[Hatless Wonder]

Buying local is a nice concept, but I've lived in enough places where local merchants were the only game in town, and they were awful. National chains are good for keeping local merchants on their toes.

My father worked in Manchester NH for a few years. We lived in North Central MA. We didn't move to NH for several reasons, but one was extremely high property taxes. He said higher retail prices overall cancelled out the lack of a sales tax. That was 15 years ago; things might have changed.

[Lilybeans]

Originally Posted by Hatless Wonder

National chains are good for keeping local merchants on their toes.

No longer needed, now that we have the internet. You can buy anything online.

[looking4home]

Uh-oh! Someone rip the L.L.bean catalog out of Lilybeans' hands!!!
Seriously, who wants to wait (or pay through the nose) for items to come via the postal service (do so at your own risk!) or UPS/FedEx? I have enough anxiety in my life. Besides, ordering something to be delivered to your doorstep is not very "green". Think about all those greenhouse emissions just to get your little ol' item from point A to point B!

[mustmove]

Originally Posted by looking4home

Uh-oh! Someone rip the L.L.bean catalog out of Lilybeans' hands!!!
Seriously, who wants to wait (or pay through the nose) for items to come via the postal service (do so at your own risk!) or UPS/FedEx? I have enough anxiety in my life. Besides, ordering something to be delivered to your doorstep is not very "green". Think about all those greenhouse emissions just to get your little ol' item from point A to point B!

They still have to ship to the store and then you drive the stuff home from the store. I'm guessing the green level is equal. And for someplace like Amazon that doesn't maintain a brick store and drop ships from wherever the stuff is to your house(in a truck moving other things at the same time) is greener than buying local. On the other hand I'd rather work for a big box store than a mom and pop store the pay is probably the same but benefits and upward mobility(if you have half a brain) is better with the big box. I'm in no way suggesting that folks behave this way just pointing out a few things. You all do whatever you fancy.

[stevemorse]

Originally Posted by GypsySoul22

Yes, I have been to Burlington, but it's kind of far for shopping casually.

Lilly, we do shop in Lebanon, Claremont and today we went to Concord.

By real stores, I kind of mean stuff like we had in NY...I am not a shopping addict but sometimes I miss places like 711, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Old Navy..

I just get annoyed by 'busy bodies' who lecture 'by local' all the time.

this was one of my biggest problems when I moved to Plattsburgh area ( AKD Park) , plattsburgh was the nearest city. My grip was THE LACK OF CHOICES> I was used to choices in NJ, so guess what, I did move back to NJ and dont regret it. However I am not putting VT down, however some areas have no choices. So as someone said, leave if this is a problem and it is and was for me. I never realized that I practically grew up in a suburb of NYC ( BErgen COunty NJ). I look back and say what was I thinking, my experience in the ADK's were built all on fantasy in my mind. Once Winter hit, I turned into the guy in that movie the Shining. I thought I had it all figured out, until I realized what the hell was I RUNNING FROM???? I moved home, I have my log cabin still the the woods and its a nice vacation , in otherwords someone said it in another post, move if its not right.