For centuries, members of the little towns, villages and cities alike have flocked to the local grocery store to buy the ingredients for their day of homemade delicacies. Those were the days when grandma’s recipes were the treasure of every child. The trip to the grocery store was more than a shopping trek. It was a social expedition of love, laughter and merriment. Mom and pop were the hub of the lifestyle. Money spent at these little mom and pop stores went right back into the community. Jobs were created, and the community lived as one big happy family.
With the onset of technology adoption and the growth of the new web communities, stores have gone virtual and shopping has gone online. The younger generations are evolving into electronics addicts who lack the desire for physical connections. With this changing landscape, are our social and community structures at risk? If stores that were once popular brick and mortar businesses shuttered their doors and we all began to spend online, where will the money we spend go? Definitely not to support our own communities. Where will people find jobs? Will they need to move to locations that the online stores are headquartered at? Is this a failing system where both the finances and the talents of the community leak away? Won’t this lead to a nation with small pockets of concentrated strength and large areas of weakness? Think about a home where all the foundation is below the garage, and the rest of the home is built on weak footing.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for technological advancements. As a matter of fact, I am passionate about technology. It is my livelihood, my bread and butter. I only want to make sure that we level the playing field. Allow the brick and mortar stores the same advantages that the online businesses enjoy today.