Main Street Musings

© harrington

Small Business Saturday on Main Streets throughout My Minnesota is a lot more pleasant shopping and buying occurrence than can be found in a Big Box Black Friday. Most of the time, when I shop in a Big Box, I experience  only a transaction: do they have what I want; is the price low enough; are the lines short enough; is the oversized parking lot full? On Main Street, I'm much more likely to begin, or continue, a relationship: here's an example of what I need, what do you have like it; can you suggest an alternative, a better way, to meet my needs or fulfill my desires? On Main Street, I stroll sidewalks which, crowded or not, I prefer to crowded big box aisles. Today, to get the decorative elements for a gingerbread house project, I found myself in not one, but two distinctly different candy stores on a nearby Main Street. Each had a distinct personality, selection of confections and, although both had friendly people behind the counter, in one store they went out of their way to be helpful. One of the elements of My Minnesota that I most value is community. One of the elements of community is supporting local businesses. If Main Street stores aren't there, neither is Main Street. As Main Street goes, so goes the community. How many vacant big box grayfields need to undergo restorative development in your neighborhood?