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Steve Mockford | all galleries >> Galleries >> Small Towns and Main Streets > Homogenized
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23-OCT-2012

Homogenized

The brick building used to be a local, independently owned pharmacy - it became part of the Pharmasave chain. Now it is being replaced by a big new building so that it can look like every other Pharmasave store in the country. I understand the importance of brand recognition and its affect on consumer behaviour, but that doesn't prevent me from lamenting the homogenization of small town main streets. As big box businesses move into this small town, the town loses a locally owned, curbside business and gains a curbside parking lot backed by a big box pharmacy. This has two lamentable effects. First, it encourages driving to shop versus walking the main street window shopping. Second, it detracts from the unique look of the small town main street which now begins to look like just another rural strip mall. I really do understand the economic forces that make this inevitable - but I am still sorry to see it happen.

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Guest 30-Oct-2012 11:23
I do so agree with you Steve. I noticed on driving through Berwick yesterday the last of the old brick building was being loaded up amd hauled away.
John Vass25-Oct-2012 04:32
So true! Our one local drug store sold out to Walgreens and closed. We have homogenized completely here. When we moved to our small town decades ago it was more or less mostly Mom and Pop business. Not now! We Have Walmart, Home Depot, Comfort Inn, Applebees, Holiday Inn Express and the list goes on and on! Most of this happened in the last 10 years! Driving around the western U.S. I see it happening everywhere and some places change quickly and dramatically. I have seen some towns homogenize in a year or two! I agree it's inevitable and it is sad that so many towns have lost their unique flavor! Hey! it brings jobs right? They might be low paying but they pay taxes and the new building also adds to the tax base. Even empty buildings pay property tax! We have quite a few of those around here! We have three Walmart's in our little county. The abandoned one and 2 new Walmart's, one built where the abandoned K mart once stood. I know of several places this happened, so the blight this all brings is homogenized too!
Guest 25-Oct-2012 01:35
I agree. And every new car dealer now looks the same in every country on the planet. Pretty soon you won't know if you are in France, Canada or Japan. At least in the commercial districts. (Well, making allowances for local variations on the word "SALE".)
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