Chains vs. one-of-a-kind businesses
Wow, such animosity over a simple post a few weeks ago.
Basically this is how I feel about the Grove. For a long time in the 1990s the Grove was changed into a tourist destination, before that I think it was both locals and tourists. Now the tourists are gone, they prefer South Beach and the Design District/Midtown area. That's where the celebs hang out and that is where the tourists and even the Kendall crowd goes.
The Grove needs to lure locals to survive, mostly Grovites. We in the Grove, and I think I speak for a large number of people, would prefer one-of-a-kind shops rather than chain stores. I can easily hop into my car and get to Dadeland or the new Midtown area and get what I need from the chains.
Recently I have been up north and I noticed that Greenwich Village, NY most of Cambridge, Mass, Salem, Mass and even Park Slope, Brooklyn thrive on local businesses. This is what draws out-of-towners and locals to small village-style areas.
That being said, I am not against the chains moving in, but I would prefer a local small clothing store to The Limited any day and I prefer The Bookstore's coffee area to Starbucks. These local establishments have a local ambiance and charm to them. I shop Shell Lumber, not Home Depot, I like The Sandbar Grill over TGI Fridays or Bennigan's. Just my choice. But I am not fighting the chains. Whomever pays the rent is welcome in my eyes. I am counting the days until Qdoba opens. I love them.
I think The Improv is a big asset to the Grove. They are a chain, but they nicely fit in and draw people to the area. Borders Books did the same and they are a chain. Apparently they didn't draw enough people, but they were more than welcome.
I think the ridiculous rents have a lot to do with who comes, who goes and who stays.
posted by Tom Falco at 9:56 AM
YOU MAY NOT LIFT THE PHOTOS & TEXT. IT'S COPYRIGHTED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. YOU CAN HOWEVER SHARE A STORY ON SOCIAL MEDIA BY USING THE LINKS HERE.
For linking to this one story, just click on the time it was posted & just this story will open for sharing - only through social media. Not copying and pasting.
15 Comments:
The other enormously important point in this debate is that local stores recirculate money in the local economy. That just isn't the case for the chains. The only money the chains tend to put back into the local economy is the (minimal) wages paid to the employees, and state/local taxes.
Contrast with a local owner, who spends his/her profits here, reinvests in business expansion here, and whose employees are also their neighbors.
Shameless plug: .... For those who prefer the local merchants, please stop by when we move our real estate office to our new location on 27th and Bird. Tigertail Realty will serve your needs quickly and professionally and we never charge those annoying "administrative" fees.
In addition to high rents, one of the major problems for small businesses is regulations -- compliance with onerous zoning restrictions and other ordinances requires a lot of overhead expense, in the form of lawyers, fees, architects, contractors, and the like. Only the big chains can afford those kinds of expenses.
Of course, the big fat irony in all of this is that -- consistent with their penchant for spending other people's money -- most Grovites typically want to increase regulations, rather than the other way around.
It is really great that everyone wants to support small local businesses and stores and I am all for it, but chains are great and not everyone wants to spent 45 minutes driving on US1 going to the Falls or Dadeland.
I mean c'mon people there are so many crappy stores around i am not into stores like Palm Produce who goes in, I mean who wants to go in, I live next door to that store and I see what is the volume of the clientele, how they stay in business I cant figure it out.
What is wrong with chain stores or restaurants, if you did not have the places like Cheesecake Factory or Victoria's Secret the whole place would be dead.
would be great if the coconut grove chamber of commerce as well as the merchants association could actually help lure the kind of shops an earlier 'poster' wrote about in NYC. Why just down the street in South Miami there are dozens of small non-chain stores that are wonderful to go to - and they have no parking to speak of either. As others have spoken before, the Grove shops currently market to a very young shopper. Even so, that's all there is - clothing and shoes. There are no housewares, antiques, lamps, bakeries, etc. etc. A quaint village shopping area needs much more than size zero jeans and tops
grapevine, of course you dont like limited, its all womens clothing. But let me tell you as a broke grad student the limited offere very reasonably priced professional clothing that doesnt require dry cleaning which i cannot afford. I was pretty devistated they closed. Not all chains are bad. We may each have our preferences, but I can tell you the smaller independant clothing stores in the grove dont carry the type of wash and wear professional clothing I used to get a limited. Now I have to treak all the way to dade land and that stinks for me and I am sure other young women who are regulars there.
I personally would rather shop in a Limited-kind-of-store than in some of the awful boutiques that have existed at various times around the Grove.
Many of these boutiques cater to a mythical trendy young hip clientele that either (1) doesn't really exist or (2) is too young to have any real money.
I have also found that, in many cases, "charms" equals inconvenient return policies (e.g., store credit only), higher prices and a limitation on the sizes kept in stock. Chain stores basically do away with those problems.
For example, Shell Lumber is not open on Sundays, closes early, has no A/C along most of the store and has tiny parking. Home Depot (at least this one in the Grove) closes late, opens Sunday, has a huge inventory of most things you'd want, ample parking and A/C in the entire store. Except for the name, which causes some kind of religious fervor among many... there is nothing to hate. And, in contrast to other HD's, service here is on the friendly and adequate side, something that, in other HD's... well... not really.
As a Grove shopper, what I really would like to see is more stores of every kind, better parking, and in my hope against hope, an extension of th basic 3 streets so that I can walk more. Right now, one can basically walk the Grove in 30 minutes. I would love the Grove to be a 2 hour walk, as it is the last great walking space.
it's trendy to hate chains. some people actually get paid to oppose walmarts around the country.
as a consumer, i just want the best price, the best service and the best goods. whoever delivers, that's who i will patronize.
im not here to subsidize local merchants who dont know how to compete for business.
that said, the grove needs more retail. but i suspect the rents are leftover from the glory years and the landlords haven't realized they need to drop their fantasies.
Thank you for showing the photo of that particular space. Please, please show it again in one weeks
time.
What the first anonymous said -- aside from a few really cool shops, aren't 90% of the stores vending women's clothing? (size 0 jeans like you said, LOL). Where's the diversity of wares? And those black booths look draconian!
grove has the CRAPIEST stores in the city, I mean c'mon people it is pathetic, bring target and mini burdines ASAP
Great post I for one would prefer to help the "mom and pop" stores or smaller stores then help a big chain. It makes me feel like the money I am spending is helping a family survive in this ever expensive times we live. That being said yes I have shopped in large chains but there is a beauty to riding down a street and seeing locals and businesses, you walk in and get a smile from someone instead of "next one in line!"
This of course is just my Humble Opinion
There is a correlation between lack of small mom & pop stores, high taxes & regulation. We all want to enjoy a charming environment with unique shopping, but most in this community will trip all overthemselves and vote for the political party that promises more taxes (on the rich which most S-Corps end up being considered rich) and more regulation.
Look what is happening to that non-profit women's club. They may have to close their doors because of a regulation that will benefit less than 1% of those that visit the club.
In the end, we get what we deserve & the majority of the Grove will continue to vote for taxes and regulation and hope for a different result. If I am not mistaken this is the definition of insanity.
The Women's Club is being ordered to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, which was passed under Reagan. If you don't like taxes and regulation, I hear Afghanistan's nice this time of year.
Funny how the ADA is being applied to the Women's Club and not the broken sidewalks around here. Ever tried to push a stroller in the Grove?
Qdoba is a chain!!!!! It's a huge franchise!!!!
Post a Comment
<< Home