I'm Boycotting Chain Establishments on 30A

[rdelong43065]

Stores are not allowed to have drive-thrus (except banks) so McD's etc. probably are not interested in 30a. I heard there was one grandfathered in but don't know where.

I belive its where Maries is in Blue Mt Beach. The sign out front even says drive through service.

 

[Maystrong]

Very well put!

shopping at local stores is always a good idea.

Boycotting chians like walmart, dollar general, and starbucks does very little, but spending at small local stores does a lot!

 

[Jdarg]

On the flip side, remember that local people work for chains too.

 

[Lake View Too]

As much as we try to plead that we hate chain stores, I suspect we really don't. We like the convenience, we like the consistency, and we like the prices. We don't like the signage and the proliferation of the homogeneous strip mall character that the chains bring. I've seen towns (Madison, MS, for one) that have enacted draconian zoning and signage ordinances that everybody grumbles about, but the results have been great. They have a McDonald's. They have a Walmart. But the buildings are made of brick (like most of the town), very tastefully designed, and the signage is so low-keyed you can barely tell it's a McDonald's. Their convenience stores look like old town railroad depots.Their cell phone towers are camoflauged to look like obelisks or trees. Could our unincorporated, free-spirited, independent villages every band together enough to get ordinances like that, uh...I think you know the answer...

 

[Beach Runner]

Since you are not boycotting Tom Thumb and Publix, what's the point? The only other chain I can think of is Subway (very small sign) and the totally obnoxious Snappy Turtles. These kind of stores are a threat to what we want Seagrove to remain. What we really don't need is the proliferation of chain stores and the accompanying homogeneous signage that accompanies them.

Tom Thumb has to be considered grandfathered in, as well as places like One Seagrove Place. I can justify going to Publix because buying food is a basic need. It was not green when we had to drive to the Winn Dixie in PCB to buy groceries due to the consumption of fuel. There are plenty of non-chain shops and restaurants on 30A, so that's where we go. Local economic sustainability is a very important part of the whole sustainability movement.

 

[RiverOtter]

And the deal with a Subway is that it's a franchise situation where the owners can be local small businessmen who just happened to decide a franchise was the best way of starting their business.

Voice of reason.

On the flip side, remember that local people work for chains too.

I think folks have good intentions by not eating at non locally owned restaurants (although I can't think of one on 30A) but locals do work at these places and rely on tip income from folks dining there.

 

[LuciferSam]

This is funny. I've been out dinking and overheard barstaff and waitstaff talking about where they like to eat, and often it's some pretty good chain restaurant in Destin, Panama City, or FWB.

 

[Jdarg]

This is funny. I've been out dinking and overheard barstaff and waitstaff talking about where they like to eat, and often it's some pretty good chain restaurant in Destin, Panama City, or FWB.

We were in FWB last week. Couldn't wait to get to Daddy's BBQ and Thai (former owners of Royal Orchid) in Mary Esther on 98. It didn't disappoint. We had no intention of eating at a restaurant chain, since we were out "exploring".

 

[Lake View Too]

I remember when we first discovered "Bonefish": what a great, unique restaurant. Oops, it's a chain. Later on we discovered "Cantina Laredo": wow, what a great, new, unique restaurant. Oops, it's a chain. Hoe dare they make chain restaurants that serve consistently great food at reasonable rates! Shame!

 

[30A Skunkape]

I remember when we first discovered "Bonefish": what a great, unique restaurant. Oops, it's a chain. Later on we discovered "Cantina Laredo": wow, what a great, new, unique restaurant. Oops, it's a chain. Hoe dare they make chain restaurants that serve consistently great food at reasonable rates! Shame!

While i'm not sure either is 'great' or 'reasonable' they are both OK, but it boggles my mind that people travel here from cities running over with these same restaurants and bum rush them once here. Same with PF Chang's. Red Lobster (!). Olive Garden(!!). Speaking of chains, a third Donut Hole is coming to Inlet Beach (shhhh!).