Chains and the little guy - can they co-exist downtown?

[SavannahGa]

http://www.savannahnow.com/stories/061906/4037163.shtml

[Spartan]

You could at least give a summary or establish the important issues of why this article is important. Besides, the answer is no.

[andremurra]

I think the attraction to Savannah for tourism is that it has the charm of all the historic and local uniqueness everywhere. I think people visit Savannah to eat in places they cant do so anywhere else. The chains are more to serve the locals and the working community, but as long as tourism is alive, I think the mom and pops will get the out of town traffic. I dont know though. I know the SDRA probably disagrees with me.

[Spartan]

Chain retail stores are for the tourists too. Savannah will eventually get to the point where it will have all sorts of shops that a city its size would not otherwise have. Charleston, for example, has a Saks 5th Avenue and a Gucci, albiet smaller ones from thwat I understand. A city the size of Charleston (of which there are 2 others in SC) wouldn't normally be a market for these stores. Its tourist wanting to spend money on King St. I expect Broughton will follow a similar pattern.

[sushisimo]

Chain retail stores are for the tourists too. Savannah will eventually get to the point where it will have all sorts of shops that a city its size would not otherwise have......... I expect Broughton will follow a similar pattern.

I'd agree with this. Just for one tiny example, I was shocked to see American Apparel on Broughton when I visited in March. I think Chicago just got one and the Twin Cities/Mall of America certainly doesn't have one. Savannah has some great commercial pull.

[Nitro]

I'd agree with this. Just for one tiny example, I was shocked to see American Apparel on Broughton when I visited in March. I think Chicago just got one and the Twin Cities/Mall of America certainly doesn't have one. Savannah has some great commercial pull.

I'm actually suprised that Chicago only recently got one. No surprise that Mall of America doesn't have one. In fact I think they really buck the mall trend and try to fit themselves in some grittier turn around areas.

Can someone tell me where on Broughton they went in? When I lived in Savannah Banana Repubic coming to Broughton was all the rage.

[peechdogg]

I hope the combination of both recognized national names and local entrepreneurs continues in Savannah. The town was lacking so much for so long. My eyes were really opened when I moved to Charleston, SC in the mid 1980's and saw the vibrant growth there.

It's nice to see the kind of tourist traffic in downtown Sav'h now that I saw in Charleston 20 years ago.