"Merry Shopping"

I was very disappointed to see the "Merry Shopping" sign hanging across Chester's main street. It is one thing to be politically correct by not acknowledging any specific holiday; it is quite another to blatantly support the materialistic side of the holidays and promote the almighty dollar. Tsk tsk tsk.

Resident December 18, 2007 10:09 am | Link

The business district paid for this to encourage shopping in town. Is it just Chester Businesses that you don't like advertising holiday specials or do you also not like how every big store buys television advertising?

Chris December 18, 2007 11:52 am | Link

I would have promoted the unique items to be found in the business district. I probably would have suggested a single website that allowed all the stores to participate in an online shopping venue. Perhaps I would have considered publishing a holiday shopping work-book/handout that allowed people to leave the fall craft fair and still remember Chester as a key site for holiday shopping. I don't think that banner encourages shopping in a postive construct nor does it advertise "holiday specials". I think it says the holidays are ALL about the shopping. I don't compare Chester's individually owned shops with big stores/corporations; why would you?

Resident December 21, 2007 8:44 pm | Link