The Hub May 2015 | Page 25

in that area and that usually is what makes or breaks a business in a bad economy,” says Saddy. “I see a huge rebound in the past two, three years for us. But before that, we had seven years of trouble pretty much and we survived through that just through customer service and going out of our way for our clients and our city as much as we could.” Having been personally invited to have a location in the mall, Saddy says it was a great stepping-stone for his company. “We wanted to give more convenience to our clients. Some people can’t make it downtown, some people have issues parking and some people just live on that side of town,” says Saddy. Since Saddy is the owner of both locations, he gets to reap the benefits of both situations. In the mall, he gains more foot traffic and downtown, he gets the customer familiarity. “When someone comes in, they come to you specifically. So it’s nice to have that where we know it may be not as easy to park but people will go out of their way,” says Saddy. Hanis says owning a business in Windsor is generally difficult, especially in downtown Windsor. He says there just isn’t as much foot traffic anymore. But it’s not just small business that struggle. Hanis points to a few stores that have closed recently in Windsor. such as Target, Future Shop and XS Cargo, and says it doesn’t matter if you’re small or large, you can still close down. “Even when I go to the mall, I see one store, somebody opened one store. After six months, the store is not there.” says Hanis. It’s also important to remember that local jobs are local jobs. Even when a chain’s CEO is far away in Toronto or New York, the person behind the counter earns and spends right here in Essex County. With more than 150 stores, estimating at least seven employees per store, Devonshire Mall alone employs more than 1000 people. Add in the area’s other large malls, big box stores and department stores, and that’s a lot of people working. This year’s closure of Target and Future Shop added hundreds of people to the unemployment rolls – something none of us would wish on anyone. Small businesses are the backbone of the Canadian economy; in 2012, they made up 98 per cent of businesses operating in Canada. But the malls and power centres have their place too. Rather than aligning with one or the other, as a consumer, the most powerful solution may be to find a balance between supporting all types of business in Windsor-Essex. From the corner cafe to the chain restaurant, from the downtown boutique to the Bay, it’s all fuel for the economic engine that powers our communities. Point to ponder: For every $1 spent locally, 45 cents is reinvested into the local economy; for every $1 spent at a national chain, only 15 cents is reinvested back into your local economy May 2015 20% off any purchase over $25 (not including HST) coupon expires May 31/2015 We have what you’re looking for! COUPON CAN BE USED AT BOTH CANADA SALVAGE LOCATIONS 1262 OTTAWA STREET 13300 TECUMSEH ROAD EAST 519-254-5262 519-979-2424 Wholesome eats Scrumptious treats Organic coffees & teas Licensed LLCBO www.taloolacafe.com 519-254-6652 396 Devonshire, Olde Walkerville