The Chicken Indicator!

One wonders how much importance to read into the closure of a fast food operation. But here in Podunk every closed business tells a story, this one the continuation of a worrisome trend of economic decline. Podunk’s longest running commercial establishment announced plans today, to cease operations in early spring. The smell of Kentucky Fried Chicken, will no longer waft through the west side of the downtown core, As KFC closes it’s Podunk operation over the next few months, bringing to end a Podunk mainstay since the 1960’s. .

Operating at a 40% less success rate, compared to other KFC franchises, the Podunk operation has been selected for closure, no longer considered financially viable. I’m not an urban issues economist, but when the fast food operations are saying “No Mas, No Mas” perhaps it’s a sign that things in your economy are not going very well. They are traditionally a low cost, entry wage level kind of thing, so if they can’t make a go of things, who can.

Podunk has been suffering a terrible economic storm of late; small and medium commercial businesses have been closing, the chain stores leaving and now the continued erosion of fast food. Or maybe it’s just chicken; it was a number of years ago that the Chicken Factory ended its run in Podunk, now KFC. Perhaps Podunkians just don't fancy fowl over fish.

Somewhere out there must be an urban/rural economist who can tell us if this “chicken factor” is a sign of a collapsing economy. What can it possibly say to have a town, that doesn’t provide access to the Colonel’s special herbs and spices and down home, fried tasty treats? Then again the many empty store fronts downtown and sprouting lawn signs of homes for sale (please buy us they plead) around town, were early testimony to the inevitable. If no one is working, and the houses sit empty, who is left to eat the Chicken?

While our physical shapes and dietary health may improve with less KFC, the closure of a high profile franchise can only highlight the state of Podunk’s poor economic health.