mixed messages in the new economy
February 18th, 2009 | Published in general | 2 Comments
It’s strange times we’re living in when the government is telling us to spend money and the private sector is telling us to save. I’ve noticed this discrepancy all over town, but there’s a story about a restaurant in Pittsburgh with an even more direct conflict.
In my neighborhood, the beloved local branch of the library is on the chopping block in the recent proposed budget from the city. I hear about friend’s favorite hangouts closing while other businesses mysteriously stick around despite gutting what made them great to begin with.
Here’s my humble plan: pick a couple of places that I love and are worth saving. I don’t have a lot to spend, but if/when i can go out, i’ll go to those places, and i’ll talk my friends into going too. Chain stores have strategies to survive and grow despite the downturn; it’s up to us to support the neighborhood hangout.
February 21st, 2009 at 6:22 pm (#)
Speaking of which, what the heck happened to the Bean Factory? Where is Ari, and Erin, and all the regulars? That was a neighborhood coffee shop I could support, and now the last two times I’ve been there, there’s some young ding dong behind the counter that doesn’t even know how to froth milk. Literally. He said something about new ownership, and I don’t know if I like the sounds of that..
February 23rd, 2009 at 12:35 am (#)
The shop was sold a couple of months ago, not sure of the exact date. The new owner seems to be running it from some business school handbook, completely ignoring input from people who helped build it into a neighborhood institution over the last 3 years. I know of customers who have given up, others who have tried to talk to the new management and owners, but it’s not clear whether they care or not. Ari and many other old staff were either let go directly or had hours cut so they couldn’t afford to keep their job.
This neighborhood desperately wants the sort of place J&S2 was until a couple of months ago; supportive of neighborhood meetings and families, a good mix of art and music, and (most basic) great coffee and great people. They’ve virtually thrown all of that away, so sad.