I went to the new Staples in Great Barrington at sunset last night. I felt giddy. I felt guilty. I like the idea of being able to combine a trip to Guido's
or The Triplex with a pit stop at Staples (open 'till 9 PM during the week) for printer ink, notebooks and copy paper, but I don't like that once you step into Staples you could be almost anywhere in the world. With the bright lights and powerful air conditioning, I felt like I was somewhere in Florida. This miasma in Massachusetts hits too close to home. I fear that Great Barrington, which used to be a small country village, may be on its way to becoming a generic, traffic-choked exurb. If Applebee's or Starbucks comes to town, then there will be genuine cause for alarm and despair. Let's hope the "tipping point" is a long way off.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
North of the Border
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10 comments:
The experience of entering Staples in Great Barrington is both convenient and alarming. The concern of a Starbucks may be realized next to the new Stop and Shop.I do hope not. With Rite Aid coming to town it truly does seem times they are changing. The Northwest corner with all this still remains a beautiful oasis.
Dan, I agree. It's nice to have Staples fairly close, but nimby. But are all big box stores the same? When I was a kid, a visit to Woolworth's or Schrafft's was fun. When we were first up here in the early 80's, there was a good "big box" store in Canaan called Leader's, which I miss. It was no miasma. So, perhaps we should make a distinction between them, although I think none has a place in FV.
Peter,
I don't think I would be too happy if a Bed, Bath & Beyond or a Barnes & Noble showed up in Canaan or Millerton or Amenia--or Great Barrington for that matter. It would be very sad if Great Barrington started to look like everywhere else. Most people I know cannot believe how ugly the Stop & Shop complex is in Canaan. How does one define "progress" and "economic development" anyway?
I think Great B'ton has struck a good balance, with the malls on the outskirts, and the downtown unspoiled (except for the traffic). Canaan is a bit more tricky; its downtown is not stable and attractive enough. So the S&S, and whatever is next, pulls away business. Economic development is clearly measurable; progress is subjective, and should be addressed by zoning and selectmen.
Dan,
We've been thru this before but I guess I don't object to these stores. The key is to restrict big box stores to certain areas. I agree w/ Peter that GB has gotten this mostly right.
So, too, has Millerton. Comemrcial strip development there has been mostly limited to what town officials call the Boulevard District east of the Cumberland Farms.
I didn't necessarily move here to live in Norman Rockwell's America. I enjoy having more of the conveniences long enjoyed by our neighbors to the south (broadband access, cell service, a wider variety of goods and services etc).
As for the Stop & Shop, it's a lot prettier than what sits behind it. I would be delighted if a Starbucks sprung up in the new strip mall next to it. I love the coffee and pastries there and could sit there and work on my laptop using their Wi-Fi (another convenience we now have).
I'd rather go to Barrington than Torrington any day and having Staples there is another errand to cross off the Torrington run (although I'm delighted that Target and Panera Bread are coming to Torrington, now if only there was a Trader Joes in the mix!). I'm not much of a big box shopper, but there are times when its really handy...
Noelle,
Where is the Panera going to be in Torrington?
Terry,
I believe its going to be in the Target complex (sort of opposite Home Depot). Not to overly disparage Torrington...but its pretty hard to get something decent to eat in that town!
Big box stores take away business potential from stores that would consider locating in a downtown. Drive around almost anywhere in the country and you'll find old beautiful downtowns that have empty businesses and no one walking the streets because everyone is doing their shopping at big box stores on the outskirts (where the money they spend is not staying in the area but instead going out to shareholders). Any town that thinks it can preserve itself by keeping big box stores on the outskirts is dooming its vitality.
As per finding something decent to eat in Torrington, try "Shiek's" for their overstuffed sandwiches
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