We're a WalMart Society
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8/7/2007
With the I5 corridor curving above & to the east of most of us, we're confined to an "L" shape travel pattern. We travel south on 6th st. & north on 7th st., east or west on the alphabet streets, D, E, F, G, dependung if we got off the I5 at exit 55 or 58. Exit 55 drops you off in the heart of the commerical & industrial center of our universe. Exit 58 sends us down 6th st. We pass not only the Court House, City Hall and Post Office, but the many dining, clothing and thrift shops that make up the heart of the city. When we go up 7th st. there's a small theater, a Safeway and a few of banks along with the auto dealerships. The busiest places in town are the thrift shops, followed by the food establishents. There's easy parking, no meters, a great variety of Mom & Pop businesses and lot's of bears, as sidewalk decorations. The business owners have bught themselves a job and the employees work for minium wages or just above.
Exit 55 drops you into the "Big Box" shopping centers. Lots of parking, eazy to walk to, plenty of restaurants, even an Applebee's. There's a multiplex theater, a Albertson's, Gottshanks, RV dealership, Fred Meyer with cheap gas, Dollar & Big Lot's. Also there is the busiest place in town, the dread of the mom & pop businesses - WALMART. This is where the prices & variety are. It may not be the best quality in town, but the price is right. There's always a line to get checked out, but the little sweet lady cashiers make you feel welcome.
South of the Rogue River the are more small buinesses, medium shopping centers and the largest multiplex theater in town. Lot's of industrial businesses and the new & modern Wheeler Toyota dealership. Just look what the Prius did for that 60 year old business. Also the hosiptal is off Redwood highway.
But all in all, the climate is good, as the arch over 6th st. says. While we work for substandard wages, the work is not that hard, the bosses not overbearing, and the people are of like disposition. If we leave the mom & pop businesses for the tourists and shop at WalMart we can survive very nicely here in paradise.
Robert | Grants Pass, OR