Local business patronage
I just read a nice piece on someone's blog describing local businesses and the reasons why that person shops at specific shops, even when sales at big box stores might result in lower prices on some items. In the grand scheme of things, being pennywise and pound foolish adds up very quickly. I realise that most expensive items are the kinds of things that it is tough to wait around for sales, since you kind of need them when the old one dies - computers, tires, water heaters, furnaces, etc. This is why i think _in the long run_ it is worth it to be a patron of a small business already. The relationship is established, you trust them, they trust you, you can count on them when the need is immediate, and they can count on your to send dollars and hopefully new customers their way.
Part of the cultural shift i'm experiencing living in Schenectady versus Cambridge/Somerville is that out here, people have a lot more trust. At least, when dealing in business - i'm not going to comment on crime or the safety of the streets at night yet, since my experience doesn't extend that far yet.
In the Boston area, if you needed the services of a small business, there was a lot of negotiating up front, and simply walking through the front door of a store took steeling of the resolve. Inquiries were met with challenge and mistrust, questions were regarded with hostility. Obviously this was not a 100 % occurance, but it is easier for me to name businesses and state/goverment offices where i had a neutral or good experience than a bad one.
(On a side note, anyone in the 617 or the 978 who needs pastries or coffee, EVER, go to Demet's Donuts, on Mystic Ave in Medford, right near where 16 and 93 meet. They once let me buy $50 of donuts and take them away when all i had was a credit card and no cash. They don't take cards. They just trusted me to come back with the money the next day, which you can bet i most certainly did. Cannot say enough good things about that family owned business!)
So you see, i can think of one positive anecdote about my time in the 617. But i was there for 10 years, and i probably could not come up with one per year. There are shops i love, but in general the attitude there exacerbated my mild social anxiety.
I've been here 4 days shy of 2 months, and i can name 3 businesses so far who've extended me generosity beyond what i'd expect in a business in a city, plus my experience at the DMV was incredibly smooth and positive. That is not even accounting for the general mindset around here, which is just generally more accepting and trusting. Heck, my own apartment complex wasn't able to meet me the night we moved in, and the manager just left the keys inside. Due to my moving schedule and Columbus Day being a holiday, i didn't sign a lease or give the company a cent for a WEEK. And they were gracious and understanding and just trusted i'd write a check when i could. It was completely bizarre to me, and totally natural to them.
scholar describes Schenectady and Albany as small towns that just happen to have a ton of people in them. Granted, there are some rough, rough sections of town, where i'm sure a business or individual would much prefer to rob me than to form a business relationship. But thus far, my experience has been incredibly good, and i was even expecting this town to be rough based on the opinions of the locals. This is not an area that is particularly affluent, especially compared to Newton or Wellesley or even the north side of Medford. But the average dude on the street is really just a lot more relaxed here, and living here is just so much more pleasant.
No idea where this long non-rant came from. It occurs to me that it has been percolating for a while now, but a series of experiences brought it to the front of my mind just now.
For those curious, local businesses i have patronized in the last 2 months who i feel have performed well above my expectations. There are other businesses whom i'll recommend later, but these are the ones who stand out in my mind so far:
State Street Mobil Service
936 State Street, Schenectady, NY
Tire Warehouse of Union Street
1717 Union Street, technically in Niskayuna
Schenectady branch of the DMV, on lower lower lower State Street by SCCC
Guilderland Martial Arts
Route 20/Western Ave right near where 146N splits off (146 and 20 are concurrant for a while).
(I'm a bit biased here, since one does get emotionally involved with one's martial arts club, but even before i joined i saw demos and testing and i was VERY impressed.)
Part of the cultural shift i'm experiencing living in Schenectady versus Cambridge/Somerville is that out here, people have a lot more trust. At least, when dealing in business - i'm not going to comment on crime or the safety of the streets at night yet, since my experience doesn't extend that far yet.
In the Boston area, if you needed the services of a small business, there was a lot of negotiating up front, and simply walking through the front door of a store took steeling of the resolve. Inquiries were met with challenge and mistrust, questions were regarded with hostility. Obviously this was not a 100 % occurance, but it is easier for me to name businesses and state/goverment offices where i had a neutral or good experience than a bad one.
(On a side note, anyone in the 617 or the 978 who needs pastries or coffee, EVER, go to Demet's Donuts, on Mystic Ave in Medford, right near where 16 and 93 meet. They once let me buy $50 of donuts and take them away when all i had was a credit card and no cash. They don't take cards. They just trusted me to come back with the money the next day, which you can bet i most certainly did. Cannot say enough good things about that family owned business!)
So you see, i can think of one positive anecdote about my time in the 617. But i was there for 10 years, and i probably could not come up with one per year. There are shops i love, but in general the attitude there exacerbated my mild social anxiety.
I've been here 4 days shy of 2 months, and i can name 3 businesses so far who've extended me generosity beyond what i'd expect in a business in a city, plus my experience at the DMV was incredibly smooth and positive. That is not even accounting for the general mindset around here, which is just generally more accepting and trusting. Heck, my own apartment complex wasn't able to meet me the night we moved in, and the manager just left the keys inside. Due to my moving schedule and Columbus Day being a holiday, i didn't sign a lease or give the company a cent for a WEEK. And they were gracious and understanding and just trusted i'd write a check when i could. It was completely bizarre to me, and totally natural to them.
scholar describes Schenectady and Albany as small towns that just happen to have a ton of people in them. Granted, there are some rough, rough sections of town, where i'm sure a business or individual would much prefer to rob me than to form a business relationship. But thus far, my experience has been incredibly good, and i was even expecting this town to be rough based on the opinions of the locals. This is not an area that is particularly affluent, especially compared to Newton or Wellesley or even the north side of Medford. But the average dude on the street is really just a lot more relaxed here, and living here is just so much more pleasant.
No idea where this long non-rant came from. It occurs to me that it has been percolating for a while now, but a series of experiences brought it to the front of my mind just now.
For those curious, local businesses i have patronized in the last 2 months who i feel have performed well above my expectations. There are other businesses whom i'll recommend later, but these are the ones who stand out in my mind so far:
State Street Mobil Service
936 State Street, Schenectady, NY
Tire Warehouse of Union Street
1717 Union Street, technically in Niskayuna
Schenectady branch of the DMV, on lower lower lower State Street by SCCC
Guilderland Martial Arts
Route 20/Western Ave right near where 146N splits off (146 and 20 are concurrant for a while).
(I'm a bit biased here, since one does get emotionally involved with one's martial arts club, but even before i joined i saw demos and testing and i was VERY impressed.)