Ps I will be going to Elmira on wed oct 4th for the lecture. I'll take a look around and let you know if it is worse than went I was there for the conference. Jules -----Original Message----- From: Mark Twain Forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Laura Trombley Sent: Thursday, September 28, 2017 2:38 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: depressing article about current economic downturn in Elmira Totally agree Matt! It has been very sad to see Elmira struggling over the decades. Laura Sent from my iPhone > On Sep 28, 2017, at 11:29 AM, Matthew Seybold <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > I have problems with many of the economic presumption underlying this > = account, but that aside, the most depressing line is definitely = > =E2=80=9Cperhaps best known as the hometown of American fashion icon = > Tommy Hilfiger.=E2=80=9D Poor reporting. > >> On Sep 28, 2017, at 2:11 PM, Steve Hoffman = > <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >> =20 >> Don't know if folks will be able to access this or=20 whether it's >> behind Wall St Journal's paywall (I=20 subscribe to it) but there's a >> big article in=20 today's edition about how our beloved Elmira NY >> is=20 hurting from decline in brick and mortar sales.=20 see link >> below. The huge area shopping mall is=20 just one large anchor-store >> closing away from=20 going out of business. Sales tax revenue is >> way=20 down, depriving the city of revenues and forcing=20 cutbacks >> in municipal services. And so on .....=20 As the article describes, >> with Elmira having lost=20 its manufacturing base, the large shopping >> mall is=20 one of its major employer, and now those=20 >> brick-and-mortar retail jobs are disappearing as=20 well. T >> =20 >> There is no mention in the article of the College=20 or the Twain >> connection .... >> =20 >> Btw, during this summer's conference in Elmira, I=20 went to that >> mall and it was depressing as hell! >> =20 >> = > https://www.wsj.com/articles/retail-stores-made-elmira-n-y-an-unlikely > -suc= > cessnow-theyre-gone-1506525802 >> =20 >> Steve Hoffman >> =20 >> Takoma Park MD