Then I Was…

This morning, I went on a walk around my neighborhood, as I do. I love morning walks. At the tail-end of my walk, I decided to hit up my local coffee shop, Sense of Place Café. Sense of Place is a locally owned coffee shop, and I frequently visit there before starting work on weekdays. They brew a Honey Cinnamon Latte that is top 3 for best coffees I’ve ever consumed. This drink, the great vibes from the employees, and the 2000s hits playlist that fills my ears upon entering are what keep me coming back. At this point, I have an established relationship with the owner and when I walk in, she asks me if I want the regular. I think it’s safe to say that we are boys at this point. Every time I walk out of the local café, I feel good about having spent money there.

On the contrary, last week, I went to a Starbucks and got a venti iced macchiato or some shit like that and a croissant. It was alright, but it was my first time at a Starbucks in a long while. After I walked out, I thought about how much better I felt spending my money at Sense of Place, a locally owned café where I personally know the individual business owner that I am contributing my money to. After leaving the Starbucks, I ended up going down a rabbit hole thinking about the difference in my experiences overall at Sense of Place and at Starbucks. I thought about a bunch of different shit while in this rabbit hole, but the most reflective thoughts were about the economic and personal impacts that going to these two different coffee shops can have.

Every week, I order something online. I order books, I order a new t-shirt, I order toilet paper. Why would I not? Purchasing items online is the easiest thing to do. The fact that I can order a book and it shows up on my doorstep the next day is a modern day marvel, and it is something I take for granted every day. I’m sure if I told my grandfather, an avid reader, that he would be able to have access to virtually any book at any time within two days, he would be elated. Hell, I’m happy about it right now. It is an awesome thing that we as consumers have.

I agree that modern consumer trends are wildly convenient, but when I purchase an item through Amazon, I always feel a bit of guilt. I’m not entirely sure why I feel guilty, but I feel like there are plenty of ways to justify my guilt. Maybe its the constant headlines about mistreatment of Amazon workers? Maybe its the lack of good feeling I get from leaving the house, where I spend the vast majority of my days due to virtual work circumstances? Or, maybe its the lack of contribution to a tangible person or business in my community?

Along with this sense of guilt, I’ve realized that the good feelings I get from contributing my money to smaller businesses are exacerbated by the pandemic and its effects on the communities I’ve lived in. In State College, my hometown, my dad talks weekly about how so many restaurants have gone out of business. In Arlington, my current city, one of my favorite bars Whitlow’s went out of business due to the financial impact of the pandemic. With real businesses that benefit my life going out of business, it begs the question of why I contribute my money to a near-monopoly like Amazon?

Also on the pandemic note, there is a sense of community that comes from going to a locally owned café that strikes a chord after ~2 years of social isolation. Going into a store and having a brief conversation with the individual behind the cash register is a small thing, I know. Humans are social beings though, and having a relationship with someone that can provide a glimmer of sunshine on an average Tuesday morning is awesome.

So thank you to Sense of Place Café for providing me with a sense of community and a positive feeling from spending money at your shop. You can be damn sure that I will be returning and trying out all the different delicacies on your menu. I’m sure you’ve all heard that phrase “Shop Local” before, and next time you do, take a second to think about how great shopping local can be for both you as an individual and the business you are supporting.

I don’t drink coffee, so I don’t have an easy comparison for Brennan’s local coffee shop experience. But I have numerous friends who do drink coffee and most of them prefer to support our local coffee shops, too. During the pandemic there was a big push in State College to support local restaurants. We normally would get takeout once a week or so, and always made a point of ordering from a locally-owned restaurant over a chain. Sadly, some of them disappeared anyway, due to lack of business, shortage of workers, supply chain issues, Covid restrictions, and any number of other challenges. It really was too bad.

I still, always, prefer to visit a Mom + Pop restaurant – like when I’m traveling – than the same boring chains that have infected every city in America. Of course, some chains are actually pretty tasty, and there is always the ease of a familiar menu and favorite meals. But if I’m someplace new exploring, I’d prefer to sample the actual local flavor – not the Olive Garden or Cracker Barrel – yawn.

As far as Amazon goes – in so many ways it’s a plague on society – but it’s so stinking fast and easy just about everyone I know uses it – occasionally, frequently, or all the damn time. Sure it’s great to support local businesses – but at this point what stores are left?

Walmart forced out our last local dry goods store. It was called O. W. Houts and it rocked. It had five floors and everyone of them featured something different. You could go to the butcher and get a crown roast on the first floor, get a crib on the second floor, clothes on the third – and in the basement they had hardware like you wouldn’t believe. I think the owners tried to stick it out for a while, but between Walmart, Target, and online shopping they finally gave up.

It’s sad. Not only was it a historic piece of State College – which has since not only closed, but been torn down – but its closing took good, stable full-time jobs out of the local economy. People need to remember that when you support a local business, you’re supporting local infrastructure and families. I know that all businesses pay some taxes, but a lot of the mega stores avoid paying property taxes and get other tax breaks as an incentive to move into a state. The person next door who owns a local restaurant doesn’t get breaks like that. He pays all his taxes and is a lot more invested in the local environment because he/she lives there.

So, I guess the bottom line is – feeling a little guilty about using Amazon is probably not a bad thing, especially if it leads you to make a concerted effort to purchase as many things as you can from local businesses. If everyone does that our economy will be a lot better off. It takes more planning, is more time-consuming, and may even costs a little more, but where we live will be much more interesting and diverse, we’ll all sleep better at night, and it will pay dividends in the end.