On November 6th, Price Depot opened a new location in Emerson Valley. Their superstore has taken over the section of Main Street that used to house Downtown Market, Geraldine’s Toy Chest, Toast of the Town, and Jim’s Hardware. This is a major change to the downtown area’s footprint, ousting longtime staples of Emerson Valley in favor of a big-box store that boasts about having the lowest prices around.

It’s a sad day for those who fought diligently to preserve the community spirit of our downtown area. The late Yolanda Perez was among the loudest voices in opposition to Price Depot’s planned construction of their new superstore. Her still-unsolved murder back in March cleared the way for the retail giant to get the ball rolling. As part of their deal with the City Council, they needed to open their doors by November 28th or forfeit the huge tax breaks offered to the company.

Price Depot made their deadline with plenty of time to spare. Following a soft launch on November 6th, the superstore will have its official grand opening this Friday. Many residents who had previously protested the retail chain’s presence in their neighborhood have since capitulated, joining the throngs of shoppers racing to gorge themselves on Price Depot’s unbeatable bargains.

“We lost. It’s sad that our town’s been robbed of it’s soul, but it is what it is,” said Norman Prescott, the former owner of Toast of the Town. “Since the darn thing’s here, we may as well get some good deals out of it.”

Sterling Acaster, Price Depot’s regional manager for Carson Hills, Stonybrook, and Emerson Valley, took a different view on the matter. “Everyone I’ve talked to in town has been brimming with excitement about us being here. The naysayers whine the loudest, but they’re not representative of the average consumer. You’ll hear the silent majority speak with their wallets when they descend on our store in a feeding frenzy. Trust me—you’ll see.”

Mr. Acaster’s confidence is matched by Mayor Anthony Faulk, who was instrumental in convincing the City Council to accept the proposal to bring Price Depot to Emerson Valley. Despite heavy resistance at the start of the campaign to secure the votes needed to revoke the leases of the tenants in the buildings that needed to come down to make way for the superstore, he was able to whittle away their support until the proposal was approved.

“This is a big day for our town,” Mayor Faulk said while speaking at the new location’s soft launch ceremony. “You kept telling me how much you wanted a Price Depot in Emerson Valley, and I didn’t stop until I got you what you wanted. Welcome to the dawn of a new era for our town: the era of prosperity!”

-Quinn Paxton, Acting Editor-in-Chief, Emerson Valley Gazette