Losing Localness

I just read an interesting blog at badchristian dealing with the patronage of local establishments and the importance of supporting these businesses. Wendell Berry has just posted this article touching on some of the same themes.

My wife and I were commenting not too long ago about the "Applebee-izaton" of the restaurants in our communities. It seems harder and harder to find a truely local food joint. BC lamented the fact that with the loss of these gems, we are losing part of our soul. I couldn't agree more.

An interesting point in Berry's article points to this loss of soul in our communities:

The general purpose of the present economy is to exploit, not to foster or
conserve.
Look carefully, if you doubt me, at the centers of the larger
towns in virtually every part of our country. You will find that they are
economically dead or dying. Good buildings that used to house needful, useful,
locally owned small businesses of all kinds are now empty or have evolved into
junk stores or antique shops. But look at the houses, the churches, the
commercial buildings, the courthouse, and you will see that more often than not
they are comely and well made. And then go look at the corporate outskirts: the
chain stores, the fast-food joints, the food-and-fuel stores that no longer can
be called service stations, the motels. Try to find something comely or well
made there.
What is the difference? The difference is that the old town
centers were built by people who were proud of their place and who realized a
particular value in living there. The old buildings look good because they were
built by people who respected themselves and wanted the respect of their
neighbors. The corporate outskirts, on the contrary, were built by people who
manifestly take no pride in the place, see no value in lives lived there, and
recognize no neighbors. The only value they see in the place is the money that
can be siphoned out of it to more fortunate places -- that is, to the wealthier
suburbs of the larger cities.

How many strip malls will our grandchildren fight over for historic preservation?