Grocery Stores: What's up

[inthecut]

Originally Posted by passionatearts

How locally-oriented is any city? I've traveled all over the country, and you could ask the same question about any major city in the United States. Chains are a fact of life in modern America, but that doesn't mean they're bad.

I take issue with your statement that non-local franchises "suck the money out of the area." On the contrary - these stores create jobs that contribute to local economy and do pump money into the local economy in the form of sales taxes.

As for the lack of local businesses you described, here's what I think:

--"No locally-based department stores" - Yeah, that's true, but really there aren't that many department stores out there if you think about it. Only a few chains are around.

--"No neighborhood shopping districts" - I guess you haven't been to 2nd Street, SOCO, South Lamar, The Triangle, or Hyde Park. All of those areas are full of local businesses and definitely qualify as neighborhood shopping districts that aren't in the strip mall design.

--"No local clothing" - Austin has never been and probably never will be a center of fashion, so it's not going to attract a ton of fashion designers the way real centers like LA, New York, or even Dallas would. That said, Austin has plenty of good local clothing stores.

--"No small Bookstores" - True, but Book People is an excellent store, and it's an Austin-based store.

--"No small music stores" - Do you mean stores that sell CD's or do you mean musical instrument stores? We have plenty of the latter (take a drive down South Lamar). As for the former - small stores selling CD's have disappeared all over the country. This is not something local to Austin. That said, we still have some excellent smaller stores like Waterloo Records and Cheepos.

--"No sporting goods stores" - I don't know too much about this area. I think Rooster Andrews would qualify (if it's still around). Also don't forget Run Tex.

There's plenty of good local retail businesses in Austin. If you like shopping local, you should check them out.

Thanks for the neighborhood shout-out, PH!


SOCO Shopping:

SoCo Guide - The Austin Chronicle

SOLA Shopping:

How to Shop Austin's South Lamar | eHow.com

2nd street district:

AMLI On 2nd St

Triangle shopping district:

Austin retailers find that it's hip to be in Triangle - Austin Business Journal:

Hyde Park Shopping district:
Shopping Hyde Park Austin | Yelp


I'm lovin' these links to local shopping!

Shop local.......keep the money flowing out here, not "there".....

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by inthecut

On the contrary, Austin residents spend the lions's share of their shopping dollar in franchises that suck the money out of the area......one lazy sunday spent at the Green Mesquite does not absolve one of spending the other 95% of the dollar at national franchises........

Keep Austin local and weird, please....the three local Austin business' that are left thank you....

Sorry, despite their feature on D,D & D, Green Mesquite didn't offer us much reason to return to this Austin-based business. Two different meat entrees, 4 sides, iced tea...all meh, as they say. Flip-happy, on the other hand...

And while we're tossing around terminology, Wal-Mart is not a franchise, I don't believe. Many other area franchise locations(of various businesses) ARE locally owned...hence the name franchise. Of course, the locals pay the franchisER/OR, who may or may not be local. For example, Mellow Mushroom looks like it may be local but unless something has changed, it is a franchise out of Atlanta. Still REALLY like MM.

I agree it's the easy way out for folks looking to enter the retail or service markets without doing all the grunt work...sure provided a chunk of money to the franchisers during the late 80s when the wave of middle-upper managers took early retirement and opened their 'mail box in a box', 'tone and tan' , smoothie shop or whatever the darling of the week was at the time. Couple of other waves over the past two decades...some worked, some didn't. At least a true franchise location usually has a relatively local owner...making the business somewhat local in nature.

I try to seek out businesses who provide a decent value and, if I need it, good service. It might be a big box(not usually my first choice) but it might also be an independent...no automatic guarantees in either case.

[inthecut]

Originally Posted by 10scoachrick

Sorry, despite their feature on D,D & D, Green Mesquite didn't offer us much reason to return to this Austin-based business. Two different meat entrees, 4 sides, iced tea...all meh, as they say. Flip-happy, on the other hand...

And while we're tossing around terminology, Wal-Mart is not a franchise, I don't believe. Many other area franchise locations(of various businesses) ARE locally owned...hence the name franchise. Of course, the locals pay the franchisER/OR, who may or may not be local. For example, Mellow Mushroom looks like it may be local but unless something has changed, it is a franchise out of Atlanta. Still REALLY like MM.

I agree it's the easy way out for folks looking to enter the retail or service markets without doing all the grunt work...sure provided a chunk of money to the franchisers during the late 80s when the wave of middle-upper managers took early retirement and opened their 'mail box in a box', 'tone and tan' , smoothie shop or whatever the darling of the week was at the time. Couple of other waves over the past two decades...some worked, some didn't. At least a true franchise location usually has a relatively local owner...making the business somewhat local in nature.

I try to seek out businesses who provide a decent value and, if I need it, good service. It might be a big box(not usually my first choice) but it might also be an independent...no automatic guarantees in either case.

Thanks for showing us the grey areas of local biz, telling us that GM sucks, and tossing a fun-food place that doesn't our way!

...and you have to love the "out of a trailer" thing at Flip Happy!

Flip Happy Crepes

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by inthecut

Thanks for showing us the grey areas of local biz, telling us that GM sucks, and tossing a fun-food place that doesn't our way!

...and you have to love the "out of a trailer" thing at Flip Happy!

Flip Happy Crepes

Didn't mean to imply 'suckiness', just bland-ness. I never knew you could take the flavor OUT of green beans! Other than the colorful characters and a forgetful waitress, GM just wasn't memorable(in a positive way). Perhaps lunch isn't their forte'.

Other (semi)-local food-places that we've enjoyed...Moonie's burgers in Cedar Park, different locations of Smokey Mo's, Spicy Pickle has some interesting items, Top Notch chicken was tasty(as mentioned in another thread, I'm also fond of Bush's Chicken), Jim's at 183 & McNeil(I understand other locations may/may not compare) and so on...but, I'll hit a Schlotzsky's franchise as quickly as a Rudy's, depending on circumstances and whim.

[inthecut]

Originally Posted by 10scoachrick

Didn't mean to imply 'suckiness', just bland-ness. I never knew you could take the flavor OUT of green beans! Other than the colorful characters and a forgetful waitress, GM just wasn't memorable(in a positive way). Perhaps lunch isn't their forte'.

Other (semi)-local food-places that we've enjoyed...Moonie's burgers in Cedar Park, different locations of Smokey Mo's, Spicy Pickle has some interesting items, Top Notch chicken was tasty(as mentioned in another thread, I'm also fond of Bush's Chicken), Jim's at 183 & McNeil(I understand other locations may/may not compare) and so on...but, I'll hit a Schlotzsky's franchise as quickly as a Rudy's, depending on circumstances and whim.

"Tanks" for the new local links!

http://www.hillcountrynews.com/2008_best_of/Fries.pdf (broken link)

Smokey Mos BBQ, Austin, Round Rock, Georgetown, Cedar Park - Home Page

Food: Review - Top Notch Restaurant - The Austin Chronicle

But sorry, Spicy Pickle is a franchise from Denver, and doesn't count!

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by inthecut

"Tanks" for the new local links!

http://www.hillcountrynews.com/2008_best_of/Fries.pdf (broken link)

Smokey Mos BBQ, Austin, Round Rock, Georgetown, Cedar Park - Home Page

Food: Review - Top Notch Restaurant - The Austin Chronicle

But sorry, Spicy Pickle is a franchise from Denver, and doesn't count!

Well, hush my mouth! I got the 'local' impression by visiting a location that felt like it was locally owned/run...just the way a franchise should impress! Guess I shouldn't ASSume...hey, if I'm going to get older, I might as well get smarter! Good catch, itc.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by mudbug

On HEB I have to say stop shoving your store brands down our throats. Try finding Green Giant frozen vegs. No store brands are not always as good try the HEB vanilla wafers. My dog would not eat them and he likes cookies.

I buy Green Giant frozen veggies (and a couple of other less-well-known brands that are not the store brand) at HEB all the time. At a couple of them, in fact. I do buy some HEB store brand items that I've tried that turned out, upon actually doing a comparison, to be better than the "name" brands (and as a foodie, I'm picky about such things). Which one are you shopping at?