By Alyse Parks
Payson businesses have felt the effects of having a Wal-Mart in their community.
After 25 years in the business, Barnett''s Jewelry in downtown Payson is closing their doors; they''re not the only ones.
Three other businesses have closed or moved out of the downtown district within the past four months.
'Barnett''s Jewelry just could not compete with the Wal-Mart prices,' said Cristie Peterson, owner of The Willow Creek store.
Peterson said she thinks Wal-Mart has done more harm than good since coming to Payson.
'I wish it wasn''t here,' Peterson said. 'Especially for a small town area, the pie is only so big and we each have our little wedge ... and now this big business has come in and has hurt all of the downtown area.'
Other businesses in Payson have mixed feelings about Wal-Mart in their community.
'I really can''t say if it''s been good or bad yet, I''ll just have to wait and see,' said Russel Brown, owner of Memory Lane, a photography studio in downtown Payson. 'I can''t even remember what it was like without Wal-Mart here.'
Brown said he thinks Wal-Mart has been both bad and good for the community.
'You can get groceries cheaper there, but then what about Smiths and Payson Market?' Brown said. 'I''m sure they have lost a lot of business.'
Some local businesses think Wal-Mart has been good for the community.
Jay Jones, owner of Computer Corner in Payson, says he thinks Wal-Mart has been beneficial to his store.
'If anything, Wal-Mart has helped with business,' Jones said.
Since the Computer Corner specializes in repairing higher end computers, Jones said he has received more business from having Wal-Mart in his community.
Some residents think that the addition of Wal-Mart has been beneficial to their neighborhood.
'They''ve employed quite a few people that haven''t been employed before,' said Jackie Newton, who works at JoAnne''s Head Shed Beauty Shop. 'I think it''s been good for the community ... I don''t think it has hurt anything.'
Wal-Mart is the world''s largest retailer with over $240 billion in sales and more than 1.3 million associates worldwide in over 3,200 facilities in the United States and 1,100 outside of the United States, according the Wal-Mart Web site.
According the Web site, more than 100 million customers per week visit Wal-Mart stores worldwide.
The Wal-Mart of Payson declined to comment.