Our little town is going through quite the retail outlet and restaurant boom. We have large shopping complexes going up right and left. They are full of chain stores like Target, Old Navy, Lifeway, and Books-a-Million. There are chain restaurants either already in or on the way. We are even getting our very first Starbucks. Evette is very excited about that. She loves kool-aid coffee in cups who's sizes have cool nonstandard names.
But I am a little worried by all of this. What will all of this do to a town that has always had thriving Mom and Pops and quaint little coffee shops and restaurants?Wal Mart has already done a number here. Most folks are excited we are growing. They are glad that we'll have all these new places to go and spend our money. And I will admit, I will enjoy having more choices.
But I think a very practical, missional thing we can all do is to continue our support of local business. We do more shopping at Wal Mart than I would like, but we do try to frequent a local grocery chain all we can. Likewise, we've not had a Starbucks before and do not need one now. So I won't be feeding their corporate machine and hope to talk Evette out of it. She has a favorite coffee shop in town and I don't think she'll forsake it for the siren's call. Oh, and we'll still buy books at our local store and stay away from Lifeway. Lifeway creeps me out anyway with their books about people going to heaven and hell and coming back.
So, I propose that if you want to do something very simple for your community in your everyday life, go out to the old local shops as much as you can. Support them, get to know them. Tell them how much you appreciate what they add to your community. Encourage others to meet in these places.You can go to those other places, I know I will go to many of them myself, but don't be to wowed by their cool logos and all the hype to the point you forget the little guy. The folks who put those businesses there did it for money. Most if not all of your local businesses do it for more than that.
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Big business, monopoly. words like that stir up unpleasant feelings in me for just the reasons you said. They push all the little guys out of business, and usually do so mercilessly. It's an irreversible trend. :(
Posted by: Jake | October 13, 2007 at 10:46 AM
I think buying locally is huge. To take it a step further we need to see where the stuff we buy at the local store comes from.
When you eat fruit out of season...that stuff comes from around the world and works against our local farmers and such.
While I agree...Starbucks has been a huge blessing for coffee growing areas in the world. So while I will frequent my local coffee shop...I will purchase starbucks once in a while.
FYI, I grew up in coffee growing areas.
Posted by: Chris | October 15, 2007 at 08:57 PM
I thought that was mostly hype though. Most of their coffee isn't fair trade (about 6% of 300 billion pounds is what I read) and the rest is bought just like the other companies...
http://www.thestar.com/living/article/250730
'Vette will have to go grill the people at Hibbert Davis and get the skinny on their coffee... :)
Posted by: Rich | October 15, 2007 at 10:23 PM
Most of their coffee isn't fair trade...but it is fairer trade...not sure if that makes sense.
Starbucks by their size and influence helped a lot of farmers dream of making a living again. In a weird way Starbucks educated the coffee world that there was something better than getting abused by folgers.
Starbucks did it for PR purposes, but it caused a large number of small farmers to become forward thinking.
The best coffee shops by far a the few that will only deal in shade tree fair trade coffee. If you order coffee for home, a great company is www.PuraVida.com.
Starbucks isn't my first choice...but it is my alternative.
Posted by: Chris | October 15, 2007 at 10:42 PM
Rich,
When I stopped by Target the other day, I was reminded that we're actually getting our first TWO Starbucks. There's one inside Target in addition to the one they're building over beside Golden Corral. Seems like they are awfully close together to me.
Brent
Posted by: Brent | October 16, 2007 at 12:51 PM
I won’t front – I love Starbucks!
At the same time, I see your point and I also frequent local stores when I can. We currently live in an area swarming with chain stores, chain restaurants and fast food places. I don’t prefer this at all. In fact, there are few restaurants that I enjoy eating at simply because of the mass production element to it.
As for shopping, I really like finding one of a kind things and I like the feel of independent business versus going to the mall or a strip mall.
San Francisco has a strong advocacy for independently owned businesses. Big chain stores like Old Navy, Borders Books, Walgreens and Rite Aid were protested by neighboring communities and while there are some of these businesses in SF, they did not enter without a fight. (There is no WalMart in SF and I highly doubt there ever will be one. They are currently fighting to keep Home Depot and Lowes away…) Like you mentioned, I love the missional feel that comes from shopping at mom and pop places. We have a few places here in suburbia that we shop – like the local produce store and the hardware emporium and yet in the city almost all of our old haunts are mom and pop places. Trust me –it is SO TRUE that by patronizing local places you have the chance to make a difference in whether their business continues to survive or simply dies.
Posted by: kristine | October 16, 2007 at 05:23 PM