Location, Location, Location...

That's the old tried and true axiom perpetuated by the real estate industry, and has since been coined by nearly everyone else.

It is ALWAYS about location.

Always was...always will be.

It could be the Cap N Cork on Goshen Road that's been robbed SEVEN times in the past SIX years. Yeah, it "could" be, but not any longer.

You see, they're CLOSING that store, and I can SO agree with their reasoning behind it.

Who would want to have a store at a specific location that is RIPE for robbery when it's much easier to toss that money out the nearest window instead?

And what about the employees? Who would WANT to work in a store that you KNOW will be robbed sometime in ANY given year? I trust that Cap N Cork will find another more "suitable" location that will make up for the loss of this store.

At the corner of S. Anthony & Paulding, there WAS a Pizza Hut...not any longer. The store hasn't just been CLOSED...it's been RAZED!

Nothing there now but a whole lot of nothing.

And across the street is both a CVS and a Walgreens, both of which are robbed by "the locals" yearly, and I suppose it's only a matter of time before THEY close up.

Southgate Plaza has it's share of crime...and on a DAILY basis. You can't go through the police blotter without seeing a robbery, purse-snatching, theft from vehicle,well...you get the idea. The Walgreens located THERE was robbed a few times over the past 2-3 years as well. Thankfully (for any robber) I was not shopping there at any of those times.

Be nice to send a message to these thieves, much like the VIP video store clerk did last year. And although he's "haunted" by what transpired (see today's JG for the story), I'll wager that ANYONE looking to score some "fast cash" is thinking more than TWICE about going in there now.

**((editor's note - You can count VIP Video as now being officially CLOSED as well))

It IS all about location...make NO mistake about that.

Unfortunately, the "locations" I'm referring to are ONLY benefitting the criminal segment of the population. If you dare to drive through the southern part of Ft. Wayne, you'll quickly notice that there are a plethora of liquor stores. Whether it's a Cap N Cork, a Belmont Beverage, or an S&V Liquor store, you'll find one soon enough. In fact, you are within walking distrance to one, no matter WHERE you live down here. Keep these poor folk all drunked up and no one will give a damn...nice attitude, Fort Wayne.

Then there are all the "taprooms" that are fast becoming a new target for robbers. Must be the LOCATION that makes them an easy prey (within walking distance to everywhere else).

The new Menards and Wal-Mart have a great location - the old SOUTHTOWN MALL site (which closed due to rising crime, with the subsequent customer dropoff and not lack of interest as everyone is always told) and although it's a bit off the beaten path, it IS very visable from nearly ANY direction. They're also a bit farther away from the aboriginal human flotsam that perpetrates most of the crime down here. Southbridge Apartments (behind the mall site) vstill has it's shere of dubious people doing dubious things. I imagine the new Police-Fire academy in such close proximity to them makes it hard for these perps to "do business" (what with all the officers coming and going).

Across Rt 27/33 however, you still have Good Old K-Mart (most all the other stores have left), which is closer to the wonderful 7900 block of one of the city's HOTSPOTS of crime, and you probably know the housing I'm referring to. I give K-mart credit for sticking it out. The Target across the street closed down a few years back, and STILL sits vacant, as does the empty Cap N Cork that USED to be there (and a damn nice store it was).

The Hardee's is gone, supplanted by a new McD's (let's see how long THEY last there).

The Long John Silver near there finally closed up shop, after a few robberies (a damn shame...they had good combo meals there).

I can cite well over FIFTY businesses that have simply "gone away" from the locations they once inhabited - locations that were ripe for business by consumers that sorely LACK such retail outlets and eateries (try finding a real BOOKSTORE down here, or a music store that sells genres OTHER than rap). And this has only occurred within the past DECADE.

Hell, when you have an ENTIRE MALL close, you've just GOT to look at the way the neighborhoods are changing, and do something to halt the loss of businesses (and that would mean getting a handle on all the frigging CRIME).

Most stores just up and move to (all together, gang)...ANOTHER LOCATION (thank you).

Those locations are usually where there is LESS CRIME and where people act a lot more civil and a lot less disrespectful (that would be NORTH and WEST).

So as we see, it's not only about LOCATION, but also about MARKETING . One hand will always wash the other in that respect. You market your wares where you will get the best return for your investment (with a good clientele base). Never knew anyone that was ever in business for the sole purpose of LOSING money (except one former employer, the Federal Government...LOL).

That's business 101, plain and simple.

Cripes, even a sniper knows it's all about LOCATION when he takes his shot.

It's not all about real estate anymore. Crime will flourish when the location gives them an edge. Poverty will flourish when people stop challenging themselves and give up. Ghettos will flourish when you mix the former two together and add a touch of "free this and that", all in the name (only) of "assisting" these people, when all they need is a good swift kick in their apathy as a motivational tool.

I'm sorry, but I'm just not envisioning all the companies and jobs the city WANTS (or needs) to come here to do business, until someone in some high-paid city office decides to put their foot down, and not worry about whose neck it winds the hell up on.

And when a foot is placed "just right", it gets the point across LOUD & CLEAR.

Yes...it's ALL about LOCATION...even when it comes to putting your foot down.