tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158467536239735339.post7768143021239018133..comments2023-10-19T05:19:01.550-08:00Comments on American Dirt: Amidst all the links in the chain, a new shape emerges.AmericanDirthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600555386886915000noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158467536239735339.post-43728948447134317492012-10-19T04:15:32.334-08:002012-10-19T04:15:32.334-08:00Thanks for the observations, Tucker. Absolutely t...Thanks for the observations, Tucker. Absolutely the size of the community affects the volume and type of retail at the adjacent highway exit, along with the proximity to other "power strips". For example, you can probably recall a city of 25-30K somewhere in the country that had two or even three exit ramps from the interstate. Not surprisingly, usually only one is thick with restaurants and hotels--typically the one with the highest traffic volume, though it's hard to say if it had that high volume to begin with or if the presence of all those restaurants is what generated the traffic (i.e., a chicken-and-egg consideration).<br /><br />I'm glad you mentioned Mt. Vernon, a town with a disproportionate prominence these days thanks to its place at the junction of two interstates. I don't know it very well, but I do know Effingham, Illinois a bit better--it definitely has experienced an influx of jobs and capital thanks to being right there at a busy junction of two interstates. I'll write more about it in the future. Incidentally, I found out recently that Effingham County's population was flat from 2000 to 2010 census; it enjoyed a surge of growth in the 1970s, probably about the time the interstates were built. Businesses--at least the well-run ones--are very sensitive about their location. They have to be.AmericanDirthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04600555386886915000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158467536239735339.post-70693871141431216602012-10-18T07:06:17.247-08:002012-10-18T07:06:17.247-08:00Your post made me think about the different types...Your post made me think about the different types of corporate chains I’ve seen along rural interstates. I think there’s a difference between the fast-food chains and budget motels that congregate at the Vandalia exit and rural / semi-rural interstate exits that feature hotels like Hampton Inn or casual dining restaurants like Applebee’s or Cracker Barrel. I would think the difference would be either the size of the surrounding area (i.e., a town of 7,000 like Vandalia might just support a Wendy’s, while a micropolitan area of 25,000 – 30,000 could support an Applebee’s or Hampton Inn, especially if there is some attraction nearby) or the location of the exit (I remember spending several nights in Mt. Vernon a bit to the south of Vandalia, which had a full assortment of hotels and restaurants. But in addition to being twice the size of Vandalia, it was at the junction of two interstates and had several truck stops, which probably explained all the commercial activity). But I’m really not sure, I don’t know exactly how these types of businesses make location decisions. What do you think? Tuckernoreply@blogger.com