Heard it here first--again

Oh the power this blog wields.

First, I called for the creation of a Farmer's Market. And it will be done.

This morning, I read some locals are exploring the idea--or implementing actually--of establishing a local currency to encourage folks to shop locally. Read about it here in the Daily News.

The proponents say they're basing the idea on a successful program in the Berkshires, and it's an idea that loyal commenter Bean brought to our attention last July when I put out the call for new ideas to bolster our local economy.

I have an idea. What if the city created it's own currency to help support local busineses? "Clipper Cash", perhaps? Out in Western Mass. they have BerkShares, and it is helping to steer people to local shops. I think it could work here.

I actually started writing a post praising the idea, but never finished it. Yet another missed opportunity on my part.

Anyway, sound idea. I like it.

I suppose it's just a matter of time before someone runs off with other ideas germinated at this site.

I'm still pushing for a completely wireless downtown and a lifesized Clipper Ship made from string cheese, although I concede advances in mobile technology might make the former impractical.

Good work Bean.

Hah! Take that.

Attention Starbucks' fans: I was the FIRST customer to set foot in the refurbished Starbucks store this morning at 5:30 (and change) a.m. I happened upon the opening quite by accident during an early morning walk with Lucy, but how could I resist such an opportunity? I tried to honor my vows to our local coffee shops by ordering a tea. That doesn't count as cheating, right?

So there's a little bit of Buy Local Street Justice--Newburyport Post-style.

And a review of the new store....I honestly wouldn't have noticed the change if no one told me they were changing. They did move the condiment station, so watch out for that.

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Great Read

Working on a few other posts, but I did want to recommend a piece by Ron Martino. Nicely done.


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Retail Reeling

Well, this is getting downright ugly.

New York Times today had an article on the reeling retail market. Things look bleak as major retailers like Levitz, Sharper Image and maybe Linens `n Things file for bankruptcy.

I'm not sure how this will play out. If you go by numbers, national chains aren't projected to close as many stores as they did in 2004 or 2001. And the number of store closings dropped in the following years.

Yet, this economy has a decidedly different feel to it. In fact, from another NYT article:

Indeed, on Friday, consumer confidence as measured by the University of Michigan plummeted to its lowest level since 1982. The drop was attributed mostly to higher fuel and food costs, but consumers’ views on their current and expected personal financial situations dropped to their lowest readings since November 1982 and April 1980, respectively.

Why do we care? Or, I should say, what the hell does this have to do with Newburyport?

Well, first we already lost Chico's. (Boo hoo to some folks I know.) Now I wonder how a sagging real estate market affects New England Development's plans on the water. Do they wait and see or build now in anticipation of a rebound?

Second, if the retail market is this soft I wonder what kind of summer our local stores might have. Might be a good idea to spend your pennies downtown if that's at all possible.

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Living Local

For those who see buying local as some bit of snobbery, we offer this eye-opening offering from Metroplis Magazine.

Here's the question. What will life be like when oil goes scarce. The writer, James Howard Kunstler, provides an extremely plausible answer.

I admit it, I'm a sucker for Doomsday scenarios. I'd be interested in hearing from our resident skeptics on the picture Kunstler paints.

There may be one ray of hope for locals:

In my opinion the overall trend will benefit the smaller cities and towns, but only those that can maintain a relationship with productive farming hinterlands or trade via water. The implications for land-use regulation are obviously huge.

Unfortunately, I don't think we've got enough local farmland left. Perhaps Mr. Karp should go Green Acres and erect a farm along the river. Ultimately, that might be where the money is.

Buy Local, Part II

I neglected to post the second part of the Current's Buy Local series, so here it is.

A solid effort offering multiple perspectives. The majority of the business owners interviewed appreciated the effort but didn't necessarily support the bylaw banning(I initally typed buylaw. Seems more fitting) chain stores from downtown for many of the reasons previously stated: a few Gaps here and there might draw more business to downtown.

But I was struck by one seemingly innocous comment by one shop owner.

“We enjoy the tourist trade, but we count on local customers to keep us in business.”

Really? That's actually quite startling because the majority of people I talk to about downtown don't shop in our local stores. They may hit local restaurants, but not local stores.

And I always got the sense the local stores were okay with that. The Chamber of Commerce seems focused more on finding ways to bring new people and new money to town. There's wisdom in that for sure, but as we've discussed, the notion of buying locally owned and locally made products is increasingly popular.

The chamber should be seeking to capitalize on that.

So one has to give a lot of credit to the Buy Local group. They not only got this discussion going, but if I'm not mistaken they're the ones who got a "Buy Local" sticker in every shop downtown. I know they're only stickers, but the message is a strong one.

Perhaps the chamber ought to reach out to the group to help broadcast it.

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Nice Props

The figures on housing won't sit well with everyone, but Newburyport,SEED and Buy Local folks got a nice and well-deserved mention in a Boston Magazine piece. I also like the mention for local farms.

It's worth noting that Karp has his fingers on two of the towns mention in the article, "The Best Places to Live 2008," with the other being Plymouth, not Nantucket.

I'm glad Haverhill got a plug as well for its efforts to restore the downtown. The article drew comparisons to Newburyport. We'll see. We, of course, enjoy the benefits of aggressive federal-funded programs of the 1970s, the likes of which we'll probably never see again.

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Buying Local

I'm catching up on my Daily News articles, so bear with me.

Interesting move by the folks at Iron Moon Farm. We definitely plan on buying into one of these share programs this summer. As the article states, it sounds like a great way to get fresh produce while benefiting folks and farms you can actually see.

But this talk of local farms got me thinking--why don't we have a Farmer's Market in town.

I know there was talk of this last summer, but it seemed to die on the vine. I know one City Councilor questioned whether such an event would compete against in-city business--I think the new Woodman Stand was the one in question. I have to admit, I still don't get the rationale.

How great would it be to have all the area farms congregate their goods a few hours every Saturday? This not only would be an event to draw people downtown, but it would also serve as free marketing for those farms, particularly if the market were held at the Mall. I see stands like Tendercrop and Woodman's benefiting from such an event.

I recall this idea getting dismissed as something yuppie dream. Fine, we get resort to name calling I suppose. But for the life of me I don't see a single good reason for it not to happen, other than it hasn't been done before.

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Buy Local-Nantucket Style

A word from a buy local advocate in Nantucket. The K-man is featured prominently.

Sorry for the short posts. Busy work week.