Mind Their Manners
Dear Parents of School Children,
Let's do something and do it now.
Schwartz's Bookstore is so important because of the centralizing function it performs at this particular LOCATION in our village.
It is a central point of attraction in our business area here in Shorewood. And it can hardly be duplicated by any other imaginable and feasible enterprise in the near future. In a sense it reflects who we are and it reflects our village culture.
WHAT COULD -- OR SHOULD --- SHOREWOOD'S ROLE BE IN THE FINANCIAL CRISIS
An old cliche, but one worth repeating --- THINK GLOBALLY + ACT LOCALLY ...
By now everybody recognizes that our economy is sinking Fast !!
Leadership. What's that?
Who at Village Hall can say, yes, we shall save Schwartz's bookstore or no, we've decided to do nothing about it?
What about the incumbents, where do you stand? Let's hear from you.
Are our Village “leaders”at the bottom of this?
I'm assuming that the whole block on Oakland where Walgreen's, Schwartz's bookstore and Pick-N-Save are located is being considered for redevelopment under the Shorewood Community Development plans.
Two other Schwartz's bookstores in other communities are being acquired by their present managers. But I guess it would be difficult to get the most optimistic of entrepreneurs to invest in the one on Oakland, especially if Shorewood is considering the placement of a new Pick-N-Save at that location on that same site.
We've only a month to go.
If the Village Board can assure us that the building housing Schwartz's bookstore will remain there indefinitely and not be included in their redevelopment plans,
then a group can be organized to form a cooperative to manage it as Dave Tartarowicz has appropriately suggested.
Where are the leaders in this community? Let's wake up and start running.
Does anyone know how to acquire Schwartz's bookstore?
Do the members of the Shorewood BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT think that the closing of another store front in our BUSINESS DISTRICT is a good way to attract people to our shopping area?
What's going on? Aren't we entitled to know?
In terms of a general decline in businesses operating in Shorewood, it may not be in the community interest to overlook or justify the lack of development of empty lots, delay in or cancellation of some of our development plans.
It may not be attractive to potential businesses nor uplifting to see a boarded up former restaurant building, businesses for sale, buildings with signs for rent and for lease.
Who represents me? nn
Shorewood has become a local government of VIRTUAL REPRESENTATION, that's is, a government where citizens do not directly vote for whom they want to represent them.
Apparently few, and in this coming election, no one wants to seek office except those who are already holding those positions. At other times there are many who also seek position without being elected by the people.
LET'S ACT NOW !
It seems that Shorewood could immediately purchase what I've begun to refer to as The Village Bookstore and Coffee Room, while we are still able to negotiate with present management and personnel so they might stay on in order to maintain continuity.
This we must do to make sure we don't lose it. Then we could hold it until we could make more permanent arrangements. The manager could report to a small committee for the present time.
The friendly and cozy ambiance of the town square.
During the last week I've begun a specific study of what makes small bookstores successful.
First of all from a town design standpoint, successful small bookstores, as it seems to those locating and operating these enterprises, and merely from a locational standpoint is that they are fitted into a “small town ambiance.”
What makes a village a village?
“Bookstore operations are no longer socially viable,” was a statement that took be aback, because it is contrary to things that I've been thinking and saying.
This is likely to be a true statement, but if it is, can any such statement be so unequivocal in its substance? Are their exceptions to this perceived reality? If not, then I'm completely wrong? And I've been known to be, as anyone might guess.
THE IMPROBABLE DREAM.
Representatives of Roundy's Corporation, as I've come to understand have become quite sensitive to Shorewood's needs as a community and have shown a willingness to work with the village.
It also seems that the managers of Schwartz's Bookstore would also like to be helpful as possible as they dissolve their interest in the bookstore enterprise.
The Nude Emperor at Your Parent/Teacher Conference
In my untiring campaign to keep turning pages forward rather than back, I ask this question. What difference does it make if there are parent/teacher/student conferences? Are they really worthwhile or is it just another minuet we keep dancing through the decades?
What is a centralizing place?
For about a decade I've been talking about all the elements of community and those that we have here in Shorewood. These are beyond the function that our school system presents for our children and parents.
We've also been lucky to have had one of the Schwartz's bookstores located here in Shorewood to add other elements of community and a sense of centrality.
“Driving not required.”
Yet highway and highway traffic flow through Shorewood, through the middle and on the edge of this otherwise quiet place.
No one seems to see a solution nor take action toward the dream of a creating a walkable community, yielding only to the “progress” of a more efficient, faster car movement.
Is it the End of the Story for Schwartz ? Or is there Time and Support for a New Chapter?
As of this moment, March 31, 2009 will be the last day of business for Schwartz Books in Shorewood.
Mallet+Monitor = Time
Employee computers are supposed to make our work lives easier. How are things going in your work inbox? In a profession that offers little time to sit down at grown up desk, checking email the manadated two times a day, makes it imperative that the sender's note is worth clicking on, waiting for and then reading. You see, these elementary school computers can be very, very slow.
Village Board Ready to Throw Away $35,000 to Save Businesses in Shorewood --- but Ignore the Snow Blockades Discouraging Shoppers !!
According to two recent articles by David Fidlin, reporter for the CommunityWatch section of www.shorewoodnow.com:
The Shorewood Village Board on Tuesday authorized an agreement with Karen de Hartog to provide public relations copy for the village.
Standing Firm on a Floor of Jello
I’m not sure how a school district doesn’t assign the right number of student attendance days a year or snow days in Wisconsin, but yes, it has happened… The intermediate and high school owe the DPI some time, and Mother Nature kicked our asses so student contact days have had to be added. The elementary schools will have to go longer, because the other schools have to (huh?). We’ll all get over it, but when a lot of people are already a little grumpy about government math through jobless rate, budget and gnp revelations, a goof like this weakens again one’s confidence in people we thought knew more than we do.
