As the season changes, new businesses appear in the Midway community while some fade away. One in particular that is drawing the attention of residents is the recent closure of the Midway T.J. Maxx on Sep. 30.
After a full decade of bartering off brand-name pieces for a bargain price, the shopping center will be closing its doors and leaving the Twin Cities with no such store. Local news outlet Bring Me The News had received a statement from the company, stating that its foreclosure is due to vague marketing strategies.
“We are always assessing and reviewing our real estate strategies, and our decision to close this store reflects that thinking,” source said.
St. Paul’s Midway neighborhood has had many businesses permeate in and out of the area throughout the years, especially regarding the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Many small companies were forced into closure after commerce plummeted when individuals were instructed to stay in their homes.
Additionally, the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests negatively impacted some of the shops that resided in Midway, such as Won Kim’s Sports Dome clothing store and The Golden Gate Cafe. Many businesses are still in recovery from the funds lost from both the pandemic and the protests, while others had to shut their doors completely. Corporations have the advantage of being able to recover quickly from situations like this, due to the funds they have to support themselves.
“It lessens options for people who might not be able to easily drive to the next closest T.J. Maxx or Walmart. It could push some people to shop online more, rather than visit a similar competitor that still has a presence which could lead to more businesses leaving,” four year Midway resident Matt Krych said, in regards to the closure of these corporate businesses. The specifics of why these closures had occurred are relatively uncovered. Some believe that it is due to the crime of shoplifting being at an all time high.
“The places those stores were located weren’t friendly to pedestrians either,” Krych said.
Even though the empty parking lots and unused buildings may find residents feeling unnerved at first, there are still opportunities for new businesses to make their way into the community.
“Those stores closing makes room for new businesses to come in and give Midway new offerings,” Krych said, “There are many places that could be redeveloped and contribute way more to the neighborhood than an empty building, for example Herbergers, the old BP gas station field, and the land around Allianz field,”
Krych suggests that affordable housing may be the way to go.
“We already have the Green Line and A Line, now let’s let people move in to take advantage of the infrastructure we invested in.”
At the end of the day, Midway will always have a strong community, no matter what businesses move in and out. The departure of some stores will make room for new possibilities of what can be done to better the neighborhood, and take advantage of the resources that are currently available in the Midway community. Maybe before October ends, residents will see a Spirit Halloween pop up.