[Ellwood]

Originally Posted by ex-springfielder

I'm 20 miles outside of Portland in the country where's it's just as quiet as being in Vermont, yet within a 20 mile radius I have 4 super walmarts, a major mall and more other stores then I think all of southern Vermont has. I can also go to one of several museums, go to a minor league baseball or hockey game and oh yes, my property taxes are $3000 cheaper on a bigger house so I can afford to shop.

People in southern VT i.e. Arlington, Bennington, Manchester drive to Wilton in NY and Saratoga (about 35 miles) and there is a super Walmart, Target, Dick's, Bon-ton, JC Penney, BJ's, etc. Cheaper to make a car trip once a month for the money they save on food and clothing. There are museums, SPAC (Springtsteen concert last week), great children's museum and high quality restaurants on Broadway. Friends who visited recently, who had never been to Saratoga, were amazed at the little city within 10 miles of peace and quiet and country roads.

[ABQConvict]

If shopping at big stores with big selections is so integral to your lifestyle I'd say you live in the wrong place.

I wouldn't move to India and say, "Why don't you people have steak houses, I mean vegetarianism is all well and good, but want a steak!"


ABQConvict

[ex-springfielder]

I think the lack of shopping is just one problem that Vermonters face. I lived in vermont all my life, raised three sons and saw them all through college, now all three of my sons have jobs in NH and I'm in Maine. Other than vast tracks of second and third growth forest what does Vermont offer it's citizens. For the average Vermont citizen struggling with shrinking job opportunities and ever increasing taxes Vermonts lack of major chain stores is just one of the high cost of being poor. Instead of buying a loaf of bread at Walmart for 99 cents they have to pay $3.99 at the corner ma and pa store, I guess that's their contribution to maintaining the Vermont brand.

[looking4home]

Originally Posted by ABQConvict

I wouldn't move to India and say, "Why don't you people have steak houses, I mean vegetarianism is all well and good, but want a steak!"

Not a good analogy! That's a religious belief, although disliking big box retailers has turned into something akin to a religious belief for some.

[quickdraw]

Originally Posted by ex-springfielder

I think the lack of shopping is just one problem that Vermonters face. I lived in vermont all my life, raised three sons and saw them all through college, now all three of my sons have jobs in NH and I'm in Maine. Other than vast tracks of second and third growth forest what does Vermont offer it's citizens. For the average Vermont citizen struggling with shrinking job opportunities and ever increasing taxes Vermonts lack of major chain stores is just one of the high cost of being poor. Instead of buying a loaf of bread at Walmart for 99 cents they have to pay $3.99 at the corner ma and pa store, I guess that's their contribution to maintaining the Vermont brand.

Just another incredibly dumb post from someone who left a dumpy town like Springfield and somehow equates decaying Springfield with all of vermont. Most Vermonters are close enough to medium size stores where they can get a loaf of bread for a couple of dollars. Not all Vermonters are, but neither are all Mainers or New Hampshirites. All of your family has jobs in NH and Maine. My whole family in Vermont has jobs, so what? Maine's unemployment rate is higher than Vermont's. Stop your babbling. For whatever reason you couldn't cut it in Vermont. Let it go. Learn from your mistakes and thrive in Maine.

[quickdraw]

Originally Posted by ABQConvict

If shopping at big stores with big selections is so integral to your lifestyle I'd say you live in the wrong place.

I wouldn't move to India and say, "Why don't you people have steak houses, I mean vegetarianism is all well and good, but want a steak!"


ABQConvict

Exactly. People move to Vermont and complain about the lack of box stores. Here's a great idea, if you want to live near box stores, move near box stores.

[KoZmiC NinJa]

I lived in Proctor a few years ago and always check in from Florida.....
If I never see a big box store again, Id be a very happy individual.
Even if bread was 3.99, thats a small price to pay for quality of life
and supporting your neighbor. Theres zillions of places to move for
convenience type lifestyle, but only a few for people who dont require
consumerist lifestyle. I hope VT can fight the consume-a-palooza
mindset

[looking4home]

quickdraw, you were very rude to ex-springfielder. I think you owe them an apology. I think it's very apparent from this thread who the lifestyle elitists are. Those who wish Vermont to remain frozen in time, or to exist in some alternate, Woodstock-meets-Norman-Rockwell universe. We are all overjoyed to hear your entire family is gainfully employed. However, that's not the case for many in Vermont, including the poster who started this thread.

[mustmove]

Milk a mile away at the local convenience store 2.29 a gallon. Walmart, Target, Hannafords, Roche brothers are all local. Trader Joes and Whole foods are @ 15 miles away. Sure is pretty up there but you pay a very high price.

[Lilybeans]

Originally Posted by looking4home

quickdraw, you were very rude to ex-springfielder. I think you owe them an apology. I think it's very apparent from this thread who the lifestyle elitists are. Those who wish Vermont to remain frozen in time, or to exist in some alternate, Woodstock-meets-Norman-Rockwell universe. We are all overjoyed to hear your entire family is gainfully employed. However, that's not the case for many in Vermont, including the poster who started this thread.

I would be happy never to see a big box store again.

Frankly, I don't think it's logical to complain about lack of jobs and then in the next breath talk about shopping in a big box store. Where do you think the jobs are? In China. And every time someone shops at a big box, more jobs go to China.