I thought about this issue for a couple days. The attitudes seem to be that it's one or the other. Small family owned mom and pop businesses can't possibly exist side by side with national chain businesses. Quite frankly, I think both can exist side by side and thrive together. It's happening today all along Lake and the other southside commercial corridors.
I can go to Rainbow, Cub, Target, K-Mart, Home Depot, Office Max, Rex Hardware, Velna's Hardware, Ace Hardware, Bennet Hardware, Los Amigos, Shuang Hur, Sindbads, Bills, Mercado Central, Karmel Square, Dunn Brothers, Spy House, Acadia, Brueggers, Einsteins, the list goes on and on. I can reach all of these places except for Home Depot within about 5 minutes. I don't understand why people think we have to choose between one or the other. I went to Robert's shoes when I was in Kindergarten to get my Cordovan Mary Jane's for school. That business has survived through the worst of times. I bet he is excited about the possibility of selling wing tips again. I don't hear any of the ethnic business owner families I know complaining about it either. The Latino Economic Development Center is busy finding new opportunities all down Lake Street. I haven't ever heard Ramon Leon, Exec. Dir. state he dislikes chain businesses and thinks they are bad for Mexican Latino economic development. Back when we thought we might actually realize the dream of re-opening Nicollet I met with the Asian business owners on Nicollet. They were very excited about the development even though it included a K-Mart and a Cub. They were not concerned at all about competing with the big boys or with themselves for that matter. I think there is plenty of room for both types of business on Lake Street, Nicollet and Chicago. It's already a proven fact. The thing that has proven time after time to be really bad for us on Lake Street is a boarded vacant building. Barb Lickness Whittier ===== "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." -- Margaret Mead REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
