Friday, January 9, 2009

singular puts self-righteous silver sprUng-haters in their place

Silver Spring, Singular rails against those who call Downtown Silver Spring a "chain-laden hellhole," pointing out that the development at Ellsworth and Fenton didn't actually displace any of the mom-and-pop stores that people glorify. (However, a U-Md. study did find that some small businesses nearby have been hurting since the revitalization started.)

I have to admit I love me some chains, and often dream about butter biscuits from Red Lobster. You wonder why those snobby-liberal-hipster types are so giddy to find and humiliate anything remotely "mainstream," like chain stores or suburban places like Silver Spring. Of course, it could be borne from a hatred of parents (who raised them in the suburbs) or a hatred of Big Corporations, which always sounds "enlightened," but if you ask one of these people to elaborate, they can rarely produce a response as to why they are "evil."

There are people who have legit reasons for hating on Silver Spring. Our friend Richard Layman seems to draw from a mix of bitterness and actual expertise on urban planning issues, and he's pointed out time and time again that we haven't done enough to set ourselves apart from every other suburban town center in the area. In fact, we've actively killed some of the things that made us special (anyone remember when City Place hosted a poetry series? I don't. Wish I'd been there . . .)

The Haters in publications like the City Paper and DCist have gladly ignored what Silver Spring really has to offer, but only because we've made it hard to find.

3 comments:

Terry in Silver Spring said...

I grew up in southern PG County and now live in downtown Silver Spring. The comments I hear and read about Silver Spring remind me a lot of the things people say about PG. In both cases, the comments have little or nothing to do with the places I know and love.

My father, who has lived in PG since the mid 1950's, looks at the comments in a positive way. If some folks in other areas think it's dangerous etc, that's fine, let them stay where they are. We'll enjoy a lovely place, nice people, reasonable prices (for the DC area LOL), and keep the secret for ourselves.

Thomas Hardman said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
WashingtonGardener said...

City Paper this week has a nice Tastee Diner review. I think they are loosening up.