We’ve all seen it. We’ve all heard it. But in case you have been living under a rock, let me catch you up to speed.
Back in August 2023, the University of Idaho was given permission by the Idaho State Board of Education to lease 12 acres of land to Home Depot to develop a new store and garden center for Moscow and Palouse residences. This land stretches behind the Palouse Mall, near the intersection of Farm Road and A Street. The lease is 20 years long, starting at $90,000 a year, growing by 15% every five years after that.
Now, UI is completely on board with this. At the time the State Board approved the lease, UI President Scott Green said that not allowing the Home Depot to come to Moscow would “rob consumers of choice.” “Consumer choice” is more like a choice for the university to gain a little extra cash. Sure, the land is not being used right now and the school could easily make some money off it, but just be honest, everyone can see right through that “consumer’s choice” facade.
We already have a perfectly good local building supply store that has catered to the town’s needs since 1958—that’s 66 years. 66 years of supporting the local community and thriving alongside it. 66 years that are going to get completely crushed as soon as Home Depot moves in next year.
Hey, UI, you forgot about supporting the folks who’ve been here for years; let’s go with the corporate giant instead. No, definingly not the local business owners and workers who might struggle to compete. I think the university sometimes forgets that Moscow is a town full of more than just them and their students.
This local business, known as Moscow and Pullman Building Supply, even asked the community of Moscow to sign a letter to the State Board going against the lease.
The letter read, “As a local business owner whose legacy spans three generations of supporting local families and businesses, it would be a disheartening oversight for the University of Idaho to contemplate such a partnership without first engaging the local businesses that have helped support the university in becoming what it is today.”
It was signed by President and Chief Financial Officer Tyler Garrett. Director of Operations for Moscow-Pullman Building Supply Alan Espenschade said to compete with Home Depot’s prices, they may have to hire fewer full-time employees, “which goes against our entire culture.”
Though this grant was approved by the State Board, it was noted that at least 150 messages were received in opposition to this lease. Let’s forget stabbing our local businesses in the back and think about matters like traffic and water use.
According to the Moscow city code, large retailers, including Home Depot, are required to hold a community meeting before establishing any business in the city. Moscow held this meeting back in November 2023. Around 50 people attended the meeting, which may not sound like much, but it’s great for Moscow. These residents got to ask questions and confront the economic and social concerns they had with the new business.
Home Depot’s real estate manager, Barry Simmons, said at the community meeting that small businesses should not worry because being close to a Home Depot drives traffic to the area. Okay, let’s think about this for a second. Your building supply store is safe because my building supply store is going to bring me more customers, so you shouldn’t worry. Now, call me skeptical, but if I’m making a trip to a building supply store, I’m not exactly planning on making a pit stop at another one in town. It’s like saying, “Don’t worry, my Starbucks will bring more coffee lovers to the area, so your little local cafe is fine.” It just doesn’t add up.
Sure, more people might be passing through Moscow on their way to the shiny new Home Depot, potentially stopping at local spots like restaurants or ice cream stores. But let’s be real—is that influx of traffic really worth the trade-off? Simmons said about 20% of Lewiston’s Home Depot sales will be moving to the Moscow location. I’d rather not sacrifice the unique charm of our town for a bit of extra foot traffic. Quality over quantity, right? Besides, Moscow’s roads are already getting a bit congested, I can’t imagine what that light in front of Winco would look like with Home Depot added to the mix.
I look around Moscow and see how it is trying to evolve, trying to keep up with the times. I understand we must help Moscow grow economically because the community is growing. But one of the main things I love about Moscow is its unique charm. We have the chickens painted on the side of the Moscow Food Co-op, the lights flickering down Main Street, the families sitting outside the Taqueria Las Torres taco truck and students studying in the one and only One World Cafe. I could go on and on about the amazing little things this community upholds. This new Home Depot is a shift for Moscow, one that may be inevitable. We are losing our identity as a community, turning into a mundane town. Competition is great for consumers and businesses, but are mega-corporations the best way to do it?
Presley Zimmerman can be reached at [email protected]
Lance Reed
Home Depot is a welcome sight from my perspective. There are a lot of intangibles that people need to think about when pondering is this "good" or "bad" for local business. First, MBS mainly caters to contractors who will continue to support them. Second, MBS closes at 6pm while Home Depot is open until 9pm. This is a benefit for residents that have to work until 6 or have a last-minute need to complete a project. Third, Home Depot has immense selection which will eliminate the need to shop multiple places and waste time trying to track down parts. Finally, pricing on some items will be much more favorable which should allow people to upkeep their properties and buy home necessities they may not be able to afford otherwise. There are many communities that have local lumber yards and national chains co-existing. I feel this will be the case in this situation as well. MBS has had decades to refine their business, attract shoppers, and not give people a reason to go somewhere else. Unfortunately, they fell behind on many fronts and do not keep with current trends. Instead of building a shiny new store in Pullman, they should have expanded on their success in Moscow while they had the chance
Dana Wekerle
Having a Home Depot will cause several Moscow stores to close. Let's keep Moscow Unique town with local stores, not big box estalishments.