You’ve talked about this among yourselves, with family, with friends and with co-workers. Now we’d like to know what your conclusions are.

Over the next couple of weeks, The Laurinburg Exchange will be looking for your thoughts and ideas focusing on a single question. That question is: What is the one thing — a specific industry, retail business, restaurant or entertainment site — do you think Scotland County needs most, and why?

It’s a pretty simple question, with any number of possible answers.

Maybe it’s a Fazoli’s on South Main Street.

Maybe it’s a miniature golf course.

Maybe it’s a convention center.

Maybe it’s a car parts manufacturing plant.

Maybe it’s an Applebee’s.

Maybe it’s a Sweet Frog’s.

Maybe it’s community center.

Maybe it’s a soccer and softball complex.

Maybe it’s downtown water fountain.

Maybe it’s a roller-skating rink.

Maybe it’s a Michael’s.

Maybe it’s a dirt bike track.

Maybe its … well, you get the idea.

While we are sharing ideas, we will share ours. There has been talk — not a lot, but some — that the downtown of Laurinburg would become a much-bigger hot spot for businesses and the community as a whole if, and it’s a huge if … IF those who owned downtown buildings started creating apartments on the second floor.

Nice apartments.

Lots of apartments.

We understand there is a chicken-or-the-egg question here, but we think business folks understand the equation needed to bring a business to the area, and the No. 1 item needed first is people. More people attract more business.

So if there were downtown apartments available to teachers, nurses, students, whomever … then the downtown and surrounding area would blossom like never before.

So there is our thought on the question at hand.

Now it’s your turn.

We will be putting together a story about what you think Scotland County needs and why for the upcoming Progress magazine or as a Saturday Spotlight. There really is no right or wrong answer. There is no right or wrong reason why. These are all just thoughts and suggestions — and who knows, perhaps one or more will catch on.

And as long as Scotland County continues to look for and implement new things, then it will continue to get better. Which is what we all want, right?

So take some time and think about what you’d like to see here and why. Consider how it will benefit as many people as possible for a long time to come.

And then, send your input to [email protected] — your comment should be 25 words or less and include your name and hometown.

The deadline to submit comments is Wednesday, Feb. 2.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

“If you want something you’ve never had, then you’ve got to do something you’ve never done.”