editorial Starbucks, Staples threaten unique town atmosphere

Author: [no author name found]

For students trickling in from urban and suburban corners of the world alike, the town of Middlebury is a wonderful - and too often ignored - resource and retreat during our time at the College. And for the many faculty and staff who work on campus, the town is often at the hub of a deep and vibrant relationship with the community that extends far beyond the reach of the College's own boundaries. With Starbucks and Staples eyeing property in Middlebury, residents and friends of the town are charged with considering the changing face of town commerce, and while many students call Middlebury home for only the brief four years of their undergraduate educations, they too are called upon to join the debate.

For students at the College, the addition of a few more franchises - the proposed Staples and Starbucks joining a small but noticeable fleet of national corporations that have already taken root in town - the decision may not seem especially weighty. Indeed, more than a few students have already voiced their elation that they'll no longer have to wait for those trips to Burlington for their Starbucks fix. But the franchises would only fuel the very over-commercialization of the town that has accelerated in the last five years. Since 2003, Dunkin Donuts, the Marriott, T.J. Maxx and the Hannaford superstore have all opened their doors to Middlebury shoppers. While many have heralded the arrival of larger franchises, celebrating the undeniable convenience afforded by "big-box" stores, other residents bemoan the changing face of yet another small New England town.

This is a slippery slope, and the consequences of over-commercialization in town are too dangerous to ignore. The proposed location of the new franchises would only continue to draw attention away from the town's center, pulling more consumers to the Centre Shopping Plaza, currently home to Hannaford, T.J. Maxx and McDonald's. And more troubling still are the potential consequences for small business owners, many of whom depend on business from the College to stay afloat.

A mid-morning stroll through town on Monday morning revealed countless pedestrians. Students had largely hunkered down on campus, settling in for the frantic dash to the midterm recess. The flurry of parents and family members who descended on the College last weekend for Fall Family Weekend cleared out as quickly as they arrived, scattering like startled birds from the bush. But in town, with the first crisp notes of autumn in the air, residents and visitors alike crowded the sidewalks. The atmosphere - one which drew many students to Middlebury in the first place - was infectious.

It remains important not to idealize or romanticize this place where we live. But this atmosphere, and the generally friendly relationship between the town and the College make for a unique and invigorating collegiate experience, one students should protect. The College already does a commendable job of celebrating its ties to the local Vermont community, reaching out to farmers and merchants in the region to "go local" when possible. Preserving Middlebury's one-of-a-kind commercial topography is the next step in promoting sustainable communities.

Protect the businesses that make Middlebury distinctive. The Campus encourages its readers to attend the public hearing at Ilsley Library next Monday at 7 p.m. Town planners listened a few years ago when rersidents rallied to protest the proposed Wal-mart in Middlebury. Sign one of the petitions currently posted in businesses like Carol's Hungry Mind Cafe; or Main Street Stationery. In the meantime, take your pocketbooks and make that walk into town.