Grand Forks Economy

[jdub27]

I'm fine with tax incentive financing if it means projects get moving sooner than later (or never in most cases). It's a solid long-term investment option to help growth. And it isn't "giving something away", you can't give away what you never had, in this case, increased tax revenues. The city is foregoing a period (usually 5 years) of the increased taxes for the future increases to the tax roll.

[nodak651]

  On 1/28/2020 at 11:05 PM, jdub27 said:

I'm fine with tax incentive financing if it means projects get moving sooner than later (or never in most cases). It's a solid long-term investment option to help growth. And it isn't "giving something away", you can't give away what you never had, in this case, increased tax revenues. The city is foregoing a period (usually 5 years) of the increased taxes for the future increases to the tax roll.

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If i had a vote, I'd probably contradict myself and approve this, but it depends on the plan.   I agree with you.  It's just unfortunate that this is the situation that we are in..  There are some pretty good articles/documentaries that document the tax incentive battles between cities, specifically the Missouri side vs. Kansas side of Kansas City.  What do homeowners and smaller businesses get for improving their properties? Higher taxes!!! 

[jdub27]

  On 1/28/2020 at 11:23 PM, nodak651 said:

If i had a vote, I'd probably contradict myself and approve this, but it depends on the plan.   I agree with you.  It's just unfortunate that this is the situation that we are in..  There are some pretty good articles/documentaries that document the tax incentive battles between cities, specifically the Missouri side vs. Kansas side of Kansas City.  What do homeowners and smaller businesses get for improving their properties? Higher taxes!!! 

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But the higher taxes are typically due to increased property values, not an increase in actual mill rates. Which theoretically is a good thing, though if course no one enjoys paying more taxes. 

Some small businesses have legitimate complaints as things like this can increase their rents. For example, rents downtown will likely go up as more people move there and activity picks up. Ideally it's offset by higher revenues and profits but not always the case, plus they have to survive through some of the construction phases that can be devastating. 

[CarpeRemote]

Haven’t live in GF in decades but in the eastern US they associate GF mostly with top notch aviation. It seems natural to exploit GF’s unique lead over other cities to offer facilities, educational opportunities,  and knowledge to a multitude of high tech and innovative private and government aviation and aerospace projects. A trade delegation and a lobby group might be useful. 
 

[Cratter]

  On 7/27/2019 at 2:39 AM, Cratter said:

Drove out to the airbase today. I noticed just outside the gate they are building a big new commercial building. Add that to the other shop space that was just completed this spring across from Cenex. 

Two new buildings in an area that hasn't seen any new construction in decades. Wonder if it's cause of the new UAV park?

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Apparently the "mini Walmart of small towns," Dollar General, is also going to open in Emerado.

The growth and history of Dollar General is pretty amazing.

[Cratter]

  On 12/28/2019 at 2:29 PM, Cratter said:

Looks like construction has started on a new medical office park on S. Columbia Rd.

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[Kab]

Is dollar general going to be like pamida was

ruin small towns and then leave

if they would all be local owned franchises it would help

[Cratter]

  On 2/15/2020 at 5:52 PM, Kab said:

Is dollar general going to be like pamida was

ruin small towns and then leave

if they would all be local owned franchises it would help

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I'm almost old enough to remember when boomers thought Walmart was going to ruin America.

Amazon is this generations Walmart.

[Cratter]

  On 11/8/2019 at 6:08 PM, Cratter said:

Anyone know what business was just build behind Superpumper by Menards?

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Crown Auto Sales.

I saw there was new business in the old Golden Corral building called "Waxing the City."

[nodak651]

  On 2/15/2020 at 6:04 PM, Cratter said:

I'm almost old enough to remember when boomers thought Walmart was going to ruin America.

Amazon is this generations Walmart.

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Amazon is going to save America (huge stretch).  Box stores are closing and small specialty shops are thriving in city centers.

Edit: at least in places like Stillwater and white bear lake.  

[Cratter]

  On 2/15/2020 at 6:47 PM, nodak651 said:

Amazon is going to save America (huge stretch).  Box stores are closing and small specialty shops are thriving in city centers.

Edit: at least in places like Stillwater and white bear lake.  

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The internet as also made it possible for small specialty shops to be run by "mom and pop" just like the old days. Etsy has become a pretty big player online. These companies just dont have physical store fronts. There's a member on this forum who sells merchandise there.

Article in the Herald today about the brothers who opened up a apparel company in GF. Sounds like their orders from merchandise sales from there (small to me) youtube channel has pretty good demand.

Physical shopping is changing and will be more about "the experience."

[nodak651]

  On 2/15/2020 at 7:19 PM, Cratter said:

The internet as also made it possible for small specialty shops to be run by "mom and pop" just like the old days. Etsy has become a pretty big player online. These companies just dont have physical store fronts.

Article in the Herald today about the brothers who opened up a apparel company in GF. Sounds like their orders from merchandise sales from their (small to me) youtube channel has pretty good demand.

Physical shopping is changing and will be more about "the experience."

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True.  Smaller retail business is very competetive now.  The good thing for them is that if the owners can get a handle on tech, social media can be a great source of free advertising, and they can sell online to supplement their storefront income.  Of course there is tons of online competition now.  Business savvy is prob more important now than ever. 

[Cratter]

We all read about the guys and gals who make a lot of money online from their YouTube channels. For everyone of those stories there is also thousands of highly successful channels that don't make headlines.

A few years back I ended up randomly watching a YouTube channel where a bunch of college guys ride snowmobiles and atvs. Turns out they live in Fargo and it's called Comorant (based on the lake and where some of them live/grew up) Boys TV.  They have become so successful they basically all quit their "jobs" (if they ever had one) and now work on the channel full-time. They have some pretty big sponsors now including Polaris.

https://www.grandforksherald.com/entertainment/929461-Guys-from-Minnesota’s-lake-country-create-popular-YouTube-channel-just-being-themselves

http://www.citypages.com/news/jet-ski-stunt-lands-youtubers-in-hot-water-with-minnesota-dnr/564227661

https://www.valleynewslive.com/content/news/Cormorant-teens-build-giant-slip-and-slide-433388583.html

[forksandspoons]

According to this, there are tenants lined up for the new building in Grand Sky that is to be complete by June, but they won't say who yet. 

Grand Sky celebrates five years, looks to future growth

https://www.grandforksherald.com/business/4953817-Grand-Sky-celebrates-five-years-looks-to-future-growth

[SiouxSherm94]

  On 2/15/2020 at 6:47 PM, nodak651 said:

Amazon is going to save America (huge stretch).  Box stores are closing and small specialty shops are thriving in city centers.

Edit: at least in places like Stillwater and white bear lake.  

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Stillwater Area grad here...

Business seems to be doing quite well out there, both big box and boutique/specialty. Their Target could use a relocation to a larger space if one was available; tough to be buttoned up with that strip they're in. Not familiar with WBL enough to know about business there.

[SiouxVolley]

  On 2/15/2020 at 7:19 PM, Cratter said:

The internet as also made it possible for small specialty shops to be run by "mom and pop" just like the old days. Etsy has become a pretty big player online. These companies just dont have physical store fronts. There's a member on this forum who sells merchandise there.

Article in the Herald today about the brothers who opened up a apparel company in GF. Sounds like their orders from merchandise sales from there (small to me) youtube channel has pretty good demand.

Physical shopping is changing and will be more about "the experience."

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The rules of retailing expansion have reversed.  Now, one needs a internet presence first and later maybe a physical presence in large metros.  The losers in this retailing world did not respond physically to the internet threat.  Bigger retailers like Walmart and Target are now much more formidable because they invested early to the threat.  But smaller companies that started via the internet have actual physical stores, like Un-tuck-et and others.  But Grand Forks probably isn’t large enough for those smaller internet outfits to have a physical store.

[Nodak78]

  On 2/15/2020 at 7:19 PM, Cratter said:

The internet as also made it possible for small specialty shops to be run by "mom and pop" just like the old days. Etsy has become a pretty big player online. These companies just dont have physical store fronts. There's a member on this forum who sells merchandise there.

Article in the Herald today about the brothers who opened up a apparel company in GF. Sounds like their orders from merchandise sales from there (small to me) youtube channel has pretty good demand.

Physical shopping is changing and will be more about "the experience."

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I believe it's about the experience and value whether it is physical or internet or a combination.  Just new platforms to compete.

[geaux_sioux]

  On 2/15/2020 at 6:04 PM, Cratter said:

I'm almost old enough to remember when boomers thought Walmart was going to ruin America.

Amazon is this generations Walmart.

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No. It’s this generations Sears catalogue.

[Kab]

How is the Old Kmart building , I believe , in Devils Lake doing?

seems like a lot of small business have located there

[SiouxVolley]

Here’s an article on why internet retailers now want physical stores.

https://www.npr.org/2019/09/26/764548415/why-more-online-retailers-are-opening-brick-and-mortar-locations

Another related reason is that Amazon keeps track of their internet shops and tries to knockoff their biggest stores.  Shopify, a competitor to Amazon, has gained many of those business clients.

[SiouxVolley]

Cirrus Aircraft saw another record year.  But the new plant in McKinney, Texas, May impact the Grand Forks plant output.

https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/business/technology/4960555-‘Record-year-of-growth’-at-Duluth’s-Cirrus-Aircraft

[UNDColorado]

  On 2/18/2020 at 3:27 AM, Kab said:

How is the Old Kmart building , I believe , in Devils Lake doing?

seems like a lot of small business have located there

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You are thinking of the old Walmart. It's really cool what they did with it. Unless something has changed in the last 6 months the old Kmart is still sitting empty. 

[northernraider]

Not sure if the right place for this, but Delta is cutting GFK flights to just one daily starting in June. FAR is being downsized to 2x daily. 

 

[Vegas_Sioux]

  On 5/10/2020 at 4:35 PM, northernraider said:

Not sure if the right place for this, but Delta is cutting GFK flights to just one daily starting in June. FAR is being downsized to 2x daily. 

 

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BIS and MOT are the same as FAR Williston is the same as GFK. 

[gfhockey]

Heard bars were jammed pack Saturday which is good to see.