[Vision2020] Palouse Empire Mall rejects Public Transportation...

[Pat Kraut]

I used to go to the Laundromat at the mall, big machines, walk the mall,
spend money on lunch with my grandkids. I beat watching the dryer to around
and around. BUT, they restructured the area just outside the laundry so that
it became more difficult to get unloaded or loaded. I believe they called it
landscaping which caused them some other problems also. If this mall is
having problems getting customers in it is because of the decisions they
have made. I no longer go out to the laundromat on a regular basis, take the
grandkids, walk the mall and do any impulse buying.
No bus! There will be even less reason to go out there. I am in Spokane too
often to care about this one!
PK


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Garrett Clevenger" <onewildearth at hotmail.com>
To: <vision2020 at moscow.com>
Sent: Monday, May 16, 2005 9:41 AM
Subject: [Vision2020] Palouse Empire Mall rejects Public Transportation...


I regret to inform fellow bus travellers and public transportation
supporters that the Palouse Empire Mall has decided to not let the Wheatland
Express bus (the one that transports between Pullman and Moscow) stop at the
mall anymore, effective June 1.

The bus brings hundreds of shoppers to the mall from Pullman monthly (and
many from Moscow, too) particularly students from WSU.  I imagine thousands
of dollars are spent there from shoppers who have no other way to get to the
mall except by bus.

Everyone I've talked to about this is perplexed by the mall management's
decision (they have not gotten back to me about why they decided this)
though one reason I heard is because too many people are parking their cars
at the mall when they take the bus (considering how much room is left in the
parking lot and that the bus brings people who don't need to park, this is
an insufficient reason)

If I owned or worked at a store at the mall I'd be pretty upset that the
mall management is basically saying they don't want bus rider business.

I've been riding the bus since 1997 and have seen the mall hassle the bus by
moving the stop in the parking lot multiple times.

This decision, however, is a shock to us riders and is pretty frustrating.
Perhaps the Pullman rider shoppers will head to downtown Moscow instead, but
I bet they'll stick to shopping in Pullman, particularly if the super
wallmart opens.

This is bad not just for mall businesses, but for the bus because it lessons
bus ridership which is not good to insure its success.  Plus, having
cross-pollination between the two towns is good for both communities.

If you know mall people, please let them know.  Perhaps their clout could
convince the mall management to keep the bus stop at the mall.

Thanks,

Garrett Clevenger

http://www.icehouse.net/garrett

"What are we doing to our Home?!:("


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