mom and pop businesses (Home Depot, neighborhood, taxes)

[splashlanding]

how do you feel about all the superstores putting mom and pop stores out of business???

[CTGirlNoMore]

While I like some of the bigger stores, I do miss a lot of the mom and shops we used to have here. My mother lives down the street from where I grew up and when I visit her it's sad to see the empty/half empty mini plazas. I'm always saying "remember when X used to be there, it was so convenient/nice/etc.".

[SAKIRAV]

Exactly what I say about Manhattan......

[sweatyhotviolentwestpalm]

Yrs ago there was alot of mom & pop stores entrepreneurship was alive & well.as the big box stores came along the county & municipalities realized the tax base would come form the bigger corporations.mom & pop shops got squeezed out by the nazi code regime & license & occupational fee's & the out of control zoning.
Mom & pop gave up fighting them and alot closed there doors.
City of wpb wanted a store to bring there "beautification" up to code & revamp the look outside as well as inside. The cost to the business owner 385,000.00 he closed his doors.
This county has continued to go after the jugular of entrepenuers & mom & pop shops it has gotten to the poin that it is not allowed.
Though they will never tell you they don't want it the fact is mom & pop shops become granma & grandpa out of work.

[MovingFrDC]

I think its all about whether you are getting better value or not. I like certain "big box" stores like Best Buy, as I have found that "mom and pop" electronics stores both overcharge you and give you misinformation while you're shopping. On the other hand, a personalized touch at a local hardware store is much more appealing to me than the lack of help you get at a place like Home Depot. So its all about whether you're getting value out of the smaller store or not. I don't miss shopping for produce at a crappy little bodega, I paid more and got less choice than I get at a nice supermarket.

[TriMT7]

I try to patronize independent and local restaurants as much as possible, especially those in my immediate neighborhood that are within walking or biking distance. Their success is my success. When it comes to retail, though, and especially for "everyday items" it's just so convenient to load up on everything in once place like the mall or Target.

[whosez]

I think we should patronize local businesses as much as we can. Box stores do bring jobs and pay taxes that benefit our communities and they do serve a purpose. At one time, some of them were small, family owned businesses (Walmart for example). I think it's good to spread our money around.