Folks in Newton have been concerned about the proliferation of banks in our village centers for some time now.  Alderman Vicki Danberg, for one, has been leading an effort to change zoning to make it harder for banks to take space in our villages.  The city’s Economic Development Commission is considering a moratorium on banks in the first floor of village center buildings.

Why the resistance to more banks?

A fellow village lover in Beacon Hill tells the story very clearly in a recent blog post. Here’s an excerpt:

They’re out to destroy retail districts. The banks don’t see this as their aim, but this is the result if they infest our neighborhoods with their blank windows…. But these new banks may not want customers…. Real estate broker Ivy A. Turner, however, set the audience straight on why banks want to come. She said they don’t care so much about market share. They want a retail branch that acts as a billboard for their national expansion goals.

Go here to read the full article.

Small businesses throughout the City are celebrating Small Business Saturday today. There’s still plenty of time to get out and enjoy a little more of one of the things that makes Newton special – Our unique collection of merchants.

The following – received from Green Planet Kids (22 Lincoln Street in Newton Highlands) puts it quite elegantly:

“Dear Friends,

Today marks the 2nd Annual “Small Business Saturday” movement, which was created last year to encourage shoppers to support local, independent businesses. It’s a counterpart to Black Friday, which promotes shopping at malls and big box stores, and Cyber Monday, which encourages shopping on the web.

Shopping locally fuels the local economy, creates jobs in your community, and preserves neighborhoods.

For the first time since we started our business in 1990, there are several vacant retail spaces in the Highlands, and there has been quite a large turnover in the past year. Running a small business is very challenging, especially during economic downturns. We work very hard to keep our business healthy and strong, and we have been successful because of your support. We still love what we do, and we cherish our connection to you and your children.

Please consider spending more of your holiday dollars with us and our neighbors, and help strengthen the entire community.

If you see an item online or in an ad or catalog, call us first to see if we have it. We are stocked to the brim, with more shipments coming in every day, and as you know, we carry completely different products from those you will find at the big box stores.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving weekend, we want to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support. Without you, we wouldn’t be here doing what we do.

Looking forward to seeing you all!

Annabelle, John, Besha (the dog) and our Wonderful Staff
Green Planet Kids”