[Ghoulish Delight]

Availability of a selection of non-chain restaurants was one of the big draws of the city of Orange when we were looking to purchase property. While there are chains that I will eat at, I feel much happier eating at independent establishments with unique character.

I'm less picky regarding retail, as long as the products are of good quality. Thus, I'll shop at Target and Costco and such. KMart, and WalMart I avoid because I perceive their merchandise to be generally of lower quality.

I would shop for clothing at more independent locations, however I don't have the budget for most boutique stores, nor the patience to seek out the affordable ones. Though I tend to hold off buying suits until my dad is in the mood to spend a day in the garment district (partly because of the great deals and partly because he always ends up paying for at least one suit for me. Who am I to argue?).

As for Bubba Gumps across from Disneyland? I don't fault the business decision, but it still depresses me that there is no business incentive to risk an independent establishment. It's pathetic that the choice is "high price" or "medium price chain." It's even more pathetic that people value price (as in, "It costs more, therefore it must be better")/image over actual food quality. I've mentioned before the sad story of our favorite Italian restaurant in Irvine. Down the street from a very mediocre chain-style place, where the food was blander and the prices higher, and yet the little independent place with wonderful food (no tentacles or eyeballs, just delicious southern Italian cuisine) and reasonable prices was always empty and eventually went out of business. Sad.