I have two teenage girls both going away to college this fall. I only represent one family in Greenfield, but I write on behalf of all of those who experience the same complete and utter frustration trying to shop here. Imagine all the local families who are in the same boat as us, getting their kids ready to go back to school whether it be elementary, high school or college. Where exactly can you buy the supplies/goods you need in Greenfield? The answer is: NOWHERE!
We have been gathering things for months preparing for their departures. In our specific case, we are constantly off to Hadley, Keene, New Hampshire, West Springfield and Holyoke. We actually found a new place, Salem, New Hampshire, where we spent an overnight, ate multiple meals and (not shockingly) they had every store you could imagine. Thankfully, we have access to transportation to travel. All of these municipalities benefited by getting our back-to-school shopping and out-to-eat money. Our own “city” of Greenfield got zero dollars from us. It stuns me every time I am out and about that Greenfield has decided to sabotage itself by not letting national stores come here. What are you thinking? Don’t you want the revenue, taxes etc.? Look at your “downtown,” I mean between the empty storefronts (add Rite Aid now) and the terrible roads, there really is nothing there for your own residents’ basic needs.
Good luck finding an XL Twin bedskirt, shower curtain, and bath mat (my list could go on and on). If you are a member at BJs you might have a chance to find what you need, but many folks don’t have access to that club. You can also add it to your Amazon cart and have your desired items here in no time, but again, for a fee.
Greenfield, your experiment has failed miserably. You are now so far behind you will never recover. So many other towns and cities have welcomed new businesses and national stores while we have intentionally chosen to shut everyone out.
I have no idea who can help, but I have seen the City Council meetings and watched how you all sit there every month worried about climate change or being a social justice warrior, why not instead tackle what might make life better for your own residents. Put OUR needs first for once and put your personal agendas aside.
DO SOMETHING FOR US!
I am now just used to traveling out of town so I factor in the round trip time into my weekend errands. I write this column simply to say it is really too bad that Greenfield doesn’t have much to offer considering we are at the junction on I-91 and Route 2. You are running us into the ground and our grave is just getting deeper. I could go on and on about my frustrations, but I am not sure this “city” has the mindset or the personnel to fix this mess.
Jen Davenport lives in Greenfield.