We are very fortunate to live in a city that takes justifiable pride in itself and offers a close knittedness that’s all too often taken for granted.

As one who participates in and enjoys the many benefits offered by Arlington I am frequently pleased that so many of my neighbors can be found browsing and shopping along Arlington’s main business streets. Our community is surrounded by “big-box” retailers many of which, while offering products that are in direct competition with some of our local merchants, are not contributing any taxes to the city of Arlington as they are located, many of them, in Marysville. This places a burden on our merchants to compete while striving to remain within their limited operating budgets.

I believe it is critical to the survival of our community that we citizens of Arlington take the time to contribute to the local economy by evaluating our purchases on the basis of what might be available within our downtown businesses. I believe it is necessary to remember that the taxes paid by these local merchants contributes to the ability of the city to provide police and fire department support, parks and a variety of other civic services that often are taken for granted.

Recently, my wife and I decided to do some remodeling and updating on our home. We decided to replace the carpeting in the entire house and add some hardwood (laminate) flooring as well. Anyone who has done this knows that this is an expensive item to be added into the family budget. We visited several outlets in the Smokey Point and Marysville area in an effort to determine the best choice for our needs.

In the end, our decision was made to give our business to Unique Interiors. We had done business with this firm in the past and had been greatly pleased with the availability of selections and we knew, already, of the high quality of workmen they use to install. One might wonder whether the big-box retailer might have offered lower prices for their goods and services but we found Unique Interiors to be competitive in both of these areas.

The holiday season is fast approaching. I plan to do more of my holiday shopping, right here, in Arlington. I hope all of us will endeavor to support our local merchants and share in the wonderful feeling that comes from dealing with friends and neighbors.

Frank Barden

Arlington