Consumers forced to downsize spending

MONTROSE �” Across the county, thousands of people are losing their jobs. In January, recession-battered employers eliminated 598,000 jobs, the most since the end of 1974, according to the Associated Press.

Disappearing jobs, along with evaporating wealth from home values and other investments has forced consumers to downsize their spending.

“Most of the consumer behavior we saw in 2008 will continue well into this year,” said Rosalind Wells, National Retail Federation chief economist.

“I still shop for personal things, but I’ve had to manage my money,” said Montrose resident Kevin Sharp. “Groceries, gas, rent, there’s a lot. But, I will still buy CDs or an XBox game here and there.”

The Montrose Area Merchants Association’s contract requires the organization to fund a shopping habits survey. That process is currently underway. Juli Messenger, director of MAMA, said they are looking at the objectives again, and talking to the city, to see if it should include input from the city’s recent downtown assessment by adding downtown questions.

The city finished an assessment Feb. 6 of the downtown area that looks at ways to bring it revitalize it. The assessment will be available on the city’s Web site in the next month.

The retailers are trying to work together and have organized several groups based on location. The Heart of the City committee involves downtown businesses. It has started the monthly Art Walks and worked to spruce up the empty storefronts along Main Street.

Another assessment of the whole city will take place sometime in April through the state Office of Economic Development. It will be similar to the first assessment, but look at the whole city and will include tourism and infrastructure, said Assistant City Manager Scott Sellers.

The South Townsend committee, involving South Townsend business, is also working on event ideas to get locals out shopping. One idea includes a “Tuesday on Townsend,” and also an Easter event.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.