Take the "Only Buy at local Austin Businesses" oath.....help keep 'em open during these hard times! (Houston: condo, crimes)

[TexasHorseLady]

Well, clearly your mileage varies. I did what worked with my children (who were born 12 years apart and VERY different in personality, by the way - the eldest was very easy, and I thought I knew all about childrearing, until his sister came along and I realized how little I actually knew). But, of course, they went nowhere out to eat until they had basic table manners, and I never had any problem getting and keeping their attention (even at a party at Chucky Cheese's, amazingly enough - I know I was amazed).

Which is pretty much what most parents should do - do what works with their specific children, since if even in our family, the children could be so very very different, no individual child overall could be predicted to hew to a particular theory.

As John Wilmot once said, "Before I got married I had six theories about bringing up children; now I have six children and no theories."

We're wandering far afield, though. Unless we're discussing using local child care!

[Trainwreck20]

Enough of the kid raising, please

[inthecut]

Originally Posted by kiacook

I don't patronize locally-owned businesses out of pity. I think there's something that free-marketers don't take into consideration - I patronize local businesses because they're unique, I appreciate that and want to encourage that with my $. I don't like every town to be exactly the same with exactly the same businesses with exactly the same strip malls and shopping centers. I want variety and a local experience. When Inthecut points out that locally-owned businesses are harder hit and need to be remembered and supported now, I don't know if he's worried about the owners and their kids and is saying to support them out of "pity", but for me, losing local businesses would be bad for me because I would miss the variety they bring.

So, yeah, there's service and price and convenience to take into account, but when choosing businesses to go to, I also take into account vibe or ambience and I like a local, unique feel and don't want that to disappear.

Well said!......As Kiacook mentions, it is the collective ambience of small business that we need to preserve.....and the more unique and pleasing, the better.......if it is even aesthetically pleasing to boot, re based in an older house zoned in a commercial district, like the ones you see on W.6Th st., even more power to them.....The ONLY reason to relocate to Austin, as opposed to Dallas or Houston, is the special vibe Austin has compared to the other two....or would you say the Big D and Houston have the same or better ambience all around? Maybe I'm wrong....however, most folks seem to think Austin has a more friendly, face-to-face, retro, small-business-y feeling, more community based, and FAR FAR less strip-mallish/bigbox/national chain based....

In other words, if there is no difference, why not just move to Houston and Dallas? When we become a lite version of the same, per people doing 90% of their shopping at bigbox/national chains, there is no overwhelming reason to choose Austin as opposed to the other two.....it actually could ironically make Houston and DFW more appealing, as a better version of what Austin is trying to be, with Pro teams and better shopping to boot...

Think about it!

[inthecut]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

I disagree with your first paragraph - those may be the places where there are local businesses all right in one place, but there are local businesses all over Austin and the Austin area.

But your second paragraph, in context with the first one, makes something clear. It's the convenience factor - we (well, some of us) want to have everything right there so we don't have to make an effort to search out the local, more unique, offerings, and so that overrides shopping local unless it's in one of the areas where we can buy it all at the same place and we don't have to actually look for alternatives. In that case, places like Walmart (and I do shop at Walmart for some things), catering to the lowest common denominator, will win every time.

Exactly....small biz can't build the sea of asphalt that wal-mart and friends do....or would want to....we are not making saints of small biz; just describing their habitat and habits, like anthopology......they tend to be in older, established areas....while the chains and bigboxes cluster in the new areas, following the growth..especially in the booming northern burbs........not 100%, but a reasonable rule of thumb......again, if it is easier to jump in the car in cedar park and pull into the local megamall or bigbox 100000000 ft parking lot, the locals will do that.....builders also are not building anything resembling the old neighborhood centers.....and make it far more easier for the big players to set up shop and roost, per the commercial shopping strips and malls......

When Austin becomes Houston/DFW lite, there will be no Q of L reason to move here.......shopping is a huge part of that......THAT's the whole gist
of what I'm trying to say here...

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by inthecut

Well said!......As Kiacook mentions, it is the collective ambience of small business that we need to preserve.....and the more unique and pleasing, the better.......if it is even aesthetically pleasing to boot, re based in an older house zoned in a commercial district, like the ones you see on W.6Th st., even more power to them.....The ONLY reason to relocate to Austin, as opposed to Dallas or Houston, is the special vibe Austin has compared to the other two....or would you say the Big D and Houston have the same or better ambience all around? Maybe I'm wrong....however, most folks seem to think Austin has a more friendly, face-to-face, retro, small-business-y feeling, more community based, and FAR FAR less strip-mallish/bigbox/national chain based....

In other words, if there is no difference, why not just move to Houston and Dallas? When we become a lite version of the same, per people doing 90% of their shopping at bigbox/national chains, there is no overwhelming reason to choose Austin as opposed to the other two.....it actually could ironically make Houston and DFW more appealing, as a better version of what Austin is trying to be, with Pro teams and better shopping to boot...

Think about it!

Because Houston is too humid and Dallas is in Tornado Alley. Our topography is different and in my opinion prettier. I don't really think Austin is Houston or Dallas lite.

[inthecut]

Originally Posted by Schnaiy

Texashorselady I agree with you about the illusion of convenience of Big Box stores. If one lives in suburbia where the little hardware store no longer exists, then it's no longer a choice decision, one only has the likes of Walmart etc. It isn't a convenience at all during peak times, in the 100+ deg. heat, parking what seems like half a mile away (the closest park in their overcrowded parking lot) to then endure the bustling crowd of shoppers within the store. Today, we value time, it is increasingly more difficult to just "pop into" a Walmart to grab a couple of times and leave without wasting at least 30 minutes (by the time you calculate the time spent trying to find a park, walking to the store, walking within the store to find the items you need, standing in a long line (even for self-service), walking back out to your car - and hopefully you remember which aisle you parked in or you can add another five minutes looking for it! In contrast, I can easily shop at my local stores, be in and out in less than five minutes on my way to or from home. Now that is convenience! Plus my stress level remains "calm". Holiday times are when I make a conscious decision to avoid the Big Box Stores altogether, my blood pressure just can't handle it!

That's why even Walgreens(not a great choice, BTW, as it is based in my home turf, and the Walgreen family has enough green already!) is easier and faster to pull in/out of...."'Greens" charges more, exactly for the privilege of getting in and out very quick...get the shampoo, razors, chips, and get the hell out...no lines, carts, nothing.....and thats very true with the little local places.....now, for ex, I just needed a roll of duct tape last week....I could have went to the sea of a parking lot at Home Depot, letting 40 people pass with items before I park, and taking 20 minutes to find the tape and pay for it, OR I could go to our local Ace guy, park in 30 seconds, pay 40 cents more, but get the hell out of there immediately...I would rather pay more for that convenience, let alone helping a local Austin guy out with his business...someone that prob gives to local charities and sponsors a kids baseball team as well.....

[love roses]

Originally Posted by inthecut

Well said!......As Kiacook mentions, it is the collective ambience of small business that we need to preserve.....and the more unique and pleasing, the better.......if it is even aesthetically pleasing to boot, re based in an older house zoned in a commercial district, like the ones you see on W.6Th st., even more power to them.....The ONLY reason to relocate to Austin, as opposed to Dallas or Houston, is the special vibe Austin has compared to the other two....or would you say the Big D and Houston have the same or better ambience all around? Maybe I'm wrong....however, most folks seem to think Austin has a more friendly, face-to-face, retro, small-business-y feeling, more community based, and FAR FAR less strip-mallish/bigbox/national chain based....

In other words, if there is no difference, why not just move to Houston and Dallas? When we become a lite version of the same, per people doing 90% of their shopping at bigbox/national chains, there is no overwhelming reason to choose Austin as opposed to the other two.....it actually could ironically make Houston and DFW more appealing, as a better version of what Austin is trying to be, with Pro teams and better shopping to boot...

Think about it!

Well, Houston DOES have pockets of good, local, family/individually run businesses. Rice Village, Montrose, West Gray, Lower Westheimer, Richmond and downtown Heights are just a few. Not being as familiar with Dallas, I don't know all the cool shopping areas, save for Lower Greenville and the area around where my sister and her husband live.

[love roses]

Originally Posted by Jennibc

Because Houston is too humid and Dallas is in Tornado Alley. Our topography is different and in my opinion prettier. I don't really think Austin is Houston or Dallas lite.

I think when Austin gets just a TAD bit bigger, it will be Houston light, only with different topography. I mean, really. Austin DID just get a Galleria like Houston has.

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by love roses

I think when Austin gets just a TAD bit bigger, it will be Houston light, only with different topography. I mean, really. Austin DID just get a Galleria like Houston has.

Clean your mouth out with soap, young lady!

Just kidding... Heh, I think people here just equate Dallas and Houston with sprawl... Dallas I can kind of understand that, because it is such a blank slate in terms of topography/scenery... it really is only defined by what people have built there. And I do understand Houston has some really great, funky and fun neighborhoods.. thing is, Austin used to be defined by only those types of neighborhoods, where Houston gets defined more by other factors. The cool 'hoods there kinda get lost in the larger perception of the city.

[love roses]

blech! No soap I won't do it again! I won't do it again! (My daughter's favorite phrase). You're right, they do get lost in the greater sprawl, mainly since they are all inner loop.