Living in Chains

I am delighted at the volume of the response to my previous post about the movement to bring Trader Joe’s to the Capital Region (even if most of the comments disagreed with me!). If these passionate posts are any indication, Trader Joe’s should start breaking ground here immediately.

 

I would like to point out that most people involved in the Local First movement recognize that we are going to be living with chains for the foreseeable future, and also that not all of our needs are met by locally owned businesses.

 

I would also like to give some credit to Trader Joe’s for leaving a relatively small footprint, for not trying to be a community’s all-powerful retailer (Wal-Mart) or even trying to take over the majority of the market share in one category (Starbucks).

 

But I do take issue with one suggestion that came up in a couple of posts: the notion that opposing the proliferation of chain stores is “Smallbany” thinking. In fact, I’d like to argue that it’s quite the opposite.

 

You may not agree with it or embrace it, but the movement to support sustainable local economies is rooted in the belief—backed up by considerable persuasive scholarship—that the stronger your local business community, the more wealth stays in your community (instead of being shipped out to pay for bloated corporate salaries, PR campaigns, lobbying for tax breaks, etc.), and that this in turn leads to better urban planning and less sprawl; a greater sense of civic pride; more participatory democracy; and a stronger community identity. Again, you may or may not agree, but this philosophy is hardly rooted in fear or small-mindedness.

 

Before Starbucks opened its first store here, its many fans might have made similar arguments (even though the indie coffee here is equally good or better). Now that there is a Starbucks everywhere you look, do you think it has made the Capital Region look or feel more progressive? No, it just makes it look more like everywhere else. When residents speak positively of the quality of life here, do they talk about Wolf Road and Crossgates Commons, and how every suburb seems to have a Target and a Panera? Or do they talk about the unique downtowns, neighborhoods, architecture, arts institutions, and thriving local arts and music scenes? Chains may fill certain needs, but they do not give us our identity or sense of civic pride.

 

As much as I like Trader Joe’s, I’d still rather not see one here because I don’t think we need it, and, however else you slice it, it’s a chain. Then again, as the many comments on the last post suggest, maybe it will fill the upscale-food-downscale-price niche better than anything here at the moment, and maybe it will prove complementary to the co-ops and farmers markets. We probably will have a TJ’s here soon. . . . and then, get ready . . . for the Whole Foods invasion!

 

Stephen Leon

 

Comments

[Susan Taylor]

I don't think the population and per capita earning power of the Capital District will support a Trader Joe's, frankly. I think that is why they aren't here now......

[Bruce Roter]

Stephen,

Once again, I think balance here is the key. We have chains and we always will. Some chains are better than others. It seems as though your intent on deamonizing all chains. You deamonize the dreaded Starbucks, but before Starbucks, we had (and still have) Dunkin' Donuts--and the last time I looked, they are also a chain!
Does Dunkin' Donuts shine any better a light on our community than Starbucks?

I take the title of your piece "Living With Chains," as a resignation to a less-than ideal reality. Perhaps an alternative title "Co-Existing with Chains" might offer the beginnings of a productive and empowering discussion on which chains a community desires--which chains enhance our community's needs and image? Hannaford is a chain. Does it enhance our image? Price Chopper is a chain. Further, Price Chopper is local. A cause for civic pride? If we are to have stores whose offices reside outside of Albany's borders, my vote is for stores that can coexist well with those we have locally. That's one of the reasons I support Trader Joe's in the Capital District, and this seems to be the overwheming sentiment of those who responded to your previous piece. Lastly, you speak of art and music and architecture. To these I would add fine cuisine as a matter of civic identity and pride, whether it comes in the form of fine dining at a restaurant or an excellent grocery store.

I do believe you're right, that Trader Joe's will come here soon. And I look forward to seeing you there!

Sincerely,

Bruce Roter, President
We Want Trader Joe's in the Capital District
www.wwtj.org

[Bruce Roter]

And permit me to offer one more observation. Local First is great, but I also prefer to live in a community where on the 4th of July, accompanying the fireworks our State building is lit up with the letters U.S.A! Not the words "Price Chopper!"

Bruce Roter, President
We Want Trader Joe's in the Capital District
www.wwtj.org

[Susan Taylor]

And a place in which the arena name is locally generated, rather than bought by a large corporation, like the Times-Union Center?

Money talks, and corporations have money. If you want fireworks at all, the folks paying for them can dictate the terms.

[Bruce Roter]

The Chrysler building, the GM building, the Citicorp building, the Times-Union Center...sure I get it. But we're talking apples and oranges here. Surely when it comes to one of our state office buildings (which you and I pay for), our local benefactor can muster some humility with patriotism.

But we digress. To address some concerns from your other posting: Trader Joe's IS interested in our area. They have sent scouts here on several occasions. True, they haven't signed on the dotted line yet, but I hope they do soon. As for the store in Northampton (Hadley), I know the crew there well and they are very supportive of our campaign. Will it affect their bottom line? Who know's? But they certainly demonstrate the sort of team spirit that Trader Joe's in known for.

[Kevin B]

I believe in cycles and that in the end, what is a sustainable practice will live on. We are seeing the beginning of the death of malls. No government action needed - I would say government policies of loose money allowed these malls (and big chain developments) to proliferate.

The chains followed the big housing boom - again spurred by the government loose money policies, community reinvestment act (i.e. subprime loans) that created an artificial boom based on cheap credit rather than savings.

Now that we see an unwinding of this, we will see a slowdown in the growth of unchecked development. As people saw quality of life decline with an overbuilding of chains, they will not go back headfirst and build chains on every square mile of open farm land. That again, the cycles will reassert themselves.

Long term energy will be much more expensive (and that's not even counting extra government meddling to make it more expensive) - and the local movement will take on more roots as the just in time inventory model we've been working off of is no longer sustainable for this environment.

The market will eventually check these forces. We'll see some areas decline and hopefully be rebuilt into something more sustainable. Until then, unique chains can add gaps that the local market cannot provide. And if there is a local solution - then so be it.

I shop at Stuarts - they are a chain, they may not be a bastion of culture but they treat their employees well and are a pretty important part of the local community.

[Marie Shelto]

I lived in an area where within 15 miles there were two Trader Joe's. Lucky me! But I never thought of them as a chain! They are a high quality, lower priced store that has incredible choices of different food items. Their produce is always incredibly fresh and their selection in vast. That's what I look for...a place where I can get what I want, at a good price. Trader Joe's should be in the Capital District because it encompasses a lot further than Albany. I would still drive 35 miles to get there..better than the 100 I do now. Trader Joe's is the best no matter how you slice it.
Oh, and my dog who is a celebrity (Bocker the Labradoodle) in his own right loves Trader Joe's too...the best products for him too.

[Ann]

You know, Steve, when Trader Joe's first opened in Eastchester, they definitely did not come in like a "chain" store. They distributed Fearless Flyers to thousands of homes in the community, but when I looked at the Flyer, I thought "dinky." I thought it was some new mom-and-pop type operation. It took me a few months before I tried the store, but the prices for the items looked good. And I was bowled over when I finally walked in -- a smallish market on a corner on a main road, but off the big box/chain store beaten path. Smiling, pleasant, helpful, LOCAL employees. Good offerings at a reasonable price. And no, they never carried every single thing that I needed, so I had to deal with the barely clean supermarket that carried expired items on its shelves more often than I could believe, with its LOCAL employees who maybe cared, but a number who just didn't.
TJ's had to open a second store further north a few years ago because the first one was always mobbed.
I have to say that I sense a kind of selective reverse snobbery underlying this discussion. There's nothing wrong with having one of something for everyone. Many ventures are quite well-supported here. And not having resources doesn't preserve the local character or economy -- it drives people to other areas to shop.
While I knew the quality of life would be better in Albany, that had to do with decent affordable housing, a shorter commute, different atmosphere, less tension in general -- not simply the buildings or the architecture or the music scene, etc. You can find those in and around many smaller cities. Having other amenities does not change the character of this area -- I believe it will enhance the Capital District. I had real concerns about the lack of resources -- including Trader Joe's -- and was not enthralled by what I saw of the malls, either. I missed the places that had made life good, and felt like people cared. 3,000 of us belong to the WWTJ group. And Steve? I hate Starbucks.

[Jen N.]

Stephen,

I'll give you every single Walmart, Target, McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, Taco Bell, Applebee's, Ruby Tuesdays, Friday's, Chili's, Moe's, Five Guys, Dunkin' Donuts, Starbucks and whatever other chain you can think of, for ONE Trader Joe's.

They not only care about their customers but they consistently prove that they also care about the future of this planet and all of the creatures living on it.

I'll take that kind of chain any day, thank you.

p.s. I frequent HWFCO and the local farmers markets as well, but Trader Joe's can't be beat when it comes to pantry and freezer items for price and quality.

p.p.s. Susan Taylor: Hadley is a blip on the map compared to Albany and they can support a Trader Joe's and a Whole Foods.

[Lynn]

Stephen,

Your point about chains is well reasoned. However, not single suburban area in the US is untouched by the big box chains and even many small towns have a Wal-Mart or Target now. It would be reasonable to suggest that if we are surrounded by chain franchises that aren't going anywhere, why not favor higher end unique chain stores such as the Chipotle that recently opened in Saratoga Springs. Yes, they are owned by McDonalds, but they give consumers the option to get a tasty burrito made with organic free-range meats, which is not more of the same chain food. Trader Joe's fills a niche market that I only see filled by the small organic sections of Hannaford's and Price Chopper in our area. As a frequenter of co-ops, ethnic markets, farmers markets and chain groceries, I see TJ's as not at all in competition with co-ops or other local businesses but with the other chain grocery stores. One of the largest niche markets TJ's fills is for high quality frozen and prepared food at great prices. Price Chopper recently started selling a pizza from the same Italian supplied as TJ's "pizza margarita" for nearly *double* the price while I’ve recently seen bottles of Italian soda at Hannaford for a full dollar more a bottle than I last paid at TJs! And don’t even get me started on the mark-up on Pirate’s Booty at both stores! Let's get TJ's in the Capital District and give the BIGGER BOX chains some competition!

[Ai Gee]

I agree with most of what you say. This area doesn't need or warrant a Whole Foods because TJ's should go right next to the new Honest Weight. Those two establishments should complement the other nicely.

Thank you.

[Dan S.]

I think Trader Joe will probably come to our area eventually. And then we shall see if the rosy predictions about everyone doing well prove correct. Honest Weight has big plans for expansion right now. If TJ comes they should reexamine those plans and if Whole Foods comes, forget about it. Chains kill local businesses. You can say that those businesses deserve to die if you like, but you cannot say that everyone will thrive. Take bookstores as an example: before B&N and Borders came to town, there were a number of bookstores within the city limits of Albany. Can any of you remember that far back? I lived within easy walking distance of two of them. Now how many are there? Just one used bookstore I believe, Dove & Hudson. Sure the big chains have more choice, comfy chairs and coffee, but I have to get in my car or navigate the clunky public transportation system to get there. Across the country, there are thousands fewer bookshops than there used to be. And now, ironically, or poetic-justicially, Amazon is killing the chains! Sure it's the free market at work; it's just competition weeding out the weak, but that is the reality that TJ and Whole Foods will bring, too. Let's not kid ourselves or try to convince others with false rosy scenarios.
I just wish some of this passion to get a grocery store chain to come here could be redirected towards getting an affordable national health care system for everyone. Now that is something we all could really use!

[Stacy Mitchell]

Trader Joe's is trying to multiply rapidly all over Minneapolis-St Paul right now, where there are amazing natural food coops in many neighborhoods. These are good-sized full-service grocery stores that are highly sophisticated.

TJ's is seeking zoning approval to open stores within a few blocks of several of them. It's clearly just predatory, not about expanding the market for natural foods.

[molly]

I think it is up to the public to choose where they want to shop. I would like to see the Trader Joe's at least be an option in this area. Choice is our basic freedom. While I do support our local businesses, there are certain things I might need to buy at Walmart just because I can only afford it there. Some of these companies locally could cut their profit and give us a break on price...like Trader Joe's did. Molly

[Mirdreams]

I'd love the option to buy at Trader Joes, which is known for finding fun and funky small producers all over the world and giving them a means of getting their product to a wider market. And like it or not that's the point of commerce, to grow to a point where you can supply things people want at a lower cost than could be done if you were smaller. Economies of scale are not evil. That's not to say we can't vote with our wallets and spend more than we need to in order to support something local or someone smaller or what ever, but they have to be bringing some added value or why would you bother?

[Susan Taylor]

Jen N.-Hadley is probably serviced by the same delivery trucks that deliver to Boston/Framingham/Cambridge/etc. Hadley also probably has a higher per capita income, with college professors and summer people making up a large part of the market. Plus, they have all the Capital District TJ's fans that shop there!

Maybe TJ's will put a store in Albany, but the bottom line is their bottom line. If it doesn't make business sense, they won't do it, no matter how many people sign your petition. That's what being a business is all about.

[Donna Jean]

I like Whole Foods! Wish they would come to Kingston! And WE want a Trader Joes in Kingston, Woodstock, Saugerties, anywhere and everywhere! And to make it more convenient for all, why not a Trader Joes in each city, right next to the Walmart between the Dunkin Donunts and Applebees. I lived in a state where we had ALL those chains, and many more, and hate to tell you all.....Trader Joes did just fine, along side Wholefoods, Henrys, Wild Oats.... AND the "local" stores too!! Seems the best thing about the "chains" is that they keep the small local stores prices in check! Otherwise when there is no competition, these "mom and pop shops" charge excessive over the top prices to those of us who choose to shop at natural food stores. Its called capitalism and that is why it works!

[Kb]

I joined the Park Slope Food Coop in Brooklyn in 1991 and was a member for many years. It was a wonderful introduction to the community, and it was a "real" coop, the largest member-only coop in America I believe still to this day. I worked my 3-hour shift once every 4 weeks, paid my annual dues, and shopped in the best place on earth. Then I got married, had children and in one year’s time I had left the coop. Why? It wasn't convenient. Sad, but true. Where did I shop? The local dumpy supermarket.

I'd love to spend time at the farmers markets every week, but now my boys are 9 & 12, we have baseball, soccer, crew, skiing, academic events and more, and it's simply not convenient. I now shop at Hannaford and Price Chopper because they are convenient. I sometimes make it to the Niskayuna Coop, but they are not always open when I have time to shop, and their prices are not the best.

A Trader Joe's in my area would give me the best choice for my lifestyle. It's as simple as that. I want the convenience of a chain with the quality of a farmers market with the community of a coop.

Am I asking a lot? Yes, I am. Will TJ's be all that and more? We'll never know unless we try. Am I willing to take that chance? Given my current options, you bet!

[Bruce Roter]

Susan T.- To let you know a bit more about our organization, WWTJ.ORG, we don't do petitions. Can you imagine how many petitions from communities all over the country Trader Joe's receives. Instead, we engage the company with the same creative spirit that the company itself consistently demonstrates. We send the executives cards, pitcures, and poems. We've made Youtube videos (check us out one of our videos at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-yojVj8MOs). We have conducted a "We Want Trader Joe's" food drive for our Regional Food Bank (netting our local RFB over $3500)--and Trader Joe's has contributed to that! And yes, before you think that all we are is "warm and fuzzy" we also send executives at Trader Joe's a very detailed letter which addresses the bottom-line issues you raise. With many business leaders of our community as members of our group, we are intent on demonstrating to Trader Joe's that New York's Capital District is a great place to live and a fantastic place to do business. (but we don't do petitions)

Bruce Roter, President
We Want Trader Joe's in the Capital District
www.wwtj.org

[Sarah]

I routinely travel to my hometown in Connecticut to visit Trader Joe's, Whole Foods and Nordstrom. I would move back to Connecticut in a heartbeat to be closer to the amenities I want, but my career and family don't make that possible right now.

I understand and support "buying local," and I do buy local as much as I can. I go to the farmer's market every week, am a member of a CSA, and don't patronize Wal-Mart and not-very-good chain restaurants. But I have strong needs for organic prepared meals and fashionable clothes that I'm not finding in this region. And these organizations employ people from the regions in which they operate.

This region won't feel like home to me until it has more of the amenities that I need.

I personally was thrilled when a Starbucks opened in my town. And the region made some progress when Sephora opened in Colonie. Some "chains" get it right because they are able to take advantage of economies of scale, managerial talent and purchasing ability to get the right kinds of products on the shelves.

I will continue to fight for Trader Joe's. And I would be beside myself with joy if Whole Foods entered the market.

[Donna Jean]

I am going to Trader Joes in Pyramus this weekend to stock up on the essentials that are not available in the Hudson Valley. Anyone need anything?

[OC]

Everyone is afraid of one chain getting more business than the other. If you have a good product they will come. Be fair in your pricing, and not greedy, they will come. This area is growing and there is plenty of room for everyone. Maybe some of these businesses that seem so worried should look at why Trader Joe's is such a success and learn from them. I always look at the winners and what made them that way.

[Joe]

I think this place will ever feel like home. SmallAlbany thinking is everywhere and worse, the smallAlbany thinking is two-face. On one hand it is okay that Dunkin-Donuts is in every corner of this town but it is not okay to have one Trader Joes. Maybe you should take a second look at how bad Albany really looks, with its board down business, dirty & pot hole streets. People have no pride of ownership and most front yards look more like a dump site (with a chain link fance around it). Is this the beauty you want to preserve? I just don't get it and can't wait to get out of here! Trader Joes or no Trader Joes...as soon as the economy picks up I'm out of here.

[Mary Muller]

I think that cooperatives are the wave of the future for urban settings, not chain stores. Where do you think that Trader Joe's will settle in the upper Hudson Valley? Saratoga Springs anyone? How does that help me here in downtown Troy? The Troy Community Food Cooperative was established to provide "Fresh food down town". I prefer to put my money and energy into making that vision a reality, not in begging another chain to deign to set up an outpost up here.

[Bruce Roter]

This message is for Joe,

I understand your sentiments. I see the potholes you see. I see the abandoned buildings you see. But I have also seen tremendous revitalization in this area. In leading this effort to bring Trader Joe's to our community, it has been my job to "sell" our region to Trader Joe's. In doing so, I have definitely sold this region to myself. Our educational and cultural institutions are first-rate, and the millions of dollars that are being poured into our high-tech industries point to an exciting future. I did not choose to start this "Trader Joe's campaign." Rather, it fell into my lap following the hundreds of emails I received from people responding to a Craigslist post (our membership is now at 3,000+). So, rather than finding "small-bany," I found 'ALL-bany"-- a wonderfully strong and progressive voice within our community that understands that our Capital District has a regional, national, and international role to play, economically, and culturally. The title of Mr. Leon's article is "Living in Chains." But I see the chains of provincialism and "smallbany" that had for too long been a part of this area are now severed. We remain the hard working community we have always been. The difference now is that we know we deserve better. That is what my group is trying to achieve.

Bruce Roter, President
We Want Trader Joe's in the Capital District
www.wwtj.org