As a side note, thank you for putting together such an informational site, I am considering moving to Wickenburg in the next couple of years, and this site allows me to learn more about the town in the interim.

Donna

Due to pursuits I had, my hours and finances kept me from seeing much of the land, and by the time I had enough time to even the areas around my home in Phoenix, it had become a parking lot. No matter how hard people tried to preserve a bit of the nature, the developers just glassed entire areas and killed everything they found, with bleach gravel and fake grass lawns, and those awful, awful miles of walls spelling the coup de gras.

Now in a probably temporary change in fortune, I get to stay in Wickenburg for a while. You may have seen me in my beat up old slippers, taking pictures of snakes, riding my bike around Constellation Park, driving my toyota corolla and getting stuck in rocks where only 4×4′s should tread or running around at the rest stop on the Hassayampa chasing birds around with a microphone and a laptop. I LOVE it here! Not just the land, but the people. Its a great place to be and full of stereotype shattering characters as well as living icons.

I used to feel the same way about Cave Creek. Took a while to drive out from Phoenix, but man! It was worth it. Nowdays its stoplights all the way there, and the same walled in, stucco wasteland that you could find just as easily anywhere in the middle of the valley cities.

When I see the giant scars where the developers are glassing hundreds of acres I worry this will be the next Anthem or whatever the newest “drive 50 miles, but end up in the same %#*& place you were, stucco, lifeless, grasslawned imitation midwestern town.

Please don’t let Wickenburg become just another suburb parking lot of Phoenix.

I agree with everything Alan says. I think an arts/hobbies shop that appealed to women and families would be an excellent addition, since there are so many retirees and a lot of them like hobbies to keep busy.

I think a clothing store with reasonably priced, relatively good quality clothing might do okay here. Wickenburg has the very low end covered with Alco and the very high end covered with Double D and Suzanne’s. It’s the mid-range basics we need.

I wish there was a good bookstore, but I can honestly say I’d probably continue buying from Amazon.com even if we had a decent bookstore in town, mostly because the prices are better than most stores. Ditto for office supplies, which I order through Staples.

The sad part about Wickenburg’s retail situation is that those of us who have needs and can’t spend time driving down to Surprise have learned to buy online. Other than groceries and fuel, I’d say 75% of my purchases are made via the Internet: books, music, office supplies, pet supplies, computer equipment, electronics — the list goes on and on. If I can’t get it in town, I buy it online and have it shipped to me. The main exception is clothing: I generally don’t buy that online.

I do, however, buy whatever I can in town — unless the price is outrageous (which it sometimes is) or the quality is crap (think Alco, Dollar Store, etc.). I like to support local businesses — when I can.

I think the key to having a successful business here is treating customers like they’re important. I’m far more likely to buy in a stop where people remember me or give me a friendly smile when I come in than one that shuts the door in my face if I arrive at closing time. (And yes, that has happened in town — to my husband — and he won’t go to that particular store again. He’s in Phoenix every day for work, so he does a lot of shopping/buying when he’s down there.)

First, I’d like to say that what Dan says is true: no one is being paid to write for this site. As the site’s Webmaster, I greatly appreciate ANY content contributed for others to read. But I doubt whether my appreciation is enough to compensate authors for the time they spend writing here.

If I were in Dan’s shoes, receiving abuse from commenters after putting time and effort into writing an informative opinion piece about the state of real estate in Wickenburg, I’d be unlikely to write another article for the site. And if everyone started feeling like that, we wouldn’t have any new content here.

I need to remind everyone that the articles and opinions shared here are shared for the purpose of getting information out and discussions going. Dan’s article is one of the most commented on the site and has gotten a discussion going. Personal attacks from either side will not be tolerated on this or any other post in the future.

I now see and manually approve every comment that goes through this site. If I feel that a comment unfairly and rudely blasts an author or another commenter, that comment will be deleted. I will not have fighting on this site. I hope that’s understood by all concerned.

1. There are not enough “regular” clothing stores
2. There are no stores dedicated to arts, crafts or hobbies
3. There are no sporting goods stores
4. General office supplies are limited and over-priced
5. There is only one book store
6. There is a limited availability of consumer electronics

These, and probably a host of other ideas would offer anyone an opportunity to provide services to Wickenburg and nearby towns that would be valued. I imagine other readers could weigh in with their suggestions as well.

Best wishes to you!