Is the world of franchise taking over?

In today's world, it seems everywhere we go we see large chains and franchise stores or restaurants surrounding us. In Canada (and surely the States too), whenever my husband and I take a ride across the province of Ontario to discover new towns, they just all look the same. Practically the same anyway.

Every place we go, there are at least several big chains around. We are bound to find in every town some of the following (if not all of them): Tim Horton's, Walmart, Shell, Home Depot, Esso, Canadian Tire, Shoppers Drug Mart, Pizza Pizza, etc.

Our cities have lost their uniqueness due to the overpowering franchise world. I am so tired of seeing the same old, same old...

Of course the public is what keeps them alive. This is because for example, a Walmart chain has access to the cheapest wholesale list of products (buying in the monstrous quantities that they do), and so they offer their stock very cheaply to their customers. With the continuing tight economy, of course people will continue to shop there because it is affordable. It doesn't quite matter to most how awful the service is at Walmart or how bad the quality of most of their products is. It matters that they're saving money. 

But, are we really encouraging the right kind of "chain reaction"? I, for one, dream of more charm and meaning in our lives. I wish each town or city had more personality. I wish I could take a trip to another city in Ontario and be able to find boutique shops that didn't exist anywhere else. I wish my own city would have that! 

That's why I really appreciate that more and more of the "Crafters & Designers" are coming out with their own charm and uniqueness with the things they create. Unfortunately, they do not get enough attention. There are so many wonderfully hand made products on iCraft alone that deserve admiration and respect. These inventors pour their heart and soul into creating something truly amazing, which have the potential to eventually break us out of this really boring franchise world.

Behind every hand made product, there is a person with a story. By buying handmade, you support communities and promote creativity. You give hope to "the little guy" to make an honest living. 

So hopefully, one by one we can turn all this around and start putting our money into what matters so much more than the big retailers! I believe we are going in the right direction already by visiting this site :)