Flashbacks:
The RNGC Caddyshackpocalypse
Bollards!
As part of a brochure touting the exciting bollardy opportunities soon to be available to retailers at the Wiehle Avenue Metro station, we came upon this exciting map showcasing all the homogenous midscale chain dreck amazing retail available in and around Reston. Let's take a closer look, shall we?
Someone's going to need to update this map. Also, how could they have overlooked Reston's signature midscale chain offering?
So many brands, so little space.
Somehow they managed to overlook this shopping center's other destination store.
Nada. Zilch. Insult to injury, the end.
More interesting than the last 354 maps your old bff "the patch" posted combined.
ReplyDeleteBarnes and Noble is gone though
ReplyDeleteNah, you just need to find aisle 9 3/4 in "The Container Store" and move away the plastic bins off the lower shelf. That's the entrance to B&N which has now moved underground (you know as the rent is much cheaper) ;)
DeleteI think the article makes reference to that. Unfortunately, the Mac Grill endures.
DeleteI'm sorry...I just can't stand it any more.
ReplyDeleteJust let me get out of this place with my suburban sanity intact... is that too much to ask for?
This is exactly how corporate America wants to keep us: In Chains.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of which, we made the mistake of going to the MG last night. That place has taken a serious turn for the worse.
Me bride organized a grout luncheon at MG. They botched it so badly that the only way anyone would get her back to the Macaroni Grill is in chains.
ReplyDeleteLots of people like the predictability of chain stores/restaurants you know what to expect when you walk in and more or less what the prices will be. Also, large chains come with online shopping sites, gift cards, flexible return policies and usually lower prices and lots of selection. You can’t really get that at mom and pop stores. Some will say "Yes, but small stores know you by name." As a generation X'er, I can say that I dont want you to know me by name (frankly that's creepy). We just wanna buy our crap and get out so that we can get back to our social media apps.
ReplyDeleteAs a gen. X I also have a tendency to be a selfish introverted prick until things turn around and the giant evil corp. that I slave for lays me off and kicks me out on the street so that the chief executive can pad his golden parachute a bit more for when his time comes.
DeleteBut hey, we all like choice. Go two minutes down the W&OD trail and there is Vienna.
I have to agree with 1:02. Customer service is overrated. I don't care if Joe from "Joe's Hardware" is behind the counter. Just give me the lowest possible price and let me be on my way. I certainly dont want to pay more for the "personal experience", you can keep that. Every year, the percentage of people who shop exclusively online increases. That's just the way it goes....
DeleteAnon 3:33 and 4:25: Chains need return policies
Deletebecause much of their stock is cheap Chinese crap that doesn't work.
Case in point. I bought a toilet valve at Lowes. It leaked worse than the one I replaced. Cheap Chinese crap. Got one at H&S Plumbing. It cost more, but it works.
When Menahan's hardware was in Hunters Woods they stocked parts for the actual appliances that Reston builders used. Try finding a replacement part at Home Despot.
And where is Menahan's hardware store now?......oh I see. You do realize that you can look up product reviews online. That way, you can still buy stuff for the lowest price and good quality. I've replaced my toilet valves throughout the years and I never had any problems.
DeleteMy daughter works across the street from the Silver Line (fantasy island). One day, traveling down Wiehle back home, she pulled over to take a phone call from me, and stumbled upon "Tall Oaks." Some weeks later, she and I, were out on Wiehle, and she had to show me this, "..odd, abandoned shopping center!" We circled, a la covered wagon, trying to figure out what ghost businesses were there. We were oogled by women in the parking lot loading copious amounts of fruit into their car trunks (I now realize they had shopped at a grocery store apparently operating out of this center). What was puzzling were the high amount of Mercedes cars parked along the tree side, as if they had been abandoned. Does RA realize this? They also were not Earth toned cars, BTW.
ReplyDeleteLong live RES!