No Love for Chain Stores in Fort Greene
What do Fort Greene shoppers want? Not chain stores, that’s for sure. According to a survey just released by the Fort Greene Association, 81 percent of the 380 respondents said that they either “strongly” or “somewhat” preferred shopping at independent stores over chain. Another interesting stat: Only about two-thirds of those polled said that they…
What do Fort Greene shoppers want? Not chain stores, that’s for sure. According to a survey just released by the Fort Greene Association, 81 percent of the 380 respondents said that they either “strongly” or “somewhat” preferred shopping at independent stores over chain. Another interesting stat: Only about two-thirds of those polled said that they were “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to have their daily shopping needs met by stores in Fort Greene; the satisfaction rate was a much-higher 86 percent when it came to restaurants and bars.
9:57, when are you shopping? Because every time I go in the Target and Old Navy you’d think they were giving stuff away. Tons of patrons and long lines. Modells is never overly crowded, but of the seven or eight times a year I’m in there, there are always 4-5 people on line at the register. About the only store I’d agree with you on is Buffalo Wild Wings and that’s based on the ONE time I was there. I’ve heard from others that its a madhouse any afternoon/evening where a big sporting event occurs.
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There’s plenty of room for chain stores AND independent retailers. Furthermore, forms of both will always be present in Brooklyn. It’s not an either-or situation.
Well, now that we know the downtown brooklyn Ihop is top in the COUNTRY, and the Brooklyn Target is their top selling store in the COUNTRY I guess the data shows that people really do prefer independents. I imagine when Ikea opens nobody will shop there, preferring their local futon shop. Probably.
10:45 Yes I too often tire of soap, shampoo, milk, bread, prescriptions, etc….
Nimby = a selfish entitled viewpoint concerned only with ones immediate and purely personal agenda.
If you don’t find that insulting then you have severe problem.
I don’t think there’s necessarily hypocrisy here. People want to shop at independent stores, but don’t find everything they need at the ones in fort greene/ clinton hill. The independent stores in the neighborhood could do a much better job catering to the people shopping here and keeping Ft Greene/ Clinton Hill dollars in the neighborhood. Some people are surely put off by higher prices, but for me at least, it really is usually about finding what I’m looking for (or not). In my experience the local chain stores aren’t much better than the independents in offering a good selection of in-stock items. I often end up going to Manhattan or other Brooklyn neighborhoods because I know I’m more likely to find what I’m looking for there.
Eventually people get tired of the same old offerings from chain stores and stop patronizing them. Unless a store stays current with the wants of the local community it will fail.
10:12
Your comment sounds quite profound but is meaningless.
Isn’t that the whole issue? Independents can’t provide the service and inventory at the price a chain can – therefore people shop at chains.
I don’t think “all things” could ever be equal. It is what gives independents some advantages over chain stores and viceversa.
However, people will always choose lower prices and conveniece.