Jan 17, 2003 — Small towns across the North Country are struggling to replace the Ames department stores that once anchored local economies. Until the company's bankruptcy, last fall, Ames offered basic goods like clothing and house-wares. Now, a company based in Gouverneur is hoping to start a new chain of stores called "WiseBuys" that would fill the shopping void. But as Brian Mann reports, reactions to the idea are mixed.