12 Viewpoint: After Circuit City's fall, consider other local retailers - NBC12.com - Richmond, VA News

By Don Richards, NCB12 Vice President and General Manager

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - Last weekend, Circuit City pulled the plug and closed its doors forever.

The company started in Richmond 60 years ago and it became a successful national chain with thousands of employees.

Over the last couple of years, it has been hard to watch the decline of this company on its way to bankruptcy. Business mistakes were made and the slowing economy didn't help.

Now many of their former employees are jobless and looking for work right here in Richmond.

In the end, our community is diminished by the loss of this success story, but perhaps this is an opportunity.

Local retailers selling home entertainment, car radios, computers and CDs are in a position to compete for Circuit City's former customers.

We as consumers are in a position to give our local stores a chance to earn our dollars and grow their business during a tough time.

It seems to me that in the wake of Circuit City's fall, this is an opportunity to plant the seeds for new Richmond success stories.

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