Same Old Shops
By Jabo
@jaboUK (64361)
United Kingdom
January 9, 2018 5:44pm CST
Have you noticed that nowadays shops are practically the same whatever town you're in? They all seem to be branches of the same big chains, at least that's my experience in England. Where are the little family-run stores?
I'm not really one for shopping , but checking out the shops used to be part of the fun when visiting a new town. Not any more, most town centres are boringly similar. There's hardly any individuality now.
And I don't believe it's just in England either. I remember going to Dubai some years ago, and even there they had western style shopping malls with recognisable big name stores.
What's it like where you are?
63 people like this
66 responses
@much2say (53958)
• Los Angeles, California
10 Jan 18
We do like to visit malls still, but yes - for shopping itself, it's the same stores with the same merchandise - that part is not so interesting. Here, they seem to be trying to design/redesign these shopping areas so they are more inviting - for the sake of the shopping "experience" . . . I can appreciate that part, but for the stores themselves - eh. A lot of the local charming mom and pop shops here have disappeared, but luckily there are certain areas where they can still thrive (although I don't know how well they are actually doing).
3 people like this
@much2say (53958)
• Los Angeles, California
12 Jan 18
@jaboUK The little family shops have a charm about them - and often the shopping experience is personal with the family members and employees that run it. There is a used book shop locally (thankfully still in existence) and there is no matching their wonderful customer service. The big commercial book stores could care less - they don't say hi or anything for the most part until you are in front of the cashier to pay. And sadly, that seems to be everywhere.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
9 Jan 18
Here in Eugene and especially in Portland, there are neighborhoods with many independent, individually owned stores and really a lot of local restaurants as well. There are malls too, but they are no fun.
7 people like this
@Hannihar (129482)
• Israel
10 Jan 18
I cannot tell you about anywhere else but I do not understand why people open shoe and clothes stores close by. Don't they think about the competition. I believe most shops have different things to off in their stores but there are some that have the same things. Maybe the prices are the difference if they have the same things. I do not know.
3 people like this
@MikesAngel317 (355)
• United States
9 Jan 18
Yes, it seems to be that way all over, there are only a few unique shops here and there.
3 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
10 Jan 18
@MikesAngel317 Thanks - I do like to know where people are from, and you don't have that on your profile.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45939)
• United States
10 Jan 18
We have a few small stores that dot our main street. One in particular sells unique toys and craft items. I don't shop there often, but plan to when I am looking for a gift for Little Miss for her birthday.
I did get a Melissa and Doug cleaning set for her for Christmas that was 30% off. It was a good buy. People should shop the local small businesses and they would be quite surprised at what they find. I am tired of the big box stores and malls. Haven't been to a mall in a couple of years.
2 people like this
@ElusiveButterfly (45939)
• United States
10 Jan 18
@jaboUK we have 2 chain stores in our town. One is Walmart, the other Kmart. Kmart may soon be a thing of the past though. There are other stores that are in the plazas that are chain stores such as JC Penney and Staples. I try to shop the small businesses first and hope to find a good bargain.
2 people like this
@rebelann (111189)
• El Paso, Texas
10 Jan 18
Here it's like in that picture, at first I thought you had taken it and wanted to ask when you were in El Paso but then I saw it was from Pixabay, that's what Cielo Vista Mall looks like ..... well, it did the last time I went there which was a couple of years ago.
3 people like this
@rebelann (111189)
• El Paso, Texas
10 Jan 18
Pretty much @jaboUK if I find a store that carries what I like then I might visit them a couple times a year but since I've retired I've had no interest in actually shopping for things like clothes or shoes. Malls are definitely not on my list of places to go.
2 people like this
@silvermist (19702)
• India
10 Jan 18
Have to agree with you.Here too this trend has begun to take over.But for the time being some family/individual owned shops are here.How long they can last,I have no idea.There is so much competition.
2 people like this
@Butchcass4 (5895)
• United States
10 Jan 18
I'm not one to go out and shop shops. I go to Walmart and Dollar General and Tops grocery market, that's the extent of my shopping. Boring I know but I just don't have the money to just go shopping! But I have noticed some of the businesses that are family owned have closed down where we are. We have a Thrift store and a clothing center that I go to occasionally which is nice for people who don't have the money to pay high prices for clothing.
2 people like this
@Butchcass4 (5895)
• United States
14 Jan 18
@jaboUK I hear ya! I don't care to go shopping but I'm so thankful to the Lord that we have the money to get some groceries and things we need.
1 person likes this
@Inlemay (17714)
• South Africa
10 Jan 18
I absolutely HATE shopping Malls - they have killed the shopping atmosphere of walking down little streets looking for just the right place. It is the absolute fashion in SA and I don't do shopping much anymore because it's mundane. I loved being in France and Brussels where every little street has privately owned lace shops, eateries, not to mention in Italy where even homemade shoe shops are still found. Even my hubby agreed that he loved the street strolling shopping rather than Malls.
2 people like this
@ridingbet (66857)
• Philippines
10 Jan 18
i think the smaller shops, family-owned here in my city are lesser now. a super mall was recently open, and another bigger one will open on May.
2 people like this
@ridingbet (66857)
• Philippines
11 Jan 18
@jaboUK yes, definitely. so, the smaller malls here sell products from Asian countries like Korea, China, Bangladesh, etc.
1 person likes this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
10 Jan 18
It's the same in the Philippines, SM Mall is the dominant mall with more than 50 branches nationwide, there is one in almost every major town or city and they all look identical.
2 people like this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
10 Jan 18
@jaboUK exactly, the only semblance of the old shops is when a mall tenant decorates his shop the traditional way, but even then they are big players to afford the high rent, small traditional family shops are being pushed further away to the rural areas.
2 people like this
@changjiangzhibin89 (16533)
• China
10 Jan 18
What you talked about goes for stores here too.They all but sell the same things,which is the homogenous tendency of goods in terms of marketing.As often as not,you can't buy what you want without spending lots of time looking for.
2 people like this
@Morleyhunt (21737)
• Canada
10 Jan 18
I have noticed this...more and more....and all the stores are laid out almost the same way. It does make it easier to find....but really? I like some variety.
2 people like this
@ilocosboy (45157)
• Philippines
10 Jan 18
Yes I'm so much agree with you. In my country SM mall and Robinsons are all over the country and the franchises of fastfood chain like McDonalds, Jollibee, Greenwich, Max's among others. Even cakes and pastry store are the same.
2 people like this
@ilocosboy (45157)
• Philippines
10 Jan 18
McDonalds are everywhere in my country
2 people like this
