Evanston-based writer Joseph Epstein, in a Wall Street Journal opinion column last week, said the downtown he fondly remembers from his childhood has turned into chain-dominated “Taco Bell country.” That’s not a view shared by the city’s Chamber of Commerce.
The chamber’s executive director, Jonathan Perman, has fired off the following letter to the Journal’s editor.
Dear Editor:
After reading Joseph Epstein’s, “In Praise of Shopkeepers,” opinion, July 17, I was troubled by the partial counting system he employed to inform your readers about the retail landscape of downtown Evanston, IL. Mr. Epstein decries the “paucity of interesting and useful shops” and then launches into a discordant whine about “corporate-owned” businesses.
From his description, it would appear Mr. Epstein lives in downtown Evanston, a very successful transit-oriented neighborhood with a mix of national, regional, and independent stores and restaurants. Here are the facts about Mr. Epstein’s neighborhood (Note: he cited shops within three blocks of his apartment. Our geography will be a bit larger, encompassing the entire downtown of 12 square blocks). The statistics below are only true retail stores, not service businesses or personal care places like hair salons or athletic clubs:
Retail:
Total = 96
Independent = 64 (67%)
Chain = 31 (32%)
Regional = 1 (1%), ie. Blick Art
Restaurants/Eating Establishments:
Total = 83
Independent = 59 (71%)
Chain = 19 (23%)
Regional = 5 (6%), ie. Argo Tea
Totals for all of the above:
Total = 179
Independent = 123 (69%)
Chain = 50 (28%)
Regional = 6 (3%)
Again, this does not include spas, health facilities, personal care, yoga, etc… –of which there are about 40, almost all independently owned.
I would also point out some flaws in Mr. Epstein’s recounting of Evanston’s retail history. He seems to have selective memory as to why people came to downtown Evanston from 1920-1970. Indeed, there were many small shops in Evanston, as there are today, but one cannot ignore the major anchor stores like Marshall Fields (regional chain, later national chain), Wieboldts (regional chain), and Rothschilds, just to name a few, that were a significant draw for regional consumers.
I also found it a bit ironic that Mr. Epstein, who writes regularly for free-market journals such as The Weekly Standard and Commentary, would have a problem with the free-market development of downtown Evanston.
Mr. Epstein professes affection for “curiosity shops”, which, I suppose, are a matter of personal opinion. Yet, It would appear Mr. Epstein’s curiosity is surprisingly limited for he fails to cite such unique destination shops as: Bookman’s Alley, Asinamali (clothing boutique), Audio Consultants, Ixia (florist), The Comix Revolution, Ethical Planet (environmental products), and Turin Bicycle – all of which are just steps from his home.
And, for a fellow who just wrote a biography about Fred Astaire, Mr. Epstein might look to the Giordano Dance School as a local anchor that generates significant retail and restaurant traffic on Davis Street and other nearby streets in downtown Evanston.
Mr. Epstein’s comparative study is Andersonville, essentially a one street shopping area in Chicago that is anchored by a large Jewel/Osco (national chain) with a big surface parking lot. While dominated by independents like downtown Evanston, Andersonville also has the requisite T-Mobile and Starbucks.
True, Andersonville may be more “gayified”, in Mr. Epstein’s words, (though I don’t know how one measures that) but it is no more diverse (maybe even less) in terms of age, race, and ethnicity.
Finally, Mr. Epstein fires a shot at the “two-hundred social workers, five-hundred psychotherapists, and a thousand second-rate poets” (I assume he includes himself in that caste) who he ranks well below the humble shopkeeper. Instead of ranking and grouping, one might look at the interdependency of these occupations and how they rely on one another to consume the product or service that they offer.
Mr. Epstein is indeed a witty writer and observer but he surely doesn’t know how to count and he should be careful not to substitute wit for fact.
Definition of Terms?
I just have a quick question about Mr. Perman’s data.
How many stores/locations constitutes a chain – either regionally or nationally?
Kudos to Mr. Perman-an Evanston gem
Based on that Wall Street Journal opinion piece, I’d have to say Joel Epstein is a bit haughty and over-sentimental to say the least. To suggest shopkeepers helped defeat Napolean at Waterloo as a defense to the “charm” of small shops is…well…way over the top and awkward.
Has the alleged witty Epstein ever considered that once upon a time Starbucks was a little shop? So was McDonald’s, Wal-Mart and so on.
Would Epstein suddenly grow out of favor of his favorite mom and pop shop if it were to become a chain? How would Epstein react if that that little shop with the nice Italian couple were to become successful and go national?
After all, isn’t it the objective and dream of most if not all small business owners to grow their enterprise?
I’ll take a wild leap here and claim Epstein never owned a business. I’ll also say Epstein has no business writing about the economics of downtown Evanston when he lets his feelings get in the way of the those pesky old facts.
Maybe the underlying issue with Epstein’s article was not the so-called decline of small businesses in Evanston, but his desire to move to Andersonville.
Shopkeepers demand recount
Bravo Jonathan!
An accurate, concise, articulate, thorough and witty response to an article that was sorely lacking in integrity.
Dave Galloway
Don’t confuse opinion with facts
It seems that Mr. Perman doesn’t quite understand how things work in Evanston. In our town it is preferable to not confuse opinions with the facts.
Jonathon, be careful not to upset our full of opinion neighbors.
By the way, very well written letter.
Mr. Epstein must have woke up
Mr Epstein must have woke up in the middle of the night, and thought of the phrase “Taco Bell country” and had a another thought, I got to use this. Without doing his homework he did. Great Letter Mr Perman.
WSJ Article
Glad to see there was a factual rebuttal by the Chamber of Commerce to this opinion piece.
Manon Kavesky
Good news from WSJ
Yes, Epstein’s article was silly. It had all of the usual NIMBY sentimentality about non-existant good old days, when downtowns were filled with delightful family-owned stores.
Some people don’t like to admit it, but chains are successful because they are good at providing what customers want. I go to the Sherman Ave Starbucks instead of Unicorn because Starbucks gets my order to me faster, they have a cleaner store, and better hours.
But not all WSJ articles are stupid. I saw one today,
How a New Runway At O’Hare Makes Travel Easier for All .
According to the article,
“Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport is no longer the tar pit of the nation’s air-transportation system.
In the eight months since a new runway opened at the U.S.’s second-busiest airport, plagued for decades with lengthy flight delays, O’Hare has operated with above-average on-time arrivals—better than Dallas, Atlanta and Denver in 2009, according to FlightStats.com. O’Hare’s on-time arrival rate improved by 27% so far this year compared with the same period of 2008. That was twice the improvement of any other big U.S. airport.
Remember all of the NIMBYs from Bensenville or Elk Grove Village complaining about the new runways? Fortunately, they did not succeed. And now – because the NIMBYs have been defeated, thousands of Americans are receiving the benefits of fewer delayed flights.
Downtown Evanston
I think what Mr. Epstein was trying to say is he preferred downtown Evanston when there was Mindscape Art Gallery, Gimcracks, Ganache Bakery, Ofischl Sports, Mostly Handmade, Chandlers, Joans Sweet Shoppe, Bills Grocery, Evanston Photographic Studios, Rosies Toy Store, Chicago Compact Disc, The Worlds Largest Garage Sale, and so on.
And there weren’t empty buildings like the former Borders and Barnes & Nobles that had been canabolized.
If that was Mr. Epsteins point, then I agree with him.
As far as Mr. Permans letter, I take issue that Downtown Evanston was redeveloped in a free market enviroment. That isn’t true. Downtown Evanston was redeveloped by means of illegal closed door meetings and the use of TIF money that remains highly questionable in its use. One can only wish downtown Evanston was redeveloped in a free market enviroment as many of the independent stores listed above might still be there today or replaced by other independents which was the trend ‘back in the day’.
Times change, we all move on, and downtown Evanston isn’t what it used to be. For some, that is a good thing.
I am now over here on Noyes Street where there is 100% occupancy in every storefront and 0% chain stores. Just like my old business neighborhood used to be and for me, that is a good thing.
With that said – Shop Evanston First!
Epstein Was Dead On
Epstein was dead on, and your comments are even more dead on. The redevelopment of Evanston was anything but free market based. I was fortunate enough to read Epstein’s opinion piece just in the course of my morning routine, instead of being directed to it by someone who already had formed an opinion of their own. People have been saying for years that there aren’t any useful shops in downtown Evanston. Where can you go to buy a pair of underwear?
Where can you buy underware?
Well that depends on your your preference.
CVS generally carries Hanes.
They carry socks and nylons too.
Something sporty, why not try the yoga shop or Uncle Dan’s,
the Gap and Jos. A. Bank, or Ann Taylor?
All the best in your quest for the perfect pair of boxers or briefs!
Or maybe that is bikinis or boy shorts!
Very sincerely
Manon Kavesky
Dear Mr. Yep: To your point
Dear Mr. Yep: To your point that downtown Evanston is bereft of free market influence, let me say that should you decide to open an underwear store you’ll find plenty of vacant space.
Where can you buy underwear in Andersonville?
“Epstein was dead on, and your comments are even more dead on. …. People have been saying for years that there aren’t any useful shops in downtown Evanston. Where can you go to buy a pair of underwear?
Epstein isn’t calling for more ‘useful’ shops. He seems to want more unique and charming boutiques.
It would be nice to have places in downtown Evanston that sell basic housewares and clothing – but such a store would not be a unique or charming family owned small business. It would be a chain – like Macy’s, Kohls, J.C. Penney, Sears.
I haven’t been to Andersonville very often ( I did go to Svea once to try their Swedish pancakes…IHOP is still the undefeated champion) , but I don’t know where you would get your basic stuff like underwear over there. ( Good news for Andersonville residents : Target is going to open at the old Wilson Yards in 2010. Of course, the Uptown NIMBYs put up a fight, but it looks like they lost. )
So, I agree that Evanston needs more practical stores. Something like Willow Plaza ( Target, Kohls, IHOP, Chipotle, and a newer Whole Foods ) would be good. Chain stores are more efficient, which means that they are good for the environment.