Some Oberlin business owners are worried that changes the College has in store will leave out their stores.
Between the recent closing of five downtown businesses and the new meal plan to be implemented on campus, many merchants feel more collaboration between the College and the town is needed.
Priscilla Steinberg of the Oberlin Chamber of Commerce said that within the past year, one downtown business has moved and three others have closed. Ade's Place on E. College Street has moved, and the Hunan, Powers and Dawley Clothing, and The Main Street Mercantile have closed. Miranda Books closed last fall.
"I don't think it's unusual. It happens all the time," Steinberg said. She said that Powers and Dawley Clothing is closing due to illness, and the owners of the Hunan are focusing on their restaurant in Wellington.
Although Steinberg believes that these changes are normal, other merchants believe that a rise in competition between the College and downtown businesses has played a role in their decisions to end business in Oberlin.
Mike Chambers and Sami Ahwal, managers of the Java Zone, said they believe the College is not making an effort to work with downtown businesses. "It seems like downtown businesses have supported the College but recently the College hasn't been supporting downtown," Chambers said.
Ahwal and Chambers were concerned about the new campus dining program and the convenience store that will be in place on campus next semester.
Chambers said, "If they put that convenience store in it's really going to hurt some businesses."
Dave Parsh, President of the Oberlin Merchants Association and owner of Dave's Army and Navy Store, also expressed concern about the competition between the College and downtown businesses.
"The College does seem to be addressing the problem in some ways but on the other hand it is still implementing policies that would have a negative effect on downtown," Parsh said.
Parsh said most businesses greatly rely on business from students, which can be sporadic.
"It is difficult for a store that caters directly to students when there is not consistent business from them. If you make one or two mistakes, you're out of business," he said.
Parsh, Chambers and Ahwal all agreed that there needs to be more communication and cooperation between the College and downtown businesses.
Parsh said some students in the College's Environmental Studies department have been working hard on attempts to facilitate communication between the College and downtown merchants, as well as with the community.
"The Environmental Studies group seems to be more in tune with the importance of the downtown," Parsh said.
One way that Ahwal and Chambers plan to increase communication with students is by putting out a comment box. By opening up this connection, they said, they will be better able to cater to student's needs.
Parsh said the Oberlin Merchants Association has been working on preserving Oberlin's historic and cultural aspects.
"We have been working to build up the historical downtown area so that students and their parents can come downtown to shop and walk around. It really behooves the College to have an economically stable downtown," he said.
Parsh emphasized that Oberlin's history and culture benefit the College as well as businesses. "We are fortunate to have the historical and cultural aspects and we have to capitalize on it," he said.
Parsh said, "I think it's important that the city and the College work together to make every effort possible, in good faith, to seek out goods and services within the local area. The bottom dollar should not necessarily be the determining factor."
Letter to the Editor: College should examine Marriott's contract, instead of raising rent
- April 3, 1998Students and staff discuss meal plan concerns
- March 6, 1998Student Life Committee talks about housing and dining
- February 27, 1998Staff serves up change with final dining plan renovations
- February 20, 1998
Copyright © 1998, The Oberlin Review.
Volume 126, Number 21, April 17, 1998
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