Maple & Main

Downtown Business Closing "Match Game"

Posted by Curt Otto on Oct. 5, 2007

Recently, an article appeared in a local paper that paints the downtown business district in a state of blight. Titled "Is downtown Waukesha losing its momentum", the article continues to list twenty one businesses that have closed in the downtown since 2006.

 There are nearly 300 businesses in the downtown area. Losing 21 over the course of a year hardly seems like an epidemic.

I own a business downtown, and it continues to thrive. But I suppose that doesn't make for an interesting news topic, so no one bothered to stop by for an interview.

So, while you're sitting around this morning enjoying a cup of joe and catching up on local events, I invite you to take a minute to play the following brain teaser.

Listed below are the businesses that have gone out since 2006 (as dutifully reported by Norm Bruce, owner of Martha Merrell's Books and, apparently, the spokesperson for all of downtown).

I have also included the reasons they left- in no particular order.

Can you match the business to the reason?

A.) ABC Hobby Shop                          1.) Condensed Business Operations
B.) Butcharts Flower Shop                   2.) Small kids at home
C.) Clothes for Kids                             3.) Who cares?
D.) Fermans Finds                              4.) Never open!!!
E.) Garden Gazebo                             5.) Didn't want to pay higher rent
F.) Gerrimains Gifts                             6.) Getting married         
G.) Golden Memories                           7.) Not enough nerds in Waukesha
H.) James Store Gallery                       8.) Shop name too pretentious for downtown
I.) Katavinchys                                     9.) Worst idea ever
J.) Katydids                                        10.) Stopped paying rent
K.) The Pepper Tree                            11.) All inventory over 10 years old
L.) Salvation Army                              12.) Sold the business
M.) Shoestring Home                          13.) Making way for new development
N.) Simply Elegant Bridal /Tuxedo        14.) Needed room to store washers and dryers
O.) Splendid Treasures                        15.) Never changed inventory
P.) Surplus Outlet                                16.) Store was too much work
Q.) Tillies Treasures                             17.) Still don't know what this business was
R.) Universal Comics                            18.) Retired
S.) Donut Shoppe                                 19.) Thought BID supplied customers
T.) Passport Point                                 20.) Personal problems
U.) T-Rex Pizza                                    21.) Yarn?

Good luck players!

The answers to this game will not be printed in next week's installment. Or ever.