Crushing the Corporation: Independent Businesses Fight Back

The Chester County Book & Music Company doesn’t have a Starbucks in it. It doesn’t offer slashed prices or the convenience of shopping at home. Then again, it doesn't need to. With its 260,00 book titles and 50,000 music recordings, this store instead attracts its customers on the quality of its product and the knowledge of its staff.

The Chester County Book and Music Company, after all, is not a tiny hole-in-the wall shop. Instead, it covers over 38,000 square feet and is one of the largest independently owned bookstores in the country. Joseph Drabyak, a store associate and the president of the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association, does not get upset about those who prefer Barnes & Noble or Borders to his store but instead expresses concern at the growing power of corporate giants like Wal-Mart, Target, and Amzaon.com.

Although Drabyak criticizes Barnes & Noble for the lack of diversity in their product and the fact that they make decisions for individual stores at the corporate level, he does not entirely discredit the chain.

"At least they’re booksellers,” he says.

On the other hand, Drabyak seethes about Wal-Mart, describing the chain as “predatory.” He uses the example of Vince Flynn, a self-published thriller writer, to prove his point. Independent booksellers first discovered Flynn, read Advanced Reader Copies of his books and promoted him at their local stores. Flynn’s popularity soared, and Wal-Mart and other similar stores sold his books at a significantly discounted price. This took sales away from the independent shops who worked so hard for Flynn in the first place.

“Wal-Mart has done no work in terms of nurturing or cultivating these writers,” says Drabyak. “The crime they are committing is almost a theft of services.”

Drabyak, who previously ran an independent video store, feels passionately about all local businesses and independently owned stores, not just The Chester County Book & Music Company. He points out a few organizations that also champion this cause including Indiebound, AMIBA (The American Independent Business Alliance), and BALLE (the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies).

"It just makes more sense to shop at your local stores," Drabyak says. "You're giving money back to the community, and you're providing jobs for people in that community."

Drabyak cites The Andersonville Study to prove his point. This study, conducted in 2004, points out that for every one hundred dollars spent locally, $68 remains in that community, as opposed to $43 spent at a chain store. If a shopper would choose to use Amazon.com, the local community would not even see a dime.

“One of the big issues we’ve been championing is the state sales tax,” Drabyak explains. People who buy their books more cheaply through web sites such as Amazon.com do not pay sales tax to the state of Pennsylvania. Therefore, the local tax base suffers. Drabyak finds this particularly frustrating and points out that Amazon does not read or research the 280,000 books that are published each year.

“Amazon uses other people to filter through all of these books,” says Drabyak, referring to the user comments that promotes Amazon’s product.

Lisa Glah-Donahue, a longtime resident of the West Chester area, makes a specific point of shopping locally whenever possible. As a co-owner of her own business, Farside and Cash, she claims to appreciate the effort and hopes that are invested in these shops.

“I believe that the small shops in a town like West Chester are crucial to maintaining its historical small town charm,” she explains. “They contribute to a sense of community, and I enjoy seeing them succeed.”

This sense of community is another reason that Drabyak believes so strongly in shopping locally. In West Chester, The Chester County Running Store encourages shoppers to participate in local races, and The Mad Platter advertises local concerts and music events. These small stores offer jobs to members of the community and even work with local schools and youth organizations as reference and resource centers.

"Don't get me wrong," Drabyak says, "I'm all for globalization, but when it comes to the common market, I'd rather be offering a job to someone from Downingtown than New Dehli".

He also explains how local stores offer a more unique product than the competition. Whereas the corporate stores such as Wal-Mart and Barnes & Noble must be worried about “offending” their customers, the independently owned shops do not have to respond to these pressure groups. A local store can promote local interests; for example, due to its proximity to Valley Forge and the Brandywine, West Chester’s residents might demonstrate more interest in Revolutionary War History than those from a small town in California.

Drabyak also shows how local businesses even assist the environment by encouraging less packaging and transportation costs. Tom Campbell of the Regulator Book Shop has actually posted a video that details this phenomenon. Campbell describes how purchasing from an online store uses six times more packaging and puts three times as many trucks on the road.

"You might save a little money [by using Amazon] short term," Drabyak finishes, "but in the long run, you're doing yourself and your community a huge disservice."

Luckily, West Chester residents seem to see the value in shopping in their own borough as they flock to stores like Obvi, Jane Chalfant, and the Chester County Book and Music Company. And with the continued work of individuals like Joe Drabyak and the support of customers like Lisa Glah-Donahue, West Chester will thrive by offering the unique shopping experience that separates it from the corporate chains of the suburbs.

West Chester: Parking Impossible?

When I lived in West Chester, I got my first parking ticket-- while I was parked in my own driveway. Apparently, my back bumper hung over the sidewalk by a few inches. Therefore, I know that it is imperative for anyone who decides to shop in town to realize that West Chester's Parking Authority is force to be reckoned with.

So where can you park?

First of all, West Chester does have some metered parking. These coveted spots are often the closest to the town's center where you can find most of the borough's shops and restaurants. Be sure to bring your quarters with you. These meters don't take nickels and dimes. A quarter will give you fifteen minutes so you might want to bring a few!

Now that I'm not a resident any more, I usually elect to park in one of the parking garages. I can avoid the hassle of parallel parking, and I know there will always be a spot. My favorite garage is located on High Street right across the street from Barnabys, but there are a number scattered throughout the borough. These garages only take cash so be sure to stop at the ATM. Some of these parking lots and garages are for employees and permit holders only so it is important to read all signs carefully when searching for a parking spot.

Some visitors like to try to avoid paying for parking altogether and find a "free" spot a few blocks from the town's center. Although this is possible in some neighborhoods, you should realize that most of West Chester's streets have parking for residents only. Residents of West Chester may purchase parking permits, of course, but they must provide proof of residency before doing so. Any non-resident should read all signs and postings carefully.

West Chester's Parking Authority is very vigilant--I would not recommend for anyone to try to "beat the system". And in the case that you DO receive a parking ticket, pay it immediately. The borough pursues all offenders to the fullest extent of the law, and I have known a few unfortunate individuals who have had warrants for their arrest due to unpaid parking tickets. Bringing a handful of change with you will save you countless headaches in the future.

The Mad Platter: For True Music Fans Only

If you've ever seen High Fidelity or Empire Records, you know what to expect in the Mad Platter. It meets every stereotype of any grungy college record store. First of all, the store has no website. On top of that, I didn't recognize the obscure song playing over the store's sound system. Even the way it smelled seemed appropriate-- a combination of patchouli oil and burning incense. The only other patron in the store sported a mohawk and wore a concert t-shirt, looking completely at ease as he perused the racks of CDs.

Bright posters and fliers hung from the walls of the store, advertising bands and concert appearances throughout the West Chester area. Interested shoppers could even purchase tickets for shows at the Note, Bam Margera's newest live music venue, located just a few blocks away on Market Street.

The Mad Platter is perhaps best known for its wide selection of vinyl as demonstrated through some of the store's user reviews. The records I checked out ranged from 20-30 dollars each. Although most of The Mad Platter's CDs and DVDs did seem to be pretty expensive (new DVDs actually cost 26 dollars), the huge selection of used CDs appeared to be much more reasonable, in the ten to eleven dollar range.

I have to admit it-- I left the store without buying a thing. I like music; in fact, I love music, but I don't really know all that much about it. Granted, I've downloaded my share of songs from iTunes, I've gone to a handful of concerts, and I blast my favorite songs from my car stereo on a regular basis. However, when I later told my boyfriend, a true music afficionado, that I didn't get what the big deal was about vinyl, I thought he was going to have a heart attack or dump me on the spot.

"There's nothing like buying a new CD from a record store," he explained to me later. He gushed about the smell of the booklet and reading the liner notes, lyrics, and production information. "You can't get any of that from iTunes."

"Let me go with you next time," he begged me.

Would I go back to the Mad Platter? Probably. I certainly feel guilty for contributing to the ongoing battle between itunes and the record stores. However, for someone who is typically into more mainstream music, for me, the convenience of my couch and my MacBook may just win out.

Searching for Songs On the Couch

Who doesn't like music? Although I'm no expert, I have always been a fan and decided that a few new tunes certainly wouldn't hurt. I had every intention of stopping at FYE at the Exton Mall before checking out West Chester's Mad Platter. FYE, however, is no longer at the mall, and I hadn't even noticed its absence. Since I purchased my iPod over two years ago, I haven't set foot in a music store of any kind.

I admit it-- I love shopping for music on iTunes. I've probably spent more money on music than any other non-essential item for a number of reasons:

Rather than having to deal with the mall or trying to find a parking spot in West Chester, I can simply settle down onto my couch with my laptop. In fact, since iTunes has my credit card number on file, I don't even have to open my purse.

No stacks of CDs stand in the corners of my apartment. I don't have to worry about breaking or scratching anything or putting the wrong CD in the wrong case.

Better than any salesperson, iTunes Genius simply looks at previous purchases I've made and makes recommendations. Because I downloaded songs from the Hush Sound, Genius has recommended bands like the Submarines and the Dresden Dolls, whom I probably would not have discovered on my own. Would an associate in a record store do the same? I'm not sure.

I also like the fact that I can buy one song and not an entire album-- especially when it comes to guilty pleasures. I'd never buy an entire album of Brittany Spears, but I downloaded "Toxic" with only a small degree of shame. If I download a song and I like it, I can always buy the album later.

In the two minutes I spent on iTunes, I downloaded three songs and would have kept going if I didn't take time to remember my mission. Despite the growing popularity of downloading music online, record stores do exist. It's time for me to see why loyal shoppers continue to flock to the Mad Platter on Gay Street in West Chester-- even if it does mean getting off my couch.

The Dress: An "Obvi"ous Decision

When it came to finding the perfect dress, I had to consider a few criteria:

1. Staff Helpfulness-- Obvi definitely won out in this area. Because Antoinette actually worked in her own store, she demonstrated a higher knowledge of the product. She appeared eager and proud to show off the clothing that she had ordered herself while the ladies at Dress Barn simply hung back and let me shop.

2. Price-- Dress Barn is certainly cheaper, especially with the number of sales and promotions the chain offered. Obvi is not unreasonable either; its prices certainly do not come close to the high end designers, but for the shopper on a budget, it's more practical to shop at Dress Barn.

3. Style-- Although both stores seem to be targeted for young women, Obvi would appeal more to a 20-something crowd than Dress Barn. Carrying designers like Miss Me Couture and Double Zero, Obvi offers brighter colors and more flirtatious styles. Dress Barn carries clothes that you would wear to the office, not to a party. Personally, I like Obvi's clothing much better, but I would not feel comfortable wearing a purple strapless dress to work.

4. Selection-- Dress Barn is bigger and carries more items. Also, Dress Barn offers more sizes. Many of the dresses at Obvi simply come in small, medium, and large. This can be frustrating for women who fall in between these sizes.

Overall, I loved the originality of Obvi's dresses and valued Antoinette's advice and fashion sense. However, being that I tend to be a more practical shopper in terms of both style and price, I would probably go to Dress Barn for my day-to-day needs. For a special occasion, though, the choice certainly seems "obvi"ous.

Obvi: The Boutique of the Trendsetter

My next stop was Obvi. Located at 30 South High Street, Obvi Boutique sat just two doors down from The Chester County Running Store. The owner Antoinette Poluch came up with the store's name as the abbreviation for "obviously," a phrase she and her college girlfriends loved to use.

Antoinette smiled warmly at me when I entered the store and asked if I needed help. I took a minute to wander around the small shop. I checked out the selection of jeans, pocketbooks, and cute vintage t-shirts before asking for assistance in finding the dress. Antoinette led me around the store's perimeter, making suggestions about possibilities. She showed me strapless dresses, black dresses, short dresses, and ruffled dresses and explained the accessories I could wear with each. I went back to the dressing room with a stack of six different options.

In the privacy of the dressing room, I had the opportunity to check out the price tags. These certainly weren't cheap, but I could afford them. Most dresses fell in the seventy or eighty dollar range, comparable to the prices of higher end chain stores like Banana Republic or Anne Taylor. It's more than I would typically spend on my school teacher's salary, but for a special event like a wedding, it seemed all right to splurge.

When I made my purchase, Antoinette made a few suggestions about how to make the dress more or less casual depending on the shoes and jewelry I wore. She also suggested that I tie the sash in front if I wanted a more fitted look. Although I felt a little guilty for spending more than I would at Dress Barn, I had found a one-of-a-kind dress for this reception.

The Price Is Right at the Dress Barn

Slashed prices and clearance sales make me smile. So I was pretty excited to see the red signs advertising 50% off in front of Dress Barn. The size of the store made me think I'd be able to find something quickly. I stepped through the front door and looked around the store. One of the strangest things about Dress Barn, I noticed immediately, is that it doesn't actually carry that many dresses. Rows of pants, blazers, and even t-shirts take up a large portion of the store.

The clothes Dress Barn carried did not really fit my style. Most of the dresses seemed to fall more the business-casual realm, not really appropriate for a wedding. The tailored skirts and tank dresses looked perfect for a day of work but not for the reception's dance floor. I liked some basic black dresses, and I liked their forty dollar price tags even more. I also found a few flowered sheaths that I would probably consider if I couldn't find anything else.

There is nothing "wrong" with the Dress Barn, and the price was certainly right . The salesperson said hello pleasantly but hung back and didn't interfere with my shopping. Yet at the same time, nothing stood out, and nothing made me squeal "oh that's so cute!" Would I go back? Definitely, if I needed clothes for work. For this occasion, though, I would have to try a different route.

Desiring A Dress

Nothing frightens a woman more than being inappropriately dressed at a formal function. When I received a wedding invitation with the instructions, "Attire: Resort Casual," I had no idea what to wear. So my second project is to find an appropriate dress for this occasion. Luckily, a Dress Barn sits right next to the DSW, and Obvi Boutique is located two doors down from The Chester County Running Store so the competitors seemed pretty obvious.

Advertised as having "the boutique look and feel without the boutique prices," Obvi has its own myspace page as well as twitter posts to let its shoppers know about upcoming sales and new merchandise. I like what I see when I peruse Obvi's home page, but I'm guessing that Dress Barn will better meet the needs of my budget. Dress Barn is having a huge sale so it only makes sense that I would start there.

"Sole"d By Chester County Running Store

Before I could continue my walk through West Chester, I had to make a choice about the sneakers. I considered a few factors.

1. Cost-- Obviously DSW comes out on top here. On top of the twenty dollar difference between this one pair of shoes, DSW constantly offers promotions and sales to make their product even more affordable. They offer rewards programs for their "frequent buyers" as shoppers gain "points" for each purchase they make, offering them even more of a discount in the future.

2. Selection-- Once again, DSW comes in first here. Even if you eliminated the countless racks of heels, slippers, and platform shoes, the selection of DSW's athletic shoes far exceeds that of the Chester County Running Store.

3. Helpfulness of Staff-- The Chester County Running Store far trumps DSW in this area. In both scenarios, one visible salesperson was present. However, at DSW that salesperson played with her cell phone; at Chester County, that salesperson happily donated her time to examine my low-arched feet.

4. Knowledge of Staff-- At DSW , I could have tried on a nearly endless selection of sneakers to determine which "felt" the best, but I would have ended up with shin splints. I didn't even know that I had low arches prior to CCRS, and I certainly didn't know that the cushioning that felt so good would end up causing me pain in the long run. Even if I would have taken the research into my own hands and checked out the Asics website, I still would have no idea what shoes were best for my particular feet.

5. Connection to the Community-- Not only is The Chester County Running Store located in the heart of the West Chester borough, but it also offers a great deal of information about various local races and athletic events. This information, whether in the form of flyers or posters, both develops interest in the local events of West Chester and promotes the importance of fitness in general. In fact, participants in the West Chester bike race and other events can even receive discounts on the purchases they make.

Even though I could be a real jerk (or a wise consumer as some would say) and buy the Asics at DSW's significantly lower price, I decided to go with the Chester County Running Store. Interestingly enough, the store offered me a ten percent discount because I had signed for the Susan G. Komen walk, once again reaffirming that there are more important things than saving a few bucks. I had a feeling my feet would be thanking CCRS when I walked in October.

The "Arch" Rival: DSW

Thousands of shoes, discount prices-- DSW seems like a dream come true for any girl. I stood in awe for a second in this brightly lit warehouse staring at straw platforms and silvery spike heels. Luckily, I managed to remind myself that I was here on a mission and not a shopping trip, and I stopped gawking pretty quickly. DSW featured so many shoes that it actually took me a minute to find the athletic shoes, several shelves tucked into the back corner of the store. Like in the Chester County Running Store, I only saw one employee. Yet here, she lazily flicked through her cell phone as she slouched by the cash register. Okay, I reasoned, in this store, I was clearly on my own.

After a minute or two of rummaging, I found the same pair of Asics that the girl at the CCRS recommended. They sat on top of a shelf with ten or twelve boxes of various sizes underneath. Sure, I could able to try them on, walk around the store and check out my feet in the number of mirrors strategically placed around the place. And, unlike the 100 dollars I would spend at CCRS, the same pair of sneakers only cost 80 dollars here. Yet I couldn't help but feel guilty at the possibility of disregarding the help I received in the hopes of saving a mere twenty dollars. I ended up leaving the warehouse without buying a thing.

Low Arches? My Advice from the Chester County Running Store

I am probably the least athletic person on the planet. I know as much about athletic footwear as someone illiterate does about books. When I stepped into the Chester County Running Store, I had no idea what to expect.   Located on High Street about half a block south of Market Street, the store spans less than a tenth of the floorspace of DSW or one of the other shoe "superstores".  

When I walked in, the store was empty with the exception of one employee. A girl of about twenty, she cleaned the door while music blared from the radio.  I gazed blindly around the sneakers and athletic shorts that hung from the walls before she asked me if I needed some help.

I told her about the 3-Day Walk, and she asked to see the pair of shoes I was wearing. After looking at the bottom of each shoe, she asked me to walk around the store in just my socks.  She informed me that I had low arches and that with the wrong pair of shoes, I'd probably end up with shin splints.  She showed me a few pairs of Asics and explained that I would need a shoe that provided "support," not a shoe that provided "cushion". I asked her if I would need to purchase one or two pairs for the 60 mile event, and she actually said that I could make do with one, as opposed to trying to boost her sales.

 

I left the store a few minutes later.  The sneakers she recommended cost 100 dollars, a little more than I hoped to pay. The high prices were probably necessary as no other customers had stopped by during my twenty minute visit.  Yet despite the fact that the store remained empty, the Chester County Running Store has become successful enough to open a second store in Pottstown, located in Northern Chester County.  Before I can make any real decisions, however, I need to stop by DSW to see what a chain store offers in terms of athletic footwear.

Searching for Sneakers

Before I could start walking through West Chester, I needed the proper footwear. I had obviously purchased sneakers for myself in the past, but I usually relied on friends' recommendations or the shoe's look. Since I would be walking 60 miles in the Susan G. Komen walk in October, I knew that the right pair of sneakers was imperative for me.

One of the most well-known of West Chester's local shops is The Chester County Running Store, a specialty athletic shop in the center of town. I would stop there before heading over to DSW in the Concord Shopping Center to see which experience would be best for me.