I live near two small towns, and I have seen the effects of "brands" in these towns, and they are quite devastating. There is one main street, which encompasses a wide variety of hometown eating, buying and selling cars, grocery shopping, and many other services. Subway is also in this same town, not on the same street, but in the same town. Subway is a bargain to get a footlong sub for five dollars, you can't beat it. That's exactly why these local small restaurants can't compete, they have to make money, and they can't sell footlong subs for five dollars. Same thing with the grocery store, prices are more expensive here than at larger stores, because the local store needs to make money to stay a float. When it all boils down to it small businesses can't compete with brand names like meijer, kroger, or k-mart. It's destroying little towns like the one I live near.
Living near toledo and detroit there are always rumors, and/ or jokes about them being "bad". There are bad sides of every town, but not as bad as people make them out to be. The people that say bad things about these neighborhoods are just contributing to the stereotypes that this area has already recieved. This "bad" space/ side of town is avoided by people at all costs. I guess this is a way of people having a feeling of self security. A public space such as detroit and toledo should never be as unsafe as people make it out to be. This space is for all to use, unlike private which is used for monitary profit or however the owner see's fit.
In this chapter it talks about people going on vacation to one of two locations or types of locations. One is a very urban city where their is alot of things to do. The second is the "nature" vacation where people go to be secluded and enjoy the space that is open and free, not conjested with people. My family and I go on vacation often and most of the time our family chooses the second option. We would much rather prefer a non conjested nature vacation rather than going to a city. I would relate our decision with where we live, we live in the country and are more likley to enjoy a nature vacation rather than someon who dwells in the city.
When it comes to "good" and "bad" parts town what your saying is so true. I live in Sylvania which is deemed in most's opinions are a good side of town while Toledo which is like 10 miles away is "bad". But I can see this as somewhat of a true statement. These types of places are deemed bad because of the crime rate. But why is there crime rate in these cities if for some reason people called them the good side of town would the sterotyping and the crime rate deminish?
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with what is going on near your town the same thing is starting to happen near mine. Although I think that the new 24 bipass is going to help out my little town, although it may hurt us more than help us.
ReplyDeleteI also like what you said about vacations and how you say that your family likes to go to country places because of how your lifestyles are.
I like Eric's point on Subway in a small town. The effect that a big chain can have on a small town with many ma and pop stores and restaurants. I think the town really may have had a big say in the placement of where that Subway was placed.
ReplyDeleteAlso, growing up 15 minutes east of Cleveland and 20 minutes west of Akron, I definitely see what you're saying about the different parts of town. Cleveland and "Crackron" have been deemed bad or ugly cities because of crime, poverty, and the amount of homelessness. There is all of those things in many suburbs, and areas outside of those cities, people should focus on the positive amount of space opposed to the negative.
I live in a small town of Delta and we are definately effected by the larger companies. Our local grocery store had to close down years ago because of the effects of everyone going to Wauseon to go to walmart. It is now back and running but it is a struggle to get everyone to want to go there because the prices are more expensive.
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