When I lived in Chicago, I went on a few dates with a guy who grew up in Philadelphia but had been living in the city for a couple of years. He was new enough to the city (and there was enough to do within city limits) that he hadn't been to the suburbs.
For a date, he suggested going to one of the few drive-ins left in Illinois, which was located in a far-off suburb that bordered farmland. The drive was a breeze, because we were still getting to know each other... and also because my date was marveling at the huge variety of specialty businesses (in strip malls) that we passed. "Are you kidding me? Batteries Plus? A store that only sells batteries?" was followed by, "Seriously? A store called Barbecues Galore?" and "Jesus, Lamps Plus?" (All of these are actual stores, by the way.)
That drive has really stuck with me, since it showed an interesting, clear disparity between urban-livers and suburbanites (and was funny). Even today, I can't drive past a strip mall without checking out the stores and having a little laugh over guessing on the hypothetical degree of Dave's awe. I even recently had a laugh inside a Barbecues Galore store (about the fact that it exists AND how expensive everything is). Sometimes the suburbs are just a fantasyland of consumerism.
While I was leafing through this week's free weekly, The Acorn, I saw another example of the strip-mall specialty-store phenomenon... the "Datebook" page that lists local club and organization meetings. I marvel at the sheer variety of very specific interests, because how in the world can there be support or members for all of them? Here's a sampling of the gatherings happening this week:
- Women's Democratic League
- Democratic Club (a different one)
- Republican Women
- Republican Women's Club (a different one)
- Model A Ford Club (how many people own these?)
- Gem and Mineral Club
- Seven Habits of Highly Effective People Club
- Jazz Club
- Old Time Fiddlers
- Freethinkers
- Genealogy Society
- Model Airplane Club
- Thursday Club (they meet on Thursdays!)
- Fortnightly Club (guess when they meet?)
I think you get the idea.
Strangely, in the city on any given night, there will be art, theatre, and music events... but out here, it's limited to narrow interests like gemology, Model A-ownership, and self-help guru appreciation. I think it would be fun to a) attend a few of these, just to see how many (and what type of) people show up, and b) start my own club that is so particular, only a crazy person would show up... what do you think of something like Friday-Night Veggie Burger-Juggling on Old-Fashioned Four-Wheel Roller Skates Club?
For a date, he suggested going to one of the few drive-ins left in Illinois, which was located in a far-off suburb that bordered farmland. The drive was a breeze, because we were still getting to know each other... and also because my date was marveling at the huge variety of specialty businesses (in strip malls) that we passed. "Are you kidding me? Batteries Plus? A store that only sells batteries?" was followed by, "Seriously? A store called Barbecues Galore?" and "Jesus, Lamps Plus?" (All of these are actual stores, by the way.)
That drive has really stuck with me, since it showed an interesting, clear disparity between urban-livers and suburbanites (and was funny). Even today, I can't drive past a strip mall without checking out the stores and having a little laugh over guessing on the hypothetical degree of Dave's awe. I even recently had a laugh inside a Barbecues Galore store (about the fact that it exists AND how expensive everything is). Sometimes the suburbs are just a fantasyland of consumerism.
While I was leafing through this week's free weekly, The Acorn, I saw another example of the strip-mall specialty-store phenomenon... the "Datebook" page that lists local club and organization meetings. I marvel at the sheer variety of very specific interests, because how in the world can there be support or members for all of them? Here's a sampling of the gatherings happening this week:
- Women's Democratic League
- Democratic Club (a different one)
- Republican Women
- Republican Women's Club (a different one)
- Model A Ford Club (how many people own these?)
- Gem and Mineral Club
- Seven Habits of Highly Effective People Club
- Jazz Club
- Old Time Fiddlers
- Freethinkers
- Genealogy Society
- Model Airplane Club
- Thursday Club (they meet on Thursdays!)
- Fortnightly Club (guess when they meet?)
I think you get the idea.
Strangely, in the city on any given night, there will be art, theatre, and music events... but out here, it's limited to narrow interests like gemology, Model A-ownership, and self-help guru appreciation. I think it would be fun to a) attend a few of these, just to see how many (and what type of) people show up, and b) start my own club that is so particular, only a crazy person would show up... what do you think of something like Friday-Night Veggie Burger-Juggling on Old-Fashioned Four-Wheel Roller Skates Club?
