Edinboro has changed a lot in the last four years. What was once an intersection comprised of three gas stations is now only two (BIG improvement there, seriously). New independent restaurants have come and (some) gone (Jack Rabbit Flats, Big Moe’s, Campus Dog…). McDonald’s converted to a 24 hour format. But a new committee in Edinboro doesn’t think that’s quite enough, and to be honest, I don’t think they’re going to help one bit.
A group called the Edinboro Growth Initiative is meeting for the first time today at the Comfort Suites in Edinboro at 5pm, as reported by GoErie.com. Their goal? “To garner community interest and input, and to create a vision that will shape the panel’s goals.” Basically, they’re looking for suggestions from “community members and university students” to what kind of businesses and events they would like to see in Edinboro.
Edinboro's idea of community revitalization. Now open 24 hours!
Kim Fabrizio, executive assistant to EUP President Jeremy Brown, made it crystal clear that the group’s goal is to “maintain this charm” that Edinboro has while attracting more people and businesses to the area. I’m gonna go ahead and assume they mean no dance clubs, head shops or Cold Stone Creameries. But can they really make the argument that Edinboro has charm? Opening three or four antique shops and limiting the use of neon lights in your town does not constitute classy-ness. If Edinboro had its own tourism video like Cleveland, I imagine its tagline would be something like “Edinborooooo, Pennsylvania: We used to be a lake resort, now we hawk Nazi memorabilia and overpriced coffee!”.
Has anyone ever been to Eclectic Etceteras? Great, a small town mom decided to turn her house into a coffee shop – awesome concept, something that would be on Oprah. It’s a college town, and college kids love coffee, so why shouldn’t this idea work?
This is the only photo I could find of Eclectic Etceteras online. If you have a business, learn about the internet.
The point is, the owner of E.E., Rene Thayler-Allison, is involved with this group as I’d imagine she would be since she’s also the President of the Edinboro Business Association. She expressed a strong desire for change when interviewed by the Erie Times-News, saying “”We have a great town, and there’s nothing wrong with living here now, but if we can maintain what we already have and continue to make the area better, it’s only going to benefit all of us.” Does anyone else think this whole concept is a bit unrealistic? The town and university have a hard time agreeing on ANYTHING, be it homecoming parades or how long a banner can be displayed downtown.
Most of these people have no idea what college students want, and quite frankly I don’t think they want to. They’re going to hold their meetings in the middle of the summer (when the student population is practically extinct) and keep saying “Oh we want student input, this is supposed to be for community members AND students!” when they know no students are going to show up. What college student would ever want a skatepark, arcade, non-Christian music venue or weekly flea market where students and residents could pay $5 to set up a table and sell stuff? No one wants that! Instead, they’ll all agree that what the town really needs is another dollar store or tanning salon or fast food joint to really boost our economy.
Yeah, that’ll do the fucking trick.
Posted by yourboro 
Posted by yourboro 
Posted by yourboro 
