by Jana Thompson
Pittsboro, NC – Recently, Pittsboro’s population has been growing and currently has a growth rate of 2.39%. To accommodate this growth, Pittsboro needs to continue to develop.
One of the main appeals of the town is it’s quaint and simple nature, but this is being harmed by out-of-town shopping. This is an issue because of the natural flow of money and the disturbances that out-of-town shopping causes when money is not recycled back into the community. Not only does this cause economic issues, but it also causes environmental issues such as increased pollution from vehicles and increased traffic.
To combat this issue, a mall or large shopping center needs to be built near downtown Pittsboro. Since the limited retail in town does not sufficiently draw consumers and provide adequate retail for the population influx, the small selection of retail that is already in the center of town is losing its value. This is due to the appeal of shopping in Pittsboro is being lost.
As a community, we need to understand that though Pittsboro’s history and quaintness is something to preserve, it is also insufficient for our growing town. We need to re-evaluate our wants as a community and start investing our money back into our town.