Vermont and Chain Stores

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I have always heard that when it comes to chain stores, Vermont is always either the last state to get them, or they are the only state that doesn't have them.

I find this rather intriguing. If I lived someplace that didn't have Best Buy, I would go crazy.

Tim

I thought maine was the last state. I never heard or saw a wal*mart until i was 17 years old, 30 years after it was founded. it took 6 years until an old navy opened in Maine, at least one that i knew of.

But I did hear that VT has strange building codes. I heard that the freeways there don't have billboards, probably so they don't clash with the scenery there.

I got most of this information from Wikipedia

Tim

I lived in Western Massachusetts, and while I was there (late 80's--early 90's) there was a big deal about Vermont being the only state that wouldn't allow Walmart to plow their way into the Vermont market. I have to say, I can't really blame them. Now that there are Walmarts (and all the other chains -- stores, restaurants, etc.), every state in the union has pretty much the same look in their cities. Vermont is the only state that has retained it's original beauty. Also, this fight to keep the state free of chains is helpful to keep Mom and Pop stores going.

I used to think that I would go absolutely crazy if there weren't the same stores I was used to in the West (I grew up in California) in the East as well, but now I'm totally different -- I applaud the Vermont way of thinking. After all, that's why so many people visit Vermont -- because it's beautiful and relatively untouched by the modern world.

Kris

I'm pleased that Vt. hasn't billboards on the interstates, it's jarring when one goes to another state & sees them again, though. I moved to Vt. in 1995, when the "will there be a Wal-Mart" question was active. Even if Wal-Mart had been kept out, people (those w/transport) would've just shopped out-of-state. Across the river in N.H. (it's tax-free), down in Mass. or over to N.Y.
I do shop at big-box stores, reluctantly.
Tough to circumvent human nature (desire to find cheap items and large selection). It's also human nature (in a different way) to enjoy aspects of "mom & pop" small/local businesses. Large stores-one has to travel far into gridlocked urban areas. Small stores-may be w/in walking distance. Challenge is trying to achieve balance, co-existence, is it possible to have things "both ways"?

I think Maine and Vt. are quite similar in that regard. I was absolutely shocked when I went back home to Portland a few years ago and saw the Subway sandwich shop on the corner of Congress and Brown St. How could the possibly stay in business?

When I went back again in 2003, it was still there, so obviously there are people in Maine who are foolish enough to actually go there instead of Amato's.



You're talking about the one across from the Maine Mall in South Portland, right? I was also amazed at the almost virtual explosion of chain-type places in that area. In some ways it's cool, but in others it's sad. I always wanted to think that people in Northern New England, ( aside from those who live in New Hampshire) were above that mentality. --apparently not the case.

Speaking as a Vermonter, the reason we don't have billboards is because they are identified as a roadside hazard.

There are only four Wal*Marts in the whole state, one of them in my hometown of Bennington, which was built when I was sixteen.

We're trying to avoid big box stores as much as possible because Vermont is known as a the "Green Mountain State". Too much construction tends to injure that title.

I have heard that, too

Tim

I lived in Vermont from 1988 to 1998. One main reason that Walmart was so late in coming to Vermont was because they like to build a big ugly complex several miles out of town instead of in the central business district. For many years cities were able to control them with zoning.