The question we need to ask is:
How can we make gentrification inclusive instead of exclusive?
Trader Joe's Shrugged
11–20 of 74 posts
Re: Trader Joe's Shrugged
#12I understand that discussing racism is a social minefield but, as a liberal and global citizen, stories like this disturb me. Couple this event with Spike Lee's blatantly racist and poorly worded rant against gentrification, and I question how much progress we have really made in this country. Also, the term 'non-oppressed population' makes me want to vomit. Jake Dobkin's piece on gentrification is a great read for a…
Yea, if only all those uppity black people would realize how totally un-racist we all are…
Re: Trader Joe's Shrugged
#13I understand that discussing racism is a social minefield but, as a liberal and global citizen, stories like this disturb me. Couple this event with Spike Lee's blatantly racist and poorly worded rant against gentrification, and I question how much progress we have really made in this country. Also, the term 'non-oppressed population' makes me want to vomit. Jake Dobkin's piece on gentrification is a great read for a…
Your opinion might be interesting if it was explained in any way other than just insulting other people who have an opinion.
Nobody cares that you want to vomit but the people who love you. Strangers might care why something makes you want to vomit, if you can convince them to.
Re: Trader Joe's Shrugged
#14Does Trader Joe's have a habit of hiring local people? Are there known instances where Trader Joe's or other reasonably high end store coming into economically depressed areas and significantly improving the economic status of people in the area?
This article has a lot of rage and perhaps it's justified. But it's also entirely possible that stores do this sort of thing all the time with the blessing of city councils and what it does is displace the existing population. Dallas (where I live near) is notorious for giving developers tax breaks to tear down lower class apartments if they agree to build something of much higher tax value. I doubt Dallas is odd man out.
This author takes as fact that the economic improvement but bristles at the idea of mandating some of that through affordable housing and a community hiring benefit.
"So it is not enough that the $8 million development of four-to-10 retail businesses, with Trader Joe’s serving as the anchor tenant, would bring new jobs, quality food and other goods and services, and tax revenues, to a poor neighborhood."
No it's not enough. It would bring new jobs but to who? It would bring quality food but for whom? It would increase tax revenues but for who? The answers to those questions are rarely "the poor from the community". The author's anger sounds empty without answers to critical questions and his unfailing belief in the free market makes me wonder if he ever ventured anywhere at all.
Re: Trader Joe's Shrugged
#15Earlier quoted context omitted.
Perhaps you're not familiar with Trader Joe's --- they are known for good food at low prices. And it's hard to see any parallel between a grocery store (open to local residents) and Twitter HQ (where most workers never interact with local residents at all).
That someone can innocently and unironically describe Trader Joe's as being "known for low prices" is really the crux of the problem here. Perhaps you're not familiar with minimum wage?
It's true and what's more, TJ's is not even close to a one-stop grocery store. They have a few general interest items and a bunch of foods specific only/mostly to their store. Only a nutritionally deficient person could shop solely at TJ, for everyone else I know it's supplemental shopping. There is a lower limit to your wealth before you get to the point where you're in the market for supplemental groceries.
*source: I lived above a TJ's in Berkeley for a few years.
Re: Trader Joe's Shrugged
#16Earlier quoted context omitted.
Perhaps you're not familiar with Trader Joe's --- they are known for good food at low prices. And it's hard to see any parallel between a grocery store (open to local residents) and Twitter HQ (where most workers never interact with local residents at all).
That someone can innocently and unironically describe Trader Joe's as being "known for low prices" is really the crux of the problem here. Perhaps you're not familiar with minimum wage?
http://m.traderjoes.com/fearless-flyer/article.asp?article_i...
http://thebillfold.com/2013/08/price-comparison-battle-safew...
http://www.checkbook.org/interactive/spmkt/other/t/article.c...
> Trader Joe’s received higher overall quality ratings than Dominick’s and Jewel-Osco, and charges similar prices.
I could go on, but I guess you can do your own research. Seriously, their prices are on average, lower than most.
Re: Trader Joe's Shrugged
#17Earlier quoted context omitted.
Perhaps you're not familiar with Trader Joe's --- they are known for good food at low prices. And it's hard to see any parallel between a grocery store (open to local residents) and Twitter HQ (where most workers never interact with local residents at all).
That someone can innocently and unironically describe Trader Joe's as being "known for low prices" is really the crux of the problem here. Perhaps you're not familiar with minimum wage?
My wife and I buy about 20 different items weekly from Trader Joes because it does have the cheapest prices on those 20 items.
Speaking of minimum wage... Trader Joe's pays substantially above it. My niece works there and as a stock clerk she gets paid substantially over minimum wage and has health benefits from them.
Re: Trader Joe's Shrugged
#18Earlier quoted context omitted.
Perhaps you're not familiar with Trader Joe's --- they are known for good food at low prices. And it's hard to see any parallel between a grocery store (open to local residents) and Twitter HQ (where most workers never interact with local residents at all).
That someone can innocently and unironically describe Trader Joe's as being "known for low prices" is really the crux of the problem here. Perhaps you're not familiar with minimum wage?
Not sure what you are getting at. Trader's pays very well:
"...full-time crew members can start in the $40,000 to $60,000 a year range."
http://womensenews.org/story/labor/130722/cashier-the-deal-o...
Re: Trader Joe's Shrugged
#19Does Trader Joe's have a habit of hiring local people? Are there known instances where Trader Joe's or other reasonably high end store coming into economically depressed areas and significantly improving the economic status of people in the area? This article has a lot of rage and perhaps it's justified. But it's also entirely possible that stores do this sort of thing all the time with the blessing of city councils…
> It would bring new jobs but to who? It would bring quality food but for whom? It would increase tax revenues but for who?
Fair questions, I'll grant you that. My question to you: is doing nothing (an empty lot) better than ambiguity about the people who will finally benefit from this economic development? If TJ moved in and somehow ended up providing only a net of 1% benefit to the local community, would that be worse than 0%?
Re: Trader Joe's Shrugged
#20Visit the Tenderloin in SF. Twitter came in to the community brought lots of jobs. Did that make the neighborhood better? No. What happened was that the price of housing went up for a group of people who could already not afford it. Basically the "area" was developed but not the "community". Like an invasive species. There is nothing wrong with rabbits in general. I like them. But in Australia they are destroying the…
Could we find some nuance between "poor people are going to be wiped out by invasive rich/middle class people," and "there are no losers to gentrification, ever"? It seems clear that when a neighborhood gentrifies, some of incumbent residents will find their lives improved (perhaps because: a job is created that they get, they own property which is now more valuable, the neighborhood is safer, schools are better), wh…
Mandate that the new businesses hire only locals.
I think this handily solves the problem - rents can't go up too much, otherwise the possible employees leave and the business shutters. Locals are employed, business runs, things improve in the neighbourhood and lift all boats.