Prioritizing Small Food Businesses Means Putting Quality and Irvington First

By Emmett Ansari

Many times myself and many others have wondered and wished for greater convenience and an easier path to get my favorite food. What if all I had to do to get some Chipotle was take a short walk? How much easier would my life be if my favorite foods from my favorite fast food restaurants were simple stops on the way home? I enjoy the main street experience whether that be the traditional Farm Eats style, the elevated Geordanes deli, or the skillful flavor of Irvington Delight, though wouldn’t things be greatly improved if we could bring other well liked foods which might happen to be on the more mass produced side? Actually, no.

Despite the lucrative possibilities of incorporating fast food chains into the town,
uniqueness, history, and tradition have been a staple of Irvington’s beauty. Namely, small businesses have persisted as a cornerstone of our beautiful town and should remain as such, maintaining the simple idea of quality over quantity.

As opposed to generic fast food which seemingly blends together, small businesses are easily distinguishable, giving Irvington consumers a wide variety of choice as to where they will take their business. Owen Liu (9) voiced his opposition to the idea of chains within Irvington stating how they would “strip our town’s beauty.” Liu also stated how our familiar small businesses are “a big part of our town.” With a less industrial nature, most small food establishments only sell homemade quality products which have actual time and a sense of professionalism put into them.

The meaningful connection that small businesses and the members of Irvington are what make small businesses so integral to our community. Whether it be addressing your unease, helping you out, or just having a conversation, small businesses have persisted as the charm of our community. Sam Lee (9) perfectly stated how small businesses each share different qualities and are “unique and different” in their own ways. Combined, they help create the “suburb vibes” that everyone here in Irvington has loved for decades.

Ultimately, choosing small businesses over larger chains helps continue to build our town to make sure its residents live with a greater quality of life without any assembly line sentiments.