News that the Edenton Furniture Company is closing its downtown store came like a kick in the stomach.

Whether you’ve ever bought anything there or not, you can’t help but feel a sense of loss. That’s because the ripple effects of an ever-evolving economy sometimes strike closely. Add the store’s long run as a retail anchor in a downtown district constantly having to stave off threats of change and the closing seems, well, sad. But, that hardly tells it.

Company president Alton Elmore sums it up by pointing to Edenton-Chowan’s loss of industry over the years. Such employer losses have resulted in fewer circulating dollars. Not much has replaced those payroll providers that kept local commerce active, at least those dependent on major purchases. He’s right, of course. But, there’s more to it.

The evolution of retail has changed the way companies do business. Gone are the days a retailer focuses on one product, regardless of that theory “do one thing and do it well.” Most retailers today offer a mix of products or services under one roof. Not many can survive by offering a single product. Edenton Furniture has been around since the 40s and I doubt its philosophy has changed much. Entering the store is akin to walking back in time. The way retail used to be.

I prefer specialized retailers. For shoes, I want to go to a shore store. A baseball glove, take me to a sporting goods store. I still prefer newsstands for a paper and magazine. I want to buy cigars from a tobacco store where you walk into a humidor amid the aroma of hand-rolled cigars. There’s nothing sporty about pointing to a stogy inside a glass case at a grocery store.

Oh, how I long for that time gone by. But, I’ve also found that change still takes place whether you choose to go along or not. For those of us who stingily proceed, we often find ourselves standing outside of mainstream.

It’s still unclear how so many retailers began to combine products. Despite convenience, it’s still unsettling. And I particularly don’t agree with how contemporary retailers rely on self-help customers. Few store employees know how to sell. They certainly can’t fit you properly for a suit or a pair of shoes.

I guarantee that anyone who walks inside Edenton Furniture gets a “may I help you” within the first 60 seconds. If they don’t, they should give you a free ottoman.

I believe it all began with the introduction of department stores. I mostly buy my shirts, pants, suits, and shoes from retailers like Belk’s. I even bought a Hickory Chair bedroom suit from Belk’s when they used to carry furniture. I still have that traditional mahogany furniture. That brings me to Edenton Furniture’s next problem. Furniture tends to lasts longer than a pair of shoes, thus the turnaround business takes longer. You’re more apt to buy another car before your next sofa.

Elmore readily acknowledges that his inventory is middle of the road in quality and pricing. Ordinarily, that’s a safe bet. It seems to me, however, that there’s a gap between the haves and have-nots here in Edenton-Chowan. It wouldn’t surprise me that catering to the middle represents the least populated demographic, at least around here.

Retailers beware. More changes are coming and in an economy that has yet to be determined.

A stalled economy kept Lowe’s from building a home improvement store here. Had it been constructed, I suspect Byrum’s Hardware would have suffered greatly.

Regardless how you feel about Wal-Mart, had the retail giant erected a store here, downtown would look significantly different.

Although I’m sure Blount’s has a loyal customer base that includes relationships that exceed lower pricing, the addition of Walgreen’s, as well as rumors that CVS plans to upgrade its store, will have an adverse impact on the downtown pharmacy.

Let’s hope the departure of Edenton Furniture does not mark a chain reaction of vacant storefronts.