Category: Business

As businesses, large, such as Linens N Things, Filene’s Basement, and Circuit City, and smaller, such as Fabric Place, Green Tea II, other businesses are opening and changing.

Walgreen’s on School Street has expanded, and the entire shopping plaza is in the midst of the longest-taking facelift ever.  Some gas stations around town have changed their names and gas suppliers.  The Exxon on Edgell Road is now Gulf, and the former Mobil on Concord St. in Saxonville is now Riverside Gas.

Even as businesses close and people are laid off, there are these and other indicators that there is still hope and optimism.  While there are areas that are down, Framingham isn’t out,  as new sprouts of activity keep popping up.

While people may say, “Not another Chinese Restaurant,” when a new one opens up, many people like us are still looking for one that has consistantly good eat in as well take out food at a reasonable price.

There is a location in Nobscot that has had several reincarnations as a Chinese/Asian take out place and the Asian Buffet, which advertised extensively, yet we heard weren’t very hospitable to diners as the closing hour approached, closed abruptly.

Green Tea II, which still has ads on the back of Stop & Shop register tapes, also closed in 2008.

Red Pepper has had good reports, but felt the need to add Brazilian food.

Lotus Flower is good, but seems a notch or two above others as far as price.

Sabrina Wong in Nobscot is good, but their soups vary and it is geared for take out, not relaxed dining.

There are some places that might be good, but put us off due to the location, or the run-down appearance.

And nothing has survived in the old Hawaiian Village location on Rt. 30 since it closed several years ago.

Back in our prom days, we listened as one girl described her pricey gown and how it had been ordered from New York.  The gown sounded a lot like the one that we had bought at the original Filene’s Basement in Boston for $ 19.98.

Come the night of the prom, and yes, the dresses were similar, except that the New York version had three quarter length sleeves, while ours were full-length.

She (or rather her parents) paid a lot more for the mystique of buying from a distant source.   For the price of her gown, we had money left over for shoes, nylons, a wrap, and the tickets.

Shopping locally can not only cost less, but also help the local economy.

Buying locally from a locally owner business helps in multiple ways.  You can save money long term as well as immediately and also help your local businesses be there for you.  While not everything will be less, supporting local businesses can pay off in the long run, because you are helping the Framingham business community stay viable.  Not only is Framingham the richer for having a variety of shops and service providers,  the businesses are shouldering the larger tax burden.

A number of studies have shown that even shifting 10% of purchases from large corporations to local businesses can create new economic activity and new jobs.

Stacy Mitchell, researcher for the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, says “At study that we did found that for every $ 100 spent in a chain store, $ 14 went back into the local economy.  For a locally owned business, it was $ 45.  Locally owned businesses buy a lot of services from other local businesses.  So by buying from one local business, you’re not only supporting that business, you’re supporting other local businesses.”

In many cases the service is better, and you can park closer, too. 

Who knows, you may walk in and discover that a neighbor, or someone you know from church or in another context, works there or runs the business.