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locally grown chain establishments


rnc

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The Starbucks/Krispy Kreme thread spawned this question in my mind. I try to frequent local establishments as much as possible. However, let's say a local establishment hits it big and becomes a nationwide chain. Do you then quit frequenting it out of principle? Or do you still feel like you are supporting your local community by spending your money there? Furthermore, if the corporate headquarters of a company are located in your city, do you feel less guilt about going to their restaurant or retail store?

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I think shopping at locally grown chains is alright because they do pay taxes to the state they are operating in. Most times now, you really only have a choice of chain stores, so it makes sense to shop at the local ones.

Because of that, I choose Caribou Coffee over Starbucks, Best Buy over other electronics stores, Target over Wal-Mart, etc. etc.

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The Starbucks/Krispy Kreme thread spawned this question in my mind. I try to frequent local establishments as much as possible. However, let's say a local establishment hits it big and becomes a nationwide chain. Do you then quit frequenting it out of principle? Or do you still feel like you are supporting your local community by spending your money there? Furthermore, if the corporate headquarters of a company are located in your city, do you feel less guilt about going to their restaurant or retail store?
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I usually do go to local/state based chains more often than national chains. When I lived in OH, especially when I lived in Columbus, if I wanted fast food, I always went to Wendy's over McDonalds or BK, when I bought clothes, I went to Structure & Abercrombie & Fitch instead of The Gap, or American Eagle. It helped that I worked for their parent company The Limited in one of their Distribution Centers. Anyways, I think it is a little Civic Pride to help support a big company that is based in your home area.

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I try to go to local chains as well. If i want to go to a chain pizza store, (which i usually dont, BTW) then i go to little ceasers which is based in Detroit or Domino's which is based in Ann Arbor, MI or Hungry Howie's which is based in Madison Heights, MI.

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I always try to support locally based businesses, going from the local level up (city, county, state region, state, national region, etc.) However, if the local business does a poor job of satisfying my needs, I will spend with the non-local competitor.

...and of course, all citizens of Winston-Salem are BIG supporters of Krispy Kreme, K&W Cafeterias, and Texas Pete!!!

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I definitly go through these questions every time I make a purchase.

Im from the greater Hartford area and I usually try to frequent places in Hartford. Restaurant wise for example there are a ton of great restaurants in the city of Hartford, most of which are locally owned and operated. For example the only chain restaurant that is downtown is Morton's of Chicago. With this in mind I have gone to Morton's a few times because they are in the city, they have decided to invest in the city and have been there for some time. There are numerous other chain steakhouses for example like Ruth Chris, John Harvards and J Gilberts that will not open up in the city and have decided to go with the suburbs.

For other things like coffee shops I prefer a local bakery or coffee shop with their own kinds of coffee and baked goods (most of the time) over the typical Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks which is at every corner.

When I am out in the burbs I try to shop at certain places. For example there is a local restaurant chain of about 5 restaurants called Wood N Tap, they have had a Hartford location for a long time and are part of a group of restaurants that owns other Hartford restaurants. So if im in the burbs id rather eat there then some other restaurant.

Shopping is tough in Hartford but when I am at the mall I will purchase something at American Eagle or Macy's over Abercrombie & Fitch or JC Penny any day. Why you ask? The headquarters of American Eagle is located in Pittsburgh, PA ...a great American city and American Eagle has shown great investment in urban stores with numerous locations in Boston and NYC for example. Right now I go to school at NYC and frequent the thriving Macy's in Herald Square and know about the other Macy's in downtown Brookyln.

When I am shopping at school in NYC I choose to shop at places that have shown a lot of local investment. For example Abercrombie & Fitch and American Eagle have stores in the city but their competitor Aeropostale doesnt so I dont shop there. There are numerous Best Buy's in the city, more so then Circut City so id choose Best Buy.

You get the picture about my beliefs hopefully

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For example the only chain restaurant that is downtown is Morton's of Chicago. With this in mind I have gone to Morton's a few times because they are in the city, they have decided to invest in the city and have been there for some time.
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If only you guys knew the magic of Ukrop's Supermarkets... but maybe one day. You guys would know Circuit City though. There was a little burger place named Bullets that started here. They've kind of disappeared here, but I think they have some places left.

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  • 2 weeks later...

^ Yeah, the Fazoli's in my area closed. They were so hit or miss on quality though. Sometimes it was really good, and other times it was horrible.

I try to support chains that are throughout the midwest.

If I grocery shop, it's usually at Meijer, which is Grand Rapids based. Sometimes I go to Kroger which is Cincinnati based, but their selection isn't as extensive as Meijer.

As far as fast food goes, alot of the midwestern based fast food places are really bad for you, and on top of that aren't quite my favorites. This includes places like Jimmy Johns, White Castle, and Wendy's.

But overall, I think it's fine to support chain restaurants. At times, some of these chains have been the pioneers in urban redevelopment by being the first to occupy a new building in areas that have seen a lot of decline. I mean, here in Detroit, Starbucks, Jimmy Johns, Au Bon Pain, Subway, Ben And Jerry's, Coldstone Creamery, and a few phone stores were bold enough to open stores downtown despite a shaky office market and uninhabited core. Granted things have changed dramatically in the past years, but it seems like a lot of other restaurants and stores have come and gone over the years while the chains have remained in their places forever.

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If any of you people have ever enjoyed a steak from Western Sizzlin' steakhouse, you can thank the Pascarella family of Augusta for starting it. Of course, their steaks were never that great........................

Oh, and Raising Canes chicken fingers out of Louisiana. I have to hand it to them. Somebody actually made a restaurant where I can get fried chicken fingers with sauce for an inexpensive price. Just as good as Zaxby's, but they don't make you wait 15 minutes to get your food.

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Per the Fazoli comments earlier, the brand has shifted towards the mediocore side in terms of quality and choices of food. Their menu stayed pretty much the same and did not vary much, and was hurt with the whole diet craze (no carbs). That coming from the WSJ at least, but they are on a turnaround plan that should see them back on the right track.

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