My "reverse experiment"--shopping only at chains during the month of December--has been an epic fail. I cheated from day one, mostly on coffee and food. What can I say? Around here, it's easy to convince people to patronize the small local place. It's harder to convince someone who wants to try the new neighborhood joint that we should go to the Ruby Tuesday in Edina instead.
To put it another way, this month has given me the excuse to shop wherever I damn well please. I admit, it's been a relief to buy most of my household staples cheaply and in a single location: Target. With the cold weather this month, I've also enjoyed picking up groceries at the Lunds near my office instead of snowshoeing down to The Wedge twice a week.
I still intend to buy whatever I can, whenever I can, from independent retailers. I believe that independent businesses strengthen our communities both socially and economically. I believe that independent businesses empower consumers by giving them more choices. I believe that independent businesses defend us from the multinational corporations that are in many ways more powerful than our nation's government. That said, I am calling this experiment off early. I went three full months without any major cheats. Maybe I'm setting the bar too low, but I think that's pretty good.
I'm going to keep Unchain My Cart going, and I'll continue to write about small business and about my adventures in shopping small. But I will no longer restrict myself to shopping only at businesses with fewer than three locations. It isn't impossible, but it is challenging. Sometimes I'm just not up for a challenge. Sometimes, I'm up for a Peanut Buster Parfait. Sorry.
One of the things I'd like to complete within the next month or so is a price comparison: how much more (or less) expensive is it to buy groceries and other staples from local independent retailers than it is to buy them at regional or national chains? Stay tuned for the results.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
6 comments:
Way to go Abby!Your experiment is especially poignant during this economic meltdown.Keeping what little we have within each of our own communities is important.Consuming is a money multiplier, so wouldn't we want to multiply that money at home in the form of more jobs (even more multiplying) and increased tax revenue?
I am looking forward to seeing ways to save my shopping small.When it gets warmer you can hit the farmers markets and gives us a heads up to see if they are comparable to the local grocery megalopolis.
Now price-comparison I can get "down" with! I, too, am curious about purchasing large sides of beef "off the farm", shopping farmers markets, and co-opping a set amount of fruits.veggies per month from locals---though all this can be tough for small households to "swallow". Please write more on this!
So I was really impressed that you would sacrifice convenience to support your local economy in Mini but I have a new challenge for you. We aren't in a Ford Focus barrelling through Indiana but its a good challenge nevertheless. I think you should try not to spend any money yet still survive (granted rent and utilities will have to be paid but everything else should be had for free). A while back recall an NPR story where the dad was a gold medalist in the dumpster diving olympics. This blog (http://sueannsnwprblog.blogspot.com/2008/05/robin-rilettes-dumpster-diving.html) highlights the treasure trove that exists in your neighbors trash.
So Abby starting January 1 I want you to go two weeks without buying, food, clothes, magazines, books...and you must procure all needed commodities via barter, trash, swindling but no stealing.
Good luck.
I admire your will and calculated approach to the corporate devil. The battle must be waged, and your example is an inspiration to me as I find ways to subsist on my stipend - without selling out to mainstream madness. I joined the local food co-op in Ann Arbor and am going to start volunteering on Friday mornings (free food ;-) ). My only regret about the co-op is its high prices and the bougie crowd that shops there. I'd rather go to my family's (slightly grungy) deli in Toledo, but alas, the 40 minute drive is environmentally hard to justify. I'm working on a few alternative solutions to this dilemma, hoping I can get others in Ann Arbor to travel with me and do their shopping at Stanley's. Kielbasa and kasza for all! Keep truckin' Sambir vet!
The world is your organic, seasonal, locally harvested oyster, er, Minneapolis szchnitzel. ;-)
Post a Comment