In order to foster growth, a small community must encourage entrepreneurs to invest in opening businesses that will provide for its unmet needs.  Conversely, a small community needs to discourage entrepreneurs who seek to exploit the success of others by duplicating existing businesses – particularly those that are narrowly defined.

A case in point is the opening of yet another Chinese restaurant.

For those who don’t remember, when Eric Zheng took a risk in 2004 and opened China Inn, it wasn’t long before another restaurateur tried to capitalize on his investment.  King Buffet soon opened in Lake Plaza and virtually duplicated his business model.  History tells us that Zheng defended his territory, and soon the “King” was dethroned.

Now a new challenger steps forward.  I, for one, am not impressed.

An entrepreneur who sought to help build Big Lake would have opened another type of restaurant – or better yet found a community with no Chinese restaurant.  To move a duplicate business into a tested market is to exploit another’s investment for personal gain.  Some may call it capitalism – and it is certainly legal – but it is no way to help grow a community.

Let us encourage new types of businesses to invest in our community by honoring those who made the original investments in their particular niches.  When a new competitor dilutes the market share (particularly in the current economy) we risk ending up with no businesses of that type.  Big Lake’s original purveyor of Chinese food deserves the community’s support.