July 18th
Starbucks and the unspoken casualties
I think the underlying tragedy here has probably been the many small family-owned businesses that Starbucks has helped to close down over the years. They knew exactly what they were doing when they made those “poor real estate decisions”. They never planned on leaving any of those locations open, and I can’t believe that anyone would think otherwise. Do you really think they NEEDED one 40 feet away from another? I really wish people would put more thought into the often unspoken casualties of supporting their local Starbucks/Blockbuster/WalMart/Costco, etc.
You have a voice as a consumer and where you choose to spend your dollar does affect everything. Say no to the homogenization of America. Please support your neighbors and shop locally whenever possible.
If we don’t start making better (more local) decisions on where we spend our money we can all say goodbye to every mom and pop store in America. I realize that often times these chains (in particular a WalMart or an Amazon or Target or whatever) are a more convenient way to shop than buying things piece-meal from numerous independent specialty stores, but ultimately I think the effort to shop locally is important. Our patronage of local retailers keeps them in business and keeps alive a city’s local charm, independence and character. I imagine a city without local coffee shops and boutiques and book stores and it saddens me to think of the unique culture that was lost with failure of these businesses.
For a long time there was not a Starbucks to be found in Baltimore (likely due more to the city’s economic woes than to any unified push against chain establishments but still) but you can see them around more frequently now. There’s also a Best Buy downtown now while the small, ancient electronics store in Canton is closing. And the Outback Steakhouse in the Can Company appears to always be packed with people while corner bars and restaurants throughout the city fail to be able to pay their bills. It’s sad. And I think one day when we’re fat off of bloomin’ onions and our Kindle Reader is broken and we’ve had our fill of $5.00 coffee, we will regret always putting convenience over quality and character.
This is a nice thought, but it isn’t realistic. People shop at places like Walmart out of necessity, not because they like it. If you ask anyone why they shop at Walmart, the typical answer will be “because of the low prices.” If a single parent is presented with 2 identical packs of toilet paper, one selling for $2.99 and the other for $5, it doesn’t really matter which store is offering it. That’s how Walmart became so successful. They undercut the competition so much that it drove a lot of the mom and pops out of business.
The Walmarts of the world completely dilute a unique community, but they also provide opportunities for folks who wouldn’t have them otherwise. I think it’s inappropriate to expect people to change their shopping habits if it means a lower quality of life for them.
My argument doesn’t apply to places like Starbucks however, which charge an arm and a leg for a cup of joe. That’s why I go to Bluehouse :)
