This One Weird Trick Triggers Debates on What Makes a Good Neighborhood

[BvBPL]

Let's say you live in a diverse urban setting. The diversity of the setting is appealing to you, as are the number of small, local businesses in the area. Like most urban areas, there a number of empty or abandoned storefronts in the area. A national chain restaurant purchases such a storefront and intends to move in. This may threaten the local feel of your 'hood. How do you feel about it?

Well, Robin Bell was faced with that same issue, and he decided to poop on the chain's storefront. Bell, a resident of DC's Mt Pleasant neighborhood heard that Subway, the chain sandwich shop, was leasing an empty store. He was upset that the chain store might sap some of the local life out of the area. So he came up with a unique way of expressing his displeasure.

Of interest to me is whether it is superior, in such a neighborhood, to have a chain that threatens to water down the local culture or an empty storefront that is a blighted eyesore. What do you think?

In my old city I had feelings similar to Bell. There was a long-standing bakery that did a moderate amount of business across the street from a car lot. The car lot remodeled itself and on its corner, right across from the bakery, they put in a free standing structure and leased it to Panera, a chain sandwich store and bakery. Almost overnight the Panera sandwich shop was busy, busy, busy whereas the bakery, which also served sandwiches, didn't see a lot more business. I was totally frustrated that people wanted to go to Panera when a local institution that had been in town forever and did great work was right across the street.

 

[NovaKart]

I'm disappointed after reading the article. He didn't actually poop in front of the store. He used some emoji poop projected onto it. Nowadays people even poop digitally.

 

[downtown]

DC Yuppies are the worst. I hope Subway builds four locations in Mt.Pleasant.

 

[Zelig]

Is there some way both the nimby people and fast food chain can lose?

 

[warpus]

Support local businesses. If they close down, that usually means that the location is not sustainable enough for them. Poop isn't the answer.

 

[Formaldehyde]

Call Gordon Ramsey. Perhaps he can teach you how to make food that is better than some chain, so you can compete.

But then you might become so successful that someone might start complaining when your own franchises disrupt local business.

 

[civvver]

people whine about chains sucking so much yet they are always busy around here. I don't get it. Make good food and you will be busy. My guess is the bakery isn't really that good/is overpriced. A lot of those niche bakeries charge $10+ for sandwiches (not to say panera isn't overpriced as well!).

 

[Hygro]

It's not good food, it's safe food people want. Emotionally safe food. People are afraid to try new things.

I don't know a single large food chain I like. Many are tolerable. I don't want them in my neighborhoods, unless there are no other low cost options available (no one should be priced out of food in an area).

 

[Zkribbler]

Is there some way both the nimby people and fast food chain can lose?

Ojai, California has outlawed all chains except gas stations. It's a charming little arts community about an hour north of Los Angeles.

 

[BvBPL]

Vermont banned franchises for years. One McDonalds in the state.

 

[Hygro]

It is amazing how outside urban America, franchises have completely outcompeted everything.

Small town America is in the cities.

 

[downtown]

It's not good food, it's safe food people want. Emotionally safe food. People are afraid to try new things.

I don't know a single large food chain I like. Many are tolerable. I don't want them in my neighborhoods, unless there are no other low cost options available (no one should be priced out of food in an area).

It's also CHEAP food, in an exceptionally expensive city. Is it awesome? No, of course it isn't, but it would also be one one of the very few places in all of Mt.Pleasant where you can get a lunch of under seven bucks. Throwing a temper tantrum to keep it out hurts hourly workers who have to work in the neighborhood and just want an affordable lunch.

Subway isn't going to drive any bodegas in the area out of business. It's not going to ruin the property value on your overpriced condo. He's just being a vindictive, selfish, jerk.

 

[Samson]

It's also CHEAP food, in an exceptionally expensive city. Is it awesome? No, of course it isn't, but it would also be one one of the very few places in all of Mt.Pleasant where you can get a lunch of under seven bucks. Throwing a temper tantrum to keep it out hurts hourly workers who have to work in the neighborhood and just want an affordable lunch.

Subway isn't going to drive any bodegas in the area out of business. It's not going to ruin the property value on your overpriced condo. He's just being a vindictive, selfish, jerk.

I am not sure where I stand on the general issue of the thread, but I am not sure that arguing for a particular chain store because poor people need somewhere to eat is a good argument. Surely if you are poor you do not eat out, you make your own sandwiches for lunch?

 

[downtown]

I am not sure where I stand on the general issue of the thread, but I am not sure that arguing for a particular chain store because poor people need somewhere to eat is a good argument. Surely if you are poor you do not eat out, you make your own sandwiches for lunch?

Well, why not? We can criticize cities for not providing affordable housing. Why not for eating and retail?

Mt.Pleasant wasn't always a yuppie neighborhood. Like most of DC outside of a few NW neighborhoods, it's gentrified really quickly, and there are still old timers living there who aren't loaded. Why is it so bad to leave a few cheap places to eat?

You don't even have to be poor to appreciate the chance to grab a quick lunch for under ten bucks. There are precious few places to do that in this town anyway.

 

[Samson]

Well, why not? We can criticize cities for not providing affordable housing. Why not for eating and retail?

Mt.Pleasant wasn't always a yuppie neighborhood. Like most of DC outside of a few NW neighborhoods, it's gentrified really quickly, and there are still old timers living there who aren't loaded. Why is it so bad to leave a few cheap places to eat?

You don't even have to be poor to appreciate the chance to grab a quick lunch for under ten bucks. There are precious few places to do that in this town anyway.

Because everyone needs somewhere to live, everyone does not need to eat out. I have a pretty solid middle class job, though in government funded research, and I rarely eat out because of the cost. To me this just does not have the same "human rights" element to it that housing or access to healthcare does. Eating out is not a human right.

 

[Formaldehyde]

You don't even have to be poor to appreciate the chance to grab a quick lunch for under ten bucks. There are precious few places to do that in this town anyway.

Don't you have bodegas with deli counters?

 

[downtown]

Because everyone needs somewhere to live, everyone does not need to eat out. I have a pretty solid middle class job, though in government funded research, and I rarely eat out because of the cost. To me this just does not have the same "human rights" element to it that housing or access to healthcare does. Eating out is not a human right.

Sure, but living in a certain place isn't a human right, correct? I also wouldn't say that access to Subway (or a cheap deli or diner, or whatever) is a human right either, but that a diverse neighborhood ought to have both dining and retail options across multiple income levels, since multiple income level people live there (and certainly work there).

Don't you have bodegas with deli counters?

None that I have seen. To be honest, the only places I remember those being common are New York and New Orleans.

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

I still don't know how to feel about such provocative actions. The thing is that they do work for starting public discussions.

 

[Hygro]

It's also CHEAP food, in an exceptionally expensive city. Is it awesome? No, of course it isn't, but it would also be one one of the very few places in all of Mt.Pleasant where you can get a lunch of under seven bucks. Throwing a temper tantrum to keep it out hurts hourly workers who have to work in the neighborhood and just want an affordable lunch.

Subway isn't going to drive any bodegas in the area out of business. It's not going to ruin the property value on your overpriced condo. He's just being a vindictive, selfish, jerk.

There's a McDonalds in Berkeley where many homeless folks congregate because it's one of the few places in their price range. That said, the Subway next to campus isn't really any cheaper than one of the numerous quick-food one-off establishments. Many of the expensive spots have portions so big they aren't actually expensive compared to chains.

 

[LucyDuke]

I'm disappointed after reading the article. He didn't actually poop in front of the store. He used some emoji poop projected onto it. Nowadays people even poop digitally.

I too am disappointed at the OP's lie.