I haven't felt such disappointment in this city since the day I went to the city clerk's office with my papers and check in-hand to acquire an application for a beer and wine license; was met with the statement "Even if we were to grant you a license, it would be ripped out of your little hands in six months due to violations."
Today. The Reader's Choice Awards were posted in the Sheboygan Press. As a business owner I look forward to the competition and the 'audience participation' of the event. Knowing that we weren't in the winning spot for the best cup of coffee, I expected to see our sincerely respected predecessor... The Weather Center or maybe my former employer Z Spot.
What I saw was Starbucks; A corporate giant. Three have opened in our city of barely 60,000 in the past three years. By no means will I deny that their existence has made our need for a gourmet cup of coffee a commodity. They've come a long way from their humble beginnings... they've moved from the neighborhood hot-spot brimming with warmth, character, quality and consciousness to McDonald's answer to the local drive-in. Factory. Sterile. Corporate.
What happened to the appreciation for "Family owned and Operated"? What part of McDonalds (won best french fries) is 'Sheboygan'... a truck pulls up to the back door and unloads boxes of prepared(cut, sprayed with beef stock) and frozen potatoes... from... Factory X in... ?
One of my favorite customers just said it right: "We vote with our wallet."
Thank you to all the folks out there who think twice about where they will spend their buck. We whole heartedly appreciate every one of you.
What I saw was Starbucks; A corporate giant. Three have opened in our city of barely 60,000 in the past three years. By no means will I deny that their existence has made our need for a gourmet cup of coffee a commodity. They've come a long way from their humble beginnings... they've moved from the neighborhood hot-spot brimming with warmth, character, quality and consciousness to McDonald's answer to the local drive-in. Factory. Sterile. Corporate.
What happened to the appreciation for "Family owned and Operated"? What part of McDonalds (won best french fries) is 'Sheboygan'... a truck pulls up to the back door and unloads boxes of prepared(cut, sprayed with beef stock) and frozen potatoes... from... Factory X in... ?
One of my favorite customers just said it right: "We vote with our wallet."
Thank you to all the folks out there who think twice about where they will spend their buck. We whole heartedly appreciate every one of you.
