What Kind of City Does Austin Want to Be?

Run-Tex Going Out of Business & The High Cost of Being Cheap

This has been bouncing around my head for a couple of weeks. Forgive me if I go off on a rant here. In early April Run-Tex of Austin closed their doors. They were evicted  because they missed three month’s rent and are late on property taxes. Run-Tex  has been around since 1988. 25 Years. They were an Austin institution as much as anything  in this city. This saddens me as much as it scares the hell out of me. I own 2 small soccer stores and have only been around for 6 years. If Run-Tex can be forced to close down, then anyone can be. Run-Tex going out of business is a crying shame. How did this happen?

Run-Tex had multiple local locations. They have been sponsoring races for years.  They gave out free water on Town Lake, offered running and training groups. Their name is synonymous with running in one of the most active cities in the country. What did that get them ? In the end – nothing. How did it come to this?

No doubt there are several legitimate reasons. But here are a few:  big box chain, Luke’s Locker, the internet and “Buy Local” lip service.

I get this all the time: “I want to support local business, but…” and then they tell you they can get something for $3 less somewhere else. What they are really saying is: “I don’t care if you are local or not – saving $3 is more important to me.” In the end we all want a deal, we want value, we want more for less. But what does getting a deal cost you? What does buying local actually do?

This list is likely not much different than many local businesses, but here is what it means if you buy from Soccer Post in Austin or Round Rock:

1.       You get personal customer service, recommendations and help finding the right gear for you from a variety of options. Try that at Academy.

2.       You help support three families each with children. You give work to 7 part-time college-age employees, all of whom have grown up here, play here and coach here.

3.       You support a store that sponsors several area high school booster clubs. We support the efforts of several youth soccer organizations. We donate balls and equipment and time to local schools, charities and worthwhile causes.

4.       In 2013, I paid $6100 in personal property taxes to Travis County. In 2012, I sent over  $60,000 to the state in Sales Tax money. This money paid for by customers goes to support Texas fire and police services, schools and community projects, etc...I sent a lot more money to the state in taxes than the store made in profits.

When you buy league uniforms from a company in Canada – that money goes to Canada and stays there. When you buy cleats from a company in North Carolina – where do you think that money goes? What do you gain when you buy from a company that has 500 stores nationwide and is listed on the New York stock exchange? Because you can maybe save $5 or $2? Maybe?

Austin is a great city. I love it here. But it used to be a lot more unique than it is now. You can drive down Hwy 183 and I-35 and not know if you are in Houston, Dallas or Oklahoma City. I moved to Austin after college in 1992, so maybe I am part of the problem. Do you want only Chili’s, Applebee’s and Chipotle? Or is Chuy’s, Pluckers and Cabo Bob’s equally as good.

No store can have all the styles in all the colors in all sizes all the time. But we are here, every day, doing everything we can to help support the soccer community – just like Run-Tex did for the running community. No business is promised a profit – we have to earn it every day.  But if you buy your stuff on-line, you won’t have local shops around forever.

Do I sound angry? I kind of am. Am I biased? Maybe.  Run-Tex going out of business is a damn shame. Luke’s Locker is no doubt a great store. But so was Run-Tex. And Run-Tex was owned by someone who lives and works here.  Paul Carrozza gave back to the community in many ways, over and over again. If each person who ran the Capitol 10K bought just one pair of shoes each year from Run Tex, they might still be around today.

The Austin City Council spouts off about buying local and then hires out of state consulting firms and gives tax breaks to national chains that existing local businesses have no chance of obtaining. But that is a separate issue.  The issue is:

What do you stand for? Who do you support?

Are you a giver? Do you support your community? Or are you just a taker?

If you took water from the Run-Tex water jugs on Town Lake, I hope you bought your shoes from them.  If you saved $3 buying shoes on-line – I hope it was worth it.