You know what I miss about the Real Life Survival Guide? It was its focus on local. We met in locally owned businesses with strong community roots. That focus of the program was important. It generated a sense of community among the guests and was demonstrated by the places we met. What brought this to mind was a program on WNPR's Where We Live about the preponderance of big box stores.
Some examples of the connections we made include:
- Da Legna, a new restaurant on State Street in New Haven
- Edge of the Woods Natural Market in New Haven
- Archie Moore’s in New Haven’s East Rock section
- The Rib House in East Haven Connecticut
- Lyric Hall in the Westville section of New Haven
- Ashley’s Ice Cream in Branford Connecticut
- The Glenwood Drive In Hamden
- Richter's in New Haven (Now Closed)
There were 72 episodes. For the most part in locally owned establishments in and around New Haven.
The big box stores? I go there. I try to be pleasant to the staff. I'm guessing from their expressions, most people are not trying to engage them in a pleasant way. But, it is not the same as going to a place "where everybody knows your name." When I was growing up we had local businesses where we did business. There was a local TV repairman, local restaurants (a rotation of about five), a regular barber, a particular clothing store, an auto mechanic, a bike shop, a local grocer even a car dealership and many others we had relationships with. They knew us. They helped us based on our relationship and we trusted them. We don't have as many of those relationships anymore. I miss the sense of community.
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