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Can High Gas Prices Help Small Town America? 
We've all heard the tales. Small town businesses are being shut down by the big box predatory retailers, who use cheap labor and undercut prices to drive "mom n' pop" out of business. This is only spurred on by a consumer class that is concerned primarily with price instead of quality or service. Cheap goods from China, Mexico, Vietnam, and Taiwan are becoming more and more necessary for the increasing number of people below the poverty line.
America's economy used to be modular, like it is in Europe. People centered themselves around towns, since travel was difficult and lengthy. Each town had stores where the locals could buy supplies. This lasted throughout the 50's, 60's, and even into the 70's.
My grandmother grew up and lived most of her life during this time. Her husband, my grandfather, ran a local auto repair stop/gas station and she was the town's postmaster. I remember how whenever it came time to buy a new appliance, my grandmother would always buy from the local appliance shop, even if she could have gotten that same Zenith television at Sears for a hundred bucks cheaper. She knew this, but bought from the local guys anyway because she cared more about supporting local businesses and the community than getting the best price. All the businesses downtown had done favors for my grandparents over the years, and my grandparents gladly reciprocated. My mother, however, is exactly the opposite. She is a deal hunter and will drive the lengths of the earth to save every penny she possibly can. She didn't grow up in a small town, but near inner city Detroit.
This modular, small-town economy became threatened in the 1980's with the rise of Wal-Mart and other big box retailers. The prices in the city became lower than those in the towns, and people in those towns forgot about "mom n' pop" on Main Street and made the 50, 60, or 70 mile trek to the big city to get their televisions, clothes, and gas grills at rock-bottom prices. Throughout the 80s and 90s, our retail economy went from being modular to monolithicaly centralized. As specialized small town stores went out of business, sprawling mega-marts took their place in population centers. Ma and Pa's Bike Shop became the sporting goods section of Wal-Mart. One-stop shopping became the primary consumer choice.
So what do gas prices have to do with all this? The centralized retail economy depends on one thing: cheap oil. The American system itself depends on cheap oil. That's why the majority of our middle-class population lives in sprawling suburbs instead of the inner city like in other countries. When the average family bought a house in the mid-20th century, they didn't care that they weren't within walking distance to the schools, the doctor's office, or the drug store. Gas was cheap, so they could just drive everywhere. We didn't build up much of a public transportation system because oil was cheap and everyone owned cars.
Today, oil isn't cheap. It's getting more expensive by the day. Even when adjusting for inflation, we are seeing the highest prices for fuel we've ever seen in this country. The higher the price of fuel goes, the less sense it will make to use half a tank of gas to save $50 on a DVD player. Driving habits will change. Consumers will consolidate trips, meaning fewer trips to the all-encompassing centralized retailers. The shops on Main Street will look at lot more appealing than the Mega-Mart 50 miles away as people will start taking fuel costs into account over those lower prices. Sure, large retailers like Wal-Mart move in to rural areas all the time, but they can't open a store in every small town. Higher oil prices may in fact return us to the days where towns and villages were nearly cut off from each other, making the small town business once again a necessity.
America's economy used to be modular, like it is in Europe. People centered themselves around towns, since travel was difficult and lengthy. Each town had stores where the locals could buy supplies. This lasted throughout the 50's, 60's, and even into the 70's.
My grandmother grew up and lived most of her life during this time. Her husband, my grandfather, ran a local auto repair stop/gas station and she was the town's postmaster. I remember how whenever it came time to buy a new appliance, my grandmother would always buy from the local appliance shop, even if she could have gotten that same Zenith television at Sears for a hundred bucks cheaper. She knew this, but bought from the local guys anyway because she cared more about supporting local businesses and the community than getting the best price. All the businesses downtown had done favors for my grandparents over the years, and my grandparents gladly reciprocated. My mother, however, is exactly the opposite. She is a deal hunter and will drive the lengths of the earth to save every penny she possibly can. She didn't grow up in a small town, but near inner city Detroit.
This modular, small-town economy became threatened in the 1980's with the rise of Wal-Mart and other big box retailers. The prices in the city became lower than those in the towns, and people in those towns forgot about "mom n' pop" on Main Street and made the 50, 60, or 70 mile trek to the big city to get their televisions, clothes, and gas grills at rock-bottom prices. Throughout the 80s and 90s, our retail economy went from being modular to monolithicaly centralized. As specialized small town stores went out of business, sprawling mega-marts took their place in population centers. Ma and Pa's Bike Shop became the sporting goods section of Wal-Mart. One-stop shopping became the primary consumer choice.
So what do gas prices have to do with all this? The centralized retail economy depends on one thing: cheap oil. The American system itself depends on cheap oil. That's why the majority of our middle-class population lives in sprawling suburbs instead of the inner city like in other countries. When the average family bought a house in the mid-20th century, they didn't care that they weren't within walking distance to the schools, the doctor's office, or the drug store. Gas was cheap, so they could just drive everywhere. We didn't build up much of a public transportation system because oil was cheap and everyone owned cars.
Today, oil isn't cheap. It's getting more expensive by the day. Even when adjusting for inflation, we are seeing the highest prices for fuel we've ever seen in this country. The higher the price of fuel goes, the less sense it will make to use half a tank of gas to save $50 on a DVD player. Driving habits will change. Consumers will consolidate trips, meaning fewer trips to the all-encompassing centralized retailers. The shops on Main Street will look at lot more appealing than the Mega-Mart 50 miles away as people will start taking fuel costs into account over those lower prices. Sure, large retailers like Wal-Mart move in to rural areas all the time, but they can't open a store in every small town. Higher oil prices may in fact return us to the days where towns and villages were nearly cut off from each other, making the small town business once again a necessity.
New Heads Dressed Up: Lola and Cinnamon
Lola and Cinnamon (thanks for the names, everyone!) are now all dressed up and standing pretty in the store window.
Lola and Cinnamon (thanks for the names, everyone!) are now all dressed up and standing pretty in the store window.
Windows in Full Bloom & Close Encounters of the Awkward Kind
...Uh, I just realized the coffee I spilled this morning has made my cleavage sticky. Yeah, I spilled a bit of cold coffee (not hot, otherwise I'd be complaining more) this afternoon and I thought for sure it missed that area! YES. Hello! My mind is dizzy full of exhausted creativity. The above images are the latest window displays I did for Dala. Worked so hard on 'em today that I forgot to eat! So now all I can imagine is food. For some reason I want the biggest, juiciest, fattest hamburger EVER.
Today, I'm still feeling a bit self conscious (yes, once again, silly Val) from yesterday when my old pal Dale Newby and his girlfriend stopped in. It was a slow day and I hadn't anyone to talk to until they arrived. Last time I saw Dale he was just leaving a movie theatre and my cab had just arrived and so there was no time to play catch up. That was several years ago. Skip ahead four years later and my mouth can't stay closed. I think I was trying to hug him with my words, but it felt more like I was strangling him! My excitement must have been touching, but Dale and his girlfriend are much more quiet, subdued, thoughtful types who were much too polite to tell me to back off! Otherwise perhaps there might have been an exchange of phone numbers and email addresses. In fact, when I asked Dale if he were online at all, he gave me his best Acting 101 pose of "I'm not at liberty to discuss this matter however much I'd love to" -- basically the classic textbook pose of arms crossed tightly over his chest, head tilted to one side, legs straightened into a formal stand as opposed to the one he had moments earlier; "the average guy engaging in small talk" informal lean in towards me when I said things he was interested in.
Am I just too aware of other people's silent signals or am I paranoid? I had the distinct feeling I was suddenly invading their privacy and, as they left, I almost broke down in tears. The sudden joy of seeing them and then the inevitable sink of their tightened posture departure made me feel a little bit like one of those dogs that, after being chained up in the backyard for too long is let out but gets so excited to be part of people's lives, it jumps and barks too much which only results in the dog getting put back into its kennel... 'cept I'm not a dog, just a lonely woman who felt like she talked too much, jumped up on my old friends a bit too hard, and despite good intentions, I think I sabotaged any chances to hang out with anyone in this town.
I have a lot of love to give, but it just seems like some people are too busy with their lives to count me as yet another pal to waste time with. I feel guilty for being friendly. Like I was too friendly.
But I have such wonderful things to share, dammitt!!!!! Like these window displays. Yet another way for me to reach out -- a sort of spider's web of color and gifts to attract the eye of the consumer -- hope my efforts reap great rewards. And I hope you like them, too.
Right now I'm smiling like the Buddah in the last photo. Just laughing away at nothing!
...Uh, I just realized the coffee I spilled this morning has made my cleavage sticky. Yeah, I spilled a bit of cold coffee (not hot, otherwise I'd be complaining more) this afternoon and I thought for sure it missed that area! YES. Hello! My mind is dizzy full of exhausted creativity. The above images are the latest window displays I did for Dala. Worked so hard on 'em today that I forgot to eat! So now all I can imagine is food. For some reason I want the biggest, juiciest, fattest hamburger EVER.
Today, I'm still feeling a bit self conscious (yes, once again, silly Val) from yesterday when my old pal Dale Newby and his girlfriend stopped in. It was a slow day and I hadn't anyone to talk to until they arrived. Last time I saw Dale he was just leaving a movie theatre and my cab had just arrived and so there was no time to play catch up. That was several years ago. Skip ahead four years later and my mouth can't stay closed. I think I was trying to hug him with my words, but it felt more like I was strangling him! My excitement must have been touching, but Dale and his girlfriend are much more quiet, subdued, thoughtful types who were much too polite to tell me to back off! Otherwise perhaps there might have been an exchange of phone numbers and email addresses. In fact, when I asked Dale if he were online at all, he gave me his best Acting 101 pose of "I'm not at liberty to discuss this matter however much I'd love to" -- basically the classic textbook pose of arms crossed tightly over his chest, head tilted to one side, legs straightened into a formal stand as opposed to the one he had moments earlier; "the average guy engaging in small talk" informal lean in towards me when I said things he was interested in.
Am I just too aware of other people's silent signals or am I paranoid? I had the distinct feeling I was suddenly invading their privacy and, as they left, I almost broke down in tears. The sudden joy of seeing them and then the inevitable sink of their tightened posture departure made me feel a little bit like one of those dogs that, after being chained up in the backyard for too long is let out but gets so excited to be part of people's lives, it jumps and barks too much which only results in the dog getting put back into its kennel... 'cept I'm not a dog, just a lonely woman who felt like she talked too much, jumped up on my old friends a bit too hard, and despite good intentions, I think I sabotaged any chances to hang out with anyone in this town.
I have a lot of love to give, but it just seems like some people are too busy with their lives to count me as yet another pal to waste time with. I feel guilty for being friendly. Like I was too friendly.
But I have such wonderful things to share, dammitt!!!!! Like these window displays. Yet another way for me to reach out -- a sort of spider's web of color and gifts to attract the eye of the consumer -- hope my efforts reap great rewards. And I hope you like them, too.
Right now I'm smiling like the Buddah in the last photo. Just laughing away at nothing!
Tired- no, exhausted is the right word...
Friday.....
Cloudy, cold, day again....
Rained this afternoon and storms this evening......
So very tired after 3 days straight of 21 hours at work.....
I went to sleep last night at 7, and woke up about 9, then went back to bed about 12:30am. I slept til 11 am....
Not tired, but exhausted.....
And I have to work Sunday 2 - 9:45...
I hate retail... Don't like weekend work, don't like the language I'm around..... There are about 4-5 of us over 40 there. The rest are late teens and 20's. All they want to do is cuss and smoke, and talk about sleeping around etc... I did make one friend there. He is also a Christian. Alvin. And he won't be working weekdays anymore... Sigh... he kept me going this week. He was fun to talk to and be around. Don't know if I can do this... or for how long. I've never been in this before. I worked at a Christian daycare for 7 years before Morgan was born, and again while they were young in the Christian school, before homeschooling. Then I worked for a friend who was a CPA, she trained me to do bookkeeping and payrolls. I took over most of her clients in 2004 as my own business, then I worked at the Coffee Corner which was Christian owned by my friend. You've read that before. I'm repeating a lot,I know. So, I 've been sheltered most of my working life...... Wish I still could be....
Anyway, I didn't do much today. Washed clothes and read and just laid around. Felt so good to do that. We have a surprise Birthday party to attend for a friend tomorrow at the Tanglewood Barn. Don't plan on doing anything but that. Will be lazy again. Was wanting to go to yard sales tomorrow, but will still be raining in the morning. We have already had 3 inches these past several days. Don't know about today yet. Will check rain gauge tomorrow.Well, don't feel like writing much today. Maybe later I'll pick up my story again, when I'm not so tired. Just popped on to write an update and check email real quick like. so, good bye for now....
Cloudy, cold, day again....
Rained this afternoon and storms this evening......
So very tired after 3 days straight of 21 hours at work.....
I went to sleep last night at 7, and woke up about 9, then went back to bed about 12:30am. I slept til 11 am....
Not tired, but exhausted.....
And I have to work Sunday 2 - 9:45...
I hate retail... Don't like weekend work, don't like the language I'm around..... There are about 4-5 of us over 40 there. The rest are late teens and 20's. All they want to do is cuss and smoke, and talk about sleeping around etc... I did make one friend there. He is also a Christian. Alvin. And he won't be working weekdays anymore... Sigh... he kept me going this week. He was fun to talk to and be around. Don't know if I can do this... or for how long. I've never been in this before. I worked at a Christian daycare for 7 years before Morgan was born, and again while they were young in the Christian school, before homeschooling. Then I worked for a friend who was a CPA, she trained me to do bookkeeping and payrolls. I took over most of her clients in 2004 as my own business, then I worked at the Coffee Corner which was Christian owned by my friend. You've read that before. I'm repeating a lot,I know. So, I 've been sheltered most of my working life...... Wish I still could be....
Anyway, I didn't do much today. Washed clothes and read and just laid around. Felt so good to do that. We have a surprise Birthday party to attend for a friend tomorrow at the Tanglewood Barn. Don't plan on doing anything but that. Will be lazy again. Was wanting to go to yard sales tomorrow, but will still be raining in the morning. We have already had 3 inches these past several days. Don't know about today yet. Will check rain gauge tomorrow.Well, don't feel like writing much today. Maybe later I'll pick up my story again, when I'm not so tired. Just popped on to write an update and check email real quick like. so, good bye for now....
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