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Date Posted: 09:25:28 03/16/08 Sun
Author: JMR (Adios, and don't come back!)
Subject: The Exodus has begun!

We've been telling them for years that this would happen but they didn't listen.
I said to them, what were they going to do when the Brazilians leave.
They didn't seem too concerned.

JR


http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/x39091278
Immigrant exodus leaves empty downtowns

By Liz Mineo/Daily News staff
MetroWest Daily News
Posted Mar 16, 2008 @ 12:11 AM

MILFORD —

In MetroWest and Milford, officials are growing worried about a return to a gloomy past, when downtown areas were dotted with boarded up storefronts, littered with debris and riddled with crime before immigrant entrepreneurs made them come back to life.
Framingham, Marlborough and Milford still retain most of their immigrant-owned shops, but concerns loom over the fate of their downtown districts as immigrants return home leaving entrepreneurs with a shrinking clientele and an uncertain financial future.
In Framingham, at least three storefronts sit empty on Concord Street. On Marlborough's Main Street, four shops have gone out of businesses. The exception seems to be Milford, where officials are worried but report no empty stores.
``I'm always concerned about downtown,'' said Milford Community Development director Susan Trotta Clark. ``But it's doing pretty well. We need to keep working to keep it busy and vibrant. As long as we keep it occupied, clean, and attractive, downtown will be the place to go.''
On Milford's Main Street, Brazilian businesswoman Marisol Carper agrees. Her shop, where she sells Brazilian products, translates documents and wires money to Brazil, is staying afloat after facing rough times as Brazilians began going back home tired of immigration crackdowns, the worsening exchange rate between the dollar and Brazil's currency, and the economic slump.
``Many people left,'' she said. ``But those who stayed are earning more, and rent is cheaper. People are waiting to see how the new president would deal with immigration. Things are not bad now, but they could get worse, I'm afraid of what next year will bring.''
In downtown Framingham, John Steacie, chairman of the Framingham Downtown Renaissance, counted a handful of empty stores a month ago, and he worries many more will follow suit. Among the empty storefronts are the former Lunch Express, Brazilian Pizza, home to former Richard's, a favorite of the local bureaucracy that works in the Memorial Building, and only a few days ago, a Brazilian restaurant put up a sign ``Closed Temporarily,'' in English and Portuguese on its window storefront.
``I'm very worried,'' he said. ``I remember 20 years ago there were storefronts boarded up in downtown until Brazilians started coming and opening shops. I'd hate to see it go back to what it was.''
Plans are already underway to help immigrant-owned businesses in downtown Framingham cope with the harsh times. A workshop on how immigrant businesses can broaden their clientele will be held in late March, said MetroWest Chamber of Commerce president Ted Welte. It makes sense, he said.
``Brazilian entrepreneurs came in the early 1990s and built a vigorous business on the population located here,'' said Welte. ``But with the failure of the immigration reform last year, many people felt it was time to go home. And when your customer base leaves, you have to reconsider your options.''
In Marlborough, four different businesses on Main Street have closed for good. Some civic leaders said the combination of the decreasing clientele and the economic downturn is behind the storefronts' closed doors, but officials said it's part of downtown's natural turnover. Welte agrees.
``Stores come and go,'' he said. ``It's the normal ebb and flow of retail stores. Even the Natick Mall has empty stores that will be opening soon.''
In Marlborough, Alexandra Silva, who runs a hair salon on East Main Street, has seen business decrease by 25 percent.
``It's slow,'' she said. ``People are not buying things or sending money to Brazil. But it's not only Brazilian businesses. Americans are suffering too.''

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