According to a story in the Tuesday, June 20, 2006 edition of the Detroit News, independent retailers CAN survive in the shadows of big box retailers.

Now, where have you heard that before?!

From the article:

“Conventional wisdom says that once mega-retailers such as Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Starbucks and other mega-brand juggernauts roll into town, mom-and-pop stores on Main Street are bound to get crushed.

That's news to Trish Wolfbauer.

The 26-year-old entrepreneur says business at her Roseville coffee shop has never been better since java giant Starbucks came to town. The fact that two of them opened within miles of her Trixi's Coffee shop only helped get Macomb County residents hooked on gourmet lattes, espressos and cappuccinos.

"Now that Starbucks is around, more people are willing to pay $4 for a cup of coffee," Wolfbauer said. Besides, Wolfbauer says, her young, artsy customers would never set foot in the yuppie-oriented Starbucks.

Independent specialty stores, boutiques and cafés are surviving -- and even thriving -- in the shadow of the retail giants through a mix of personal service, specialized skills and unique products. They fend off the mega-stores by catering to a specific clientele or carving out a niche that's small enough to keep the big retailers out.

A 2005 survey of small-business owners found that 52 percent of those already in business changed their tactics and either retained their market share or actually increased business when a Wal-Mart, Target, Kohl's or other "big box" retailer opened nearby.”

Yes!

Click here to read the entire article:

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060620/BIZ/606200340/1001