Cookie-Cutter Communities

Communities, towns,and cities were build near rivers and lakes as a reliable source of water was needed to feed the animals, run the factories, and quench the thrist of its citizens. People built stuff because it was needed or wanted and each place was different. Sure, each town had places to eat, schools and churches. and retail shops but maybe Mabel in South Fork baked a better pie and Sally in in Smithtown but the Smithtown blacksmith was more reliable than any other.

Communities gained their reputation by how good the residents were at fufilling certain needs whether it be farming, manufacturing, entertainment, or the basic needs of life. Today, it is still the indiviual businesses that give a place charater and charm. Like Seagrove (which is neither by the sea or filled with groves). When one thinks of Seagrove one thinks of pottery but I travel there only to visit Jugtown cafe and their Rueben sandwich.

Unfortunately, too many towns are becoming like Randleman. There is a Wal-mart, a toco bell, a bonjangles, a mcDonalds, a waffle house, a papa johns, dominoes, and a hardees. Don't forget an auto zone and the quick lube place. Randlemans latest addition is a McPersons bar and grill.

They call in Randleman lake but you can't get to it from Randleman. Downtown is full of antique stores, really stores filled with old stuff that gives some lonely soul somewhere to go and sit all day and fell like they have a purpose but only serves to fill up a dirty old building with something.

There is the cupcake store which sells cupcakes that aren't all that special. The young ladies who run the place are cute and try hard and offer a large variety of cup cakes that can make an occasion special like my Mom's birthday. But it is places like that that give a town aa scence of character and uniqueness and charm. Read "Our State" magazine and when they feature a North Carolina town it isn't the chain stores that get featured but the things the locals do that is different than from anywhere else.

I suppose that is one of the reasons I dislike the big box stores so much. maybe they enable a small town like Randleman to survive but maybe they rob places of their identity.