Untapped potential for retail trade in small towns

Although possibilities may exist for initiating new businesses and for drawing additional customers from other communities, some residents of small communities in the developed world are not sure they want the changes nor have they researched the possibilities for establishing them. The trend today is toward the development of economically viable retail trade in local communities, yet loss of past businesses has downgraded many towns' images as cash has flowed outward for goods and services and the small businesses have found it increasingly difficult to make a profit. Now they are less anxious to risk expanding current business or attracting new enterprises. Also residents may feel little urgency to develop their town economically because they work out of town. Young people who acquire skills often do not return to the community since there are few available local jobs. The need for retail trade may be expressed, but although people know something needs to be done, they are not sure what to do and are not convinced that anything will happen there anyway.