The Anderson Guide to Enjoying Greenwich lists over 360 stores in and around Greenwich. This is our 11th edition, and in every new edition, new shops replace old ones. Never before though have we seen the changeover of shops at such a record pace. The brown paper goes up with a real estate sign, and we can’t even remember who was there last week.
Should we be shocked? Not really. We are online shoppers. Coupons from online shopping stores (you can click here!), discounts at e-stores, exclusive offers at internet shops, and online shopping malls are what we are basically interested in! Whenever a new product or style is introduced in the market, we are immediately notified of its existence through these platforms. We can compare, relate, and shop to our heart’s content with the various offers that they provide us. It’s easy to order what we need on a Sunday night and find boxes that arrive on our front steps as quickly as the next day. We can even download a VPN from a free vpn provider to help keep our payments as secure as possible, as well as give us other benefits when it comes to online security. Our friends are having fun with sites like StitchFix, where boxes of clothing selected to meet your preferences arrive at your door. It’s not just convenient, if you can find a Raise coupon that applies to what you’re buying you can also save on your purchase too. Many think online clothes shopping isn’t very viable but it’s worked using a simple model – try the clothes on when they arrive and simply return what doesn’t work. Online shopping is diverse too. Decorate your home with a few clicks and everything is in your online shopping cart and on its way to you. Online shopping saves gas, time, and money. Have a look at this Salesforce article for more information about online shopping.
Should we brace ourselves for the demise of Greenwich stores? This is a terrible thought. Shopping is part of a town’s social experience. We love congregating in our shopping areas. We take walks with our children and dogs. It’s a place to meet up with friends. Our stores and shopping areas feel as though they belong to us. They are a place of pride for us all.
As citizens we need to take action. To keep our shopping areas vibrant, we need to rethink our habits. We need to take to heart our Chamber of Commerce motto, Buy Local, Shop Local. Not long ago, we had 4 bookstores in Greenwich. Thank heaven for Diane’s Books. In our Guide, we rave about many of our local stores. The owners of these stores know our local tastes, and their selections are meaningful and just right!
As a town we need to take action. Our town planners need to embrace change. The Plan of Conservation and Development must take a look at what’s working in today’s world. Shoppers want an experience. We want places to eat and drink, view art, buy a musical instrument and have lessons too, talk with knowledgeable shop keepers and touch a book. Take note, Amazon is now opening real book shops!
We can do this!!
