The Public Opinion Soapbox

ZiggyStardust · Joined: 07 Nov 2007 Posts: 59 Location: Chambersburg

Wegman's is amazing. It's like a utopian food city...or something.

A Talking Horse · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 143 Location: Cove Gap

I understand the underlying frustration here...but there is something pathetic about begging big corporate entities to "give you" something you want...

Reminds me of the women down in Waynesboro with their "We Want Wal-Mart" T-shirts a few years ago...

Please - Homogenize Us!!! Take our culture...and our money!!!

It is as if you have lost appreciation for any local or indigenous businesses...

I get your point - but I had to say that...

Side note - anyone been to Bedford PA lately?...WOW - they really have a good downtown plan going over there...lots of nice hip shops and good places to eat...very surprising to see the big changes over there...my girl and I are going over next weekend to eat. Kudos to the "powers that be" in that area...

Too bad Chambersburg is hell bent on maintaining this "Pure As The Wind Driven Snow" image...its bad for business.
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Coppy · Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 2569 Location: Chambersburg

Yeah, the problem, for the most part around here is that local and indigenous businesses do little to compete or set themselves apart. I've been to a lot of small communities where local businesses thrive on offering something unique and being more accessible. Here it's just the opposite. A lot of local places haven't changed a thing in 50 years, and are rarely open on weekends or after weekday mid-afternoons.

I know, I definitely play the devil's advocate on this, but I think that small businesses should learn to adapt and improve themselves to compete with the big guys. Local people will know the difference. I understand this can be a tall order, especially for small businesses with little working capitol, but I've seen it work elsewhere.

It sort of goes back to downtown Chambersburg; that could be a great place for small, local businesses to provide something to the community that big box stores can't. But few do, and others don't even extend their hours past lunchtime when there's a festival going on and 50,000 are milling around downtown. I'll just never understand that.

I'm going to Bedford this week on business; I'll have to checkout their downtown. I've always considered Chambersburg to be superior to Bedford of all places, in every way, but if their downtown is actually improving then good for them.

me · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 119

Been doin' some thinkin' lately and it really confuses me that some people gripe, biotch and complain about all the new housing/ developments going in then turn right around and do the same because they want more choices of commercial/ businesses.

Can ya really expect a business to invest in a new business venture if there is not a suffucient customer base? Afterall, that is part of a business plan!
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Certainly there is no hunting like the hunting of man and those who have hunted armed men long enough and like it, never really care for anything else thereafter.

Coppy · Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 2569 Location: Chambersburg

me · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 119

Coppy, I figured you'd be the first to reply and to understand.

Except during my time in service, I've spent most of my adult life here and visited it during my life as a youngin'. I loved the rural way of life this area offered, but that is or should I say, has changed. The area has grown and I truely believe it's no longer rural, well C-burg and bordering Twp's that is.

And yes, a great many people would be happier than pigs in muck if they could keep us in the 1970's, especially our neighbors to the west !!!
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Certainly there is no hunting like the hunting of man and those who have hunted armed men long enough and like it, never really care for anything else thereafter.

cookieclaygirl · Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 2136 Location: shippensburg

70s???!

i think we'd be lucky for the 70s....i'm thinking it's more like 40-50s....

me · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 119

Cooookieees !!!

I was trying to give them a break!
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Certainly there is no hunting like the hunting of man and those who have hunted armed men long enough and like it, never really care for anything else thereafter.

Coppy · Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 2569 Location: Chambersburg

I think that Franklin County is EXTREMELY rural. Perhaps not rural in the old "we're all salt-of-the-earth farmers" sense, but rural none-the-less. Even though Chambersburg and the country is growing, much of Franklin is wide open space interspersed with crop fields, orchards and farm houses. We have mountains, forests and streams running all over, far from discernible population.

Living here is absolutely nothing like living in even the most suburban of towns. Any sort of area around a metropolitan center is completely different than what we're experiencing here. Growth here is being spurred mainly by a high cost of living in real suburban areas, as well as peaceful, country environment; yes, you could live in downtown Chambersburg and it would be peaceful to many people from a metro area. It's also being spurred by our proximity to the highway, but so few people want to actually capitalize on that and how it can help our community.

It's clearly rural because you don't have to drive more than 5 minutes away from the center of Chambersburg to find yourself literally in the middle of nowhere. You don't have to go far to find a very old fashioned way of life. If all you've been traveling lately is I-81, Rt 11 and Rt 30, then it may not be so obviously, but take a random turn off of one of those roads and you'll realize just how rural Franklin County is.

cookieclaygirl · Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 2136 Location: shippensburg

Coppy · Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 2569 Location: Chambersburg

I'd imagine Chambersburg hit rock bottom in the 80's though; when all the cozy, old-time stores downtown closed shop and none of the new modern places were here yet.

It was probably awfully boring.

me · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 119

While I was not born here (born on my way home from here) and have not lived my entire life here, I still consider myself to be a Fayetteville native. My entire family, with exception of my dad is from this area and the problem is that people still think they can continue to operate as if it were the 30's, 40's 50's or even the 70's !!!!

Have a Happy Easter!!
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Certainly there is no hunting like the hunting of man and those who have hunted armed men long enough and like it, never really care for anything else thereafter.

Coppy · Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 2569 Location: Chambersburg

No love for the 60's? I have a feeling that the whole "cultural revolution" thing didn't make it into Franklin County. No burning bras, recreation drug experimentation, or "make love, not war" stickers. Razz

Seems to me that Franklin County probably gets left behind when it comes to anything new sweeping the country.

.45chel · Joined: 26 Oct 2007 Posts: 3043 Location: Chambersburg

Wait, does that mean when can have the sixties now?

Twisted Evil

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Nevermind.

fonnynonny · Joined: 23 Feb 2008 Posts: 13 Location: chambersburg