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You folks are putting these local businesses up on a pedestal as though they're the very lifeblood of our community, but in many cases they're rich, inconsiderate people who pay their employees poorly, offer no benefits, cut every corner whenever possible, and do very little to give back to the community. Of course there are exceptions, but I feel no moral imperative to put more money in the pockets of Mr. and Mrs. Fatcat who own the silly little cafe down the street.
Well then thank goodness I live in an area that true folks from our local community try to open small businesses! Or that we have long time families that carry on the tradition of the mom and pop store! That they hire from our communities and give high school kids their first chance at earning a paycheck! BTW I don't know very many places that offer part time or now getting to be full time workers benefits anymore in our area. I would rather give to folks in my community than a corporate possibly overseas owner.
I disagree the Mom & Pop businesses are the backbone of our economy or our country. The Free Market is the backbone of our economy. We have (or at least did have) the best system in the world for innovation, improvement in quality of life and for a vigorous thriving economy. And this system has places for chain businesses, exotic boutique establishments, and quaint mom & pop stores.
Unfortunately, excessive taxing, regulation and subsidies from governments, tinker with the market and the result is that some bad businesses stay around, and some good businesses fail. But still, in general, market forces (most of which are determined by folks like us) determine who stays in business, who thrives and expands, and who fails.
Although I respect any local "mom & pop" effort, and I am inclined toward going out of my way to patronize locals, I refuse to personally "subsidize" a business with inferior products or services, including hours of service. They need to adapt to consumer demand or perish.
The Free Market is a value-free concept. It takes into account no sociological impacts.
That's why individuals have a moral imperative to support their own values through the products they buy and the businesses they patronize. We vote with our checkbooks.
I don't disagree with you there. Yes the free market is not a moral or value-based entity, but consumers are. And consumers' behavior make up the strongest of market forces.
Consumers decide what their values are, and patronize businesses that best match those values (whether it's businesses that sell superior products, treat their employees in a certain way, have business hours and practices that are responsive to consumers, businesses that give back to the community in some way, etc.). The businesses that match best with the values of the most consumers do well, those that match with the values of fewer consumers, fail or don't do so well.
Neither is a nation of homogenous cities and towns.
The reason that most people go to chain stores has very little to do with convenience, and more to do with fear of the unknown. People driving past dozons of locally-owned restaurants to find an Applebee's.. Americans seeking out McDonald's in Paris... too unsure of how to order a cup of coffee at a new coffee shop, you go to Starbucks... unsure of where the Gregorian Punk-Chant would be at the local music store, you go online...too afraid to try something new, you only read the New York Times Bestsellers and only buy from Amazon because you're embarrassed by your reading choices...
(I'm sure all of you that have talked up chains will disagree...)
Chain stores are unchallenging and comfortable. Comfort zones are like drugs.
I will agree with you there.
I'd love to support local businesses but since I am a picky eater and someone who hates to waste money on a bad product, I'll just as soon go to a Chain place for my coffee, burger, or whatever.
I will agree with you there.
I'd love to support local businesses but since I am a picky eater and someone who hates to waste money on a bad product, I'll just as soon go to a Chain place for my coffee, burger, or whatever.
Which attitude ensures a perpetual lack of new experiences and bland and boring pre-processed foods.
If you'd love to support local businesses, then do it. It's not that hard.
Which attitude ensures a perpetual lack of new experiences and bland and boring pre-processed foods.
If you'd love to support local businesses, then do it. It's not that hard.
Well as I said, I'm a picky eater.
If I don't like the food, I'm not going to waste my money.
My mom and I had pizza from a locally owned business Tuesday night.
Today I am going to an independent movie theater and I'm going to buy their high priced popcorn just because I know they don't make a dime off ticket sales.
As for my Christmas gifts, I'll try to frequent the local businesses if they have what I want.
I may not spend a lot of my money at local businesses but when I can, I do.
My family actually likes to explore the Mom & Pop stores wherever we live. If we run into a bad one, we just don't go back to it. More often than not, in the case of restaurants, the more hole-in-wall they are, we think the more authentic the cuisine is. And if we like the merchandise and the food, we return as often as it takes for them to recognize us at the door. We live in a border town, and make every effort to shop or eat in our state rather than cross over to the next. I'd like to give the sale to our locals because the sales taxes fund our schools. However, being in a small town, we don't have many of the high-end restaurants...yknow, the kind your husband takes you to a romantic date to?
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