When Company Comes
The visit of gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie to Plainfield made this writer aware of how the downtown may come across to an outsider.
The downtown has long since lost its retail luster as a regional shopping destination and is now serving a demographic that needs lots of stuff at a moderate price. Dollar stores, urban gear outlets and a whole lot of cell phone places have popped up among the longtime establishments. Even so, the economic downturn has affected even these newly popular stores.
Part of the downtown problem is escalating rents since a new company took over most storefronts. Business owners could not pay triple the past year's rent and had to make other plans.
This business, a Bible store now converted to an urban fiction bookstore, was the subject of a paintball attack. Some may remember it as the old Lazaar's. (Correction: Boise's?)
All ages can now get their new kicks downtown, from pre-school to all grown up.
A downtown building that has many windows shuttered by blinds had just one that stood out - a very naked woman in full view of anybody. Even a police officer on special detail for the Christie visit was surprised by the sight. Apparently it is a large beach towel with the message, "A great towel for a great body." Hmm. So what goes on behind the rest of those windows?
The downtown has long since lost its retail luster as a regional shopping destination and is now serving a demographic that needs lots of stuff at a moderate price. Dollar stores, urban gear outlets and a whole lot of cell phone places have popped up among the longtime establishments. Even so, the economic downturn has affected even these newly popular stores.
Part of the downtown problem is escalating rents since a new company took over most storefronts. Business owners could not pay triple the past year's rent and had to make other plans.
This business, a Bible store now converted to an urban fiction bookstore, was the subject of a paintball attack. Some may remember it as the old Lazaar's. (Correction: Boise's?)
All ages can now get their new kicks downtown, from pre-school to all grown up.
A downtown building that has many windows shuttered by blinds had just one that stood out - a very naked woman in full view of anybody. Even a police officer on special detail for the Christie visit was surprised by the sight. Apparently it is a large beach towel with the message, "A great towel for a great body." Hmm. So what goes on behind the rest of those windows?Most likely Chris Christie was shepherded through the downtown so fast by his handlers that he didn't take time to peer around at such things. Still, it was eye-opening to get a possible new view of our downtown through the eyes of a visitor.
--Bernice Paglia
posted by Bernice at 9:25 PM
5 Comments:
Bernice, There is NO major draw to the downtown, like a Motor Vehicle Agency, Bank [like old days], Must eat at restaurant. People only randomly pass through for the few generic stores. So there decision making is based on SAFETY & Parking. Both of which show the town as second rate. Look at the lines painted on Fanwooods little parking streets compared to plainfield. Or look for a cop anyplace besides Dunkin Donuts doubleparked.
If people don't move to Planfield, businesses won't come. Let's get the grass and branches out of the streets, which are there all year. Let's get people to landscape their yards, so it has appeal to new potential buyers, and let's get people to fix up their homes - paint / keep fences mended and your home repaired. People will like the look of Planfield, move into the city, and businesses will follow to get their money. It is that simple. Where is inspections and DPW to make this happen?
Yes there are a lot of dollar stores, cell phone shops and braiding / nail parlors. But to say that these do not constitute a "draw" downtown is to ignore the fact that they are surviving and prospering in this economy. That means that they ARE a draw. Just not to the people who are commenting on these blogs. To ignore the clientelle of these businesses is to again expose the racism / classism that exists between neighborhoods in Plainfield.
Plainfield's downtown looks like Cuba under Castro...
not exactly the diversity that the administration brags about.....
Cuba under Castro??? Racist much? If you don't like the demographics in Plainfield, may I suggest Westfield? While the housing prices are probably 4 times as much, and so are the taxes, there are a lot fewer dark faces and Spanish accents.
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