stylists, a couple of grocery stores, a gas station and a WHOLE lot of space on Main St. And if we're lucky and committed to our town, we'll still have a few of the businesses that linger in out midst. But if things don't turn around the empty Lee's Chinese Restaurant will be simply a sign of what is to come:

Closed signs and For Sale sign.