Guilt on Main Street
November 13th, 2009 © by Susan Swartz
I’ve been feeling guilty for not spending more money in the hood. It’s not because there aren’t ample ways to buy local. We live within walking distance to book stores and restaurants, a movie theater, playhouse, coffee hangouts, boutiques, bakeries, an ice cream parlor. The same temptations exist as before. But in November of 2009 we buy groceries, dog food and new tires.
Things have changed. Everyone’s on a budget. But this mess can’t last forever and while we can’t do much about Wall Street we want Main Street to be there when we bravely open our wallets again. But now I often walk past a store or restaurant and wave… and wince. I hope someone’s in there spending money because I haven’t been. I feel bad looking in the window with the artsy jewelry and not popping for some new earrings. My local indie book store can’t count on me like it used to.
I feel like I’m dodging a jilted boyfriend and I don’t want the storekeepers to take my absence personal, but how else can a merchant take it when customers walk on by? I want to say to the owners of the seafood restaurant, “Hang on to those crab cakes and when things get better we’ll be back.”
I told this to the guy who has the music store downtown. I used to be a fairly good customer because without music the world would be a drab, soulless place but buying a new CD isn’t at the top of my current budget. I confessed my guilt and he kind of absolved me and said everyone is cautious. He, too, is not buying as many books or eating out as much. Then he sold me the new Sting album.
It was sad when the shoe store closed. It was pricey but the staff knew their merchandise and the shoes were both comfortable and hip. I should have told them that if they lasted a little longer I would have rationalized that pair of Canada-made boots.
You don’t want to live in a town with empty storefronts, where the windows are covered with faded newspapers and no one’s around to sweep up cigarette butts. A lively Main Street is part of a town’s personality. I enjoy the white lights twinkling from the beer garden even though we haven’t been there for months. I don’t surf but I’m happy the surfboard store manages to thrive.
You don’t have to be a member of the Chamber of Commerce to applaud every gutsy merchant who keeps the doors open. And those people who open new businesses – like the kitchen and garden store and the art gallery – deserve some kind of chutzpah award.
Experts say that the American consumer society has been forever changed. In many ways that’s good. People are saving more than spending. We’re staying home more, growing our own veggies, buying clothes at consignment shops, thinking before we charge. The dismal economy has been a harsh teacher and spending money is risky business.
The mayor of my town started a Dine Local program, inviting townspeople to join her at a different restaurant every week. It’s a good idea. It not only helps out small business owners but gives us stay-at-homes permission to spring for an evening out.
We all do what we can. Sharing a burger at the bar. That’s do-able.
Susan Swartz is an author and journalist in Sebastopol, California You can also read her at www.juicytomatoes.com and hear her Another Voice commentary on KRCB-FM radio on Fridays. Email is susan@juicytomatoes.com
Photo: Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks
Tags: Juicy_Tomatoes, Main_Street, recession, Susan_Swartz
RSS Feed
November 14th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
I SO hear you. I haven’t even stepped foot into our new kitchen store, my favorite clothing boutique, or any of my other favorite haunts be it retail or restaurant. And, my bookstore now is the library.
I could not bear to see my local, private grocery store go away…so in spite of our trimmed budget and the good deals elsewhere, I make them my home-town priority.
Thank you for bringing this topic close to home. I may be buying a LOT less this holiday season, but I think I’ll check out our local music store this time, instead of buying on-line.
Hmmm, I sure would like that CD you just bought
November 15th, 2009 at 8:55 pm
I live in the same wonderful town you do, Susan, and I share the guilt. I’m spending less, but I try to do most of my spending-less by not frequenting the mall in the larger town nearby, and spend a little more in my sweet home town. The other day, a friend and I were trying to decide between two Main St. restaurants. One was packed, the other almost empty. “Let’s eat in this one,” I said, heading for the almost empty one. “They need our business.” They made us a wonderful meal that wasn’t even on the menu, exactly to our specs of what we wanted to eat that evening. I’d hate to see them close because our purse strings are tightened too much to allow for an occasional meal out.
November 16th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
We know things change but we never expected such a dramatic illustration of it in our lifetime, did we? The closed Main Street stores are so sad but a couple of newly opened stores in Lake County seem even sadder because they seem destined not to last long. A community only needs a limited number of tchotchkes.
Shoe repair shops are said to have done very well during the Great Depression. Anybody seen one of those lately?
November 18th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
I live in a small town called Fallbrook, tucked in the corner of north San Diego County and not unlike your downtown Sebastopol. We have a Main Street also and you took the words right out of my mind. I work downtown and it seems like every week another store closes its doors. Tell Sophie we have a local shoe repair shop and so far he’s sticking in there and thriving.
Every Friday from 10 to 3 the village sqaure has a an open air market and it’s nice to see it full of both venders and customers.
In the summer, each month, 3 blocks close down to all vehicles and they have an event called Hot Summer Nights. All the stores and restaurants stay open. Live bands play. There are vintage cars and chili cook offs. It’s well received by all. To keep all our main streets alive, it requires a lot of pulling together with creative ideas, a lot of support and continued patronage.
A few months ago, Sweet Sicilian, a wonderful Italian bakery, just stuck their foot out and opened their doors on Main St. Wonderful fresh cannoli’s, foccacia, breads and rolls, and gelato! They are doing great! Cudos to their courage.
November 18th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
As a visual shopper, a thrifter, reuser and an occasional brandnew gotta have it splurger, I have the greatest respect for the small business person who has delighted us over the past decade with cozy spots to tantalize our every want and need. They are the creatives who hang sparkly lights and pass out treats at Halloween, organize art walks and festivals, parades and theme days all to draw business and good will. I have watched these folks revitalize streets and neighborhoods, filling storefronts with things we didn’t know we couldn’t live with out and inspiring whole communities to be out and about. I hate seeing them give up - and I know that my small purchases can’t keep them afloat.