Editorial

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Fairgrounds Furniture deserves more time.

In an age where products — groceries, clothing, even furniture — can be bought with one click and delivered to your doorstep, small businesses are struggling enough.

In a city where businesses come and go, where storefronts change from one to the next, the businesses that have made a temporary space into a long-term home seem few and far between.

In our county, where we pride our community members for being loyal, hard-working and good neighbors, we hate when our businesses — our friends — leave.

And so a Xenia business of 44 years — one that isn’t bankrupt — one that isn’t failing — one that doesn’t neglect the bills — shouldn’t be forced to move abruptly simply because an event needs its space for four weeks out of the next two years. Or because the contract said it could legally happen. Or because there are bigger plans and blueprints. Or because it’s just “business.”

The Greene County Agricultural Society issued an early termination notice to Fairgrounds Furniture Aug. 22, referring to a ninety days’ notice clause within the parties’ contract.

August to March, you might say, does not constitute “abruptly.” Surely, those months — which exceed the original 90 days — should be adequate time. Surely, those three additional rent-free months offered should make the decision seem fair, even generous.

But when they never saw it coming, that is abruptly.

When they have to clear 15,000 square feet and liquidate two buildings’ worth of merchandise, that is abruptly.

When they have to find a new home for the unknown amount of inventory that will remain, that is abruptly.

We didn’t know ‘Mountain’ Hill, but we don’t think he would have wanted his memory to live on like this.

We think, at the very least, he’d want his daughter to have a fair say and adequate time to relocate the business he started from scratch.

And when it came down to it, we think he’d put up a fight, too.

The move doesn’t seem too easy to us. Set aside the emotional aspect of it all, it’s just not logical. Not even feasible.

We support small businesses. We support our community. We support Fairgrounds Furniture. And we urge you to as well.

Simply because it’s the right thing to do.

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Family business deserves more time

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