A future for Mom and Pop?
Ollieland
06-02-2008, 01:40
I've just been watching a prrogramme on More4 here in the UK by a British comedian/film maker called Dave Gorman. The idea was to drive from San Francisco to New York only using independent gas stations and motels. Gorman stated the America he had fallen in love with as a kid was the can-do, independent minded, be-your-own-boss America, yet on his comedy tours he had been presented with a uniform corporate country, where every town could be identical except for the accents and the climate. On his journey the people he met lamented the loss of the "mom and pop" stores from their towns and seemed powerless to stop the encroachment of the big corporations. The stores, gas stations and motels he did use seemed to me to be so much more friendly than the chains.
In the UK the same is happening. The development of "out of town" retail centres abounds, and they are generally identical.
So my question for my American cousins is this. Do you lament the loss of your independent retail outlets? Do use independents? What can the likes of me and you do to preserve them?
Andaluciae
06-02-2008, 02:26
There was a South Park episode about this, where the kids sought to destroy the Wal Mart by destroying its heart. They got to the back of the store, in the electronics section, where the heart was kept behind a small door. They opened the door to find a mirror.
Needless to say, they smashed the mirror, and the Wal Mart collapsed, but was rebuilt in the morning.
Fall of Empire
06-02-2008, 02:42
Yes, I do lament the fact that I travelled to Louisiana and then returned to my home over 1,500 miles away to find things EXACTLY THE SAME. I was surprised to find West Virginians dressing, talking, and acting identically to how we do things in the suburbs. The consequence of globalization, I guess. There are still regional differences, but they are perpetually growing smaller.
Do you lament the loss of your independent retail outlets? yes.
Do use independents? What can the likes of me and you do to preserve them? support them. even if prices are better than the big chains, the quality is better, etc. support them.
B E E K E R
06-02-2008, 02:50
I watched it too Oliie...but lets face it...this is not just an American phenomenon...you cant walk down the street in the UK without seeing a new Tesco Local popping up on the corner...and the place is being overrun at the moment by the likes of Starbucks...
The Parkus Empire
06-02-2008, 02:52
"So Mom and Pop's plan was to move into the neighborhood, establish trust--for 48 years, and then run off with Jerry's sneakers?"
"Apparently."
Boonytopia
06-02-2008, 02:54
It's the same situation in Aus too. I try to use independent businesses where possible & avoid the chains.
B E E K E R
06-02-2008, 03:05
its better than the non-local superstores though which only serve to turn village centers into ghost towns
same end product...different packaging ;)
Call to power
06-02-2008, 03:07
I watched it too Oliie...but lets face it...this is not just an American phenomenon...you cant walk down the street in the UK without seeing a new Tesco Local popping up on the corner...and the place is being overrun at the moment by the likes of Starbucks...
its better than the non-local superstores though which only serve to turn village centers into ghost towns
of course you can always tell are towns apart by the postal code graffiti :)