Bismarck-Mandan Retail Remains Strong Despite Weaknesses Predict - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

There's been a lot of talk about whether certain retail chains will be closing stores around the country -- especially after a Yahoo Finance report predicted just that for eight retail giants.  

We checked-in with their corporate offices to see if any stores in our area would be impacted.  Of the eight, four got back with us.

Barnes and Noble says plans haven't changed for them -- no stores in this area will be affected.  J.C. Penney won't be closing stores anywhere in North Dakota.  Sears says no announcements have been made.  Best Buy points out the vast majority of their stores are profitable, and they intend to make them more so -- not close them.  However, Best Buy was not able to comment specifically on stores in this area.

Despite what individual retailers may do or not do this year, the economy here is healthy, according to the Bismarck-Mandan Development Association.  According to Brian Ritter, Director of Business Development for the Bismarck-Mandan Development Association, "our sales tax collections are increasing.  Our taxable sales and purchases are increasing.  Our construction activity is increasing.  We have all these positive economic indicators that are actually leading new retailers to call our office and other developers in the community on a regular basis.  So while these eight may, in fact, be struggling nationally, that doesn't necessarily mean that their location here in Bismarck-Mandan is struggling or is at any risk."

Of the eight retailers we contacted, Office Depot, Gamestop, RadioShack, as well as OfficeMax, which has a location in Minot, did not return our calls.