To the Editor:

Dear Mesquite businesspeople:

I’ve recently read about ramped-up efforts to bring in new business and or make the present businesses in Mesquite more effective.
Because we’ve spent the last five winters in the Mesquite area (just over the hill in Desert Skies), perhaps we can offer some perspective. Please know that we patronize local businesses whenever we can, and we realize this community has limitations but I believe there’s room for growth.
Services. We have a large, high-end fifth-wheel trailer and tried to purchase new (high-quality) carpeting for it. The job would require more carpeting than our master bedroom at home but the local flooring store told us immediately “we won’t do RVs”. The local furniture store doesn’t even sell carpeting. “Attitude.”  Really?
Iron Mountain Cleaners and the body shop off West Pioneer gave excellent service.
Shopping. One clothing store and Wal-Mart. Both are crudely insufficient. One has silly clothing for 90-years-olds who want sparkles and flowers; the other we will not step into.
Groceries. Smith’s is all there is, besides Wal-Mart?
Casinos. A-plenty. Yes, we enjoy them.
Theaters. There, you rank well.  Congrats. We don’t understand why the theater we prefer (Redd Hills) is apparently struggling because they’ve consistently had the higher-quality films we enjoy.
Navigation: It’s almost like Mesquite is anti-business. Those prettified lane dividers (rather than center turn lanes) make it a chore to visit most businesses. It’s even hard to get in and out of Popeye’s Chicken and the post office from all directions. When it’s hard to turn into a business, people just don’t do so. I’ve talked to others and they agree.
I don’t know what the winter population of Mesquite is, but the sign says 17,000+ and that doesn’t include the population of surrounding areas with no shopping at all.
Meanwhile, Ukiah, California (about 15,000 population) and 60 miles north of Santa Rosa, will soon have a Costco store. They also have a Home Depot, Michael’s crafts, Target, Wal-Mart, J.C. Penney and much other shopping. They have LES SCHWAB!
We find ourselves in St. George at least once a week for groceries (Harmons) and basics (Costco), as well as better restaurants. We do not enjoy driving through the gorge but we must.
Suggestion: You have a closed casino. That site would be an excellent location for an outlet mall or a Costco store.
Please take this not as criticism, but as a suggestion of what would be useful to the community and businesses.

Kris Baker
Layton, Utah