For several weeks this spring, Waynesville officials worked hard to convince those who wanted to build a new Burger King that a different kind of restaurant was needed to match the desires of citizens of this town. They failed, and now the run-of-the-mill fastfood box is sprouting with great speed on Russ Avenue. As the walls go up, it seems obvious that losers outnumber the winners.

The first and most obvious losers are the citizens of Waynesville. Many of them didn’t know about the town’s efforts, but they too will suffer. The Russ Avenues of the U.S. - replete with fastfood joints galore - are standard fare in every city throughout the land. They provide convenience, jobs, and profits that go out of town to huge corporations.

But these burger rows don’t have to look like hell. If the companies who own the franchises would swallow a small increase in short-term building costs to adhere to the personalities and desires of the towns in which they are located, they could boost long-term profits. Attractive and distinctive buildings make for a more interesting town that will attract more visitors. It seems simple enough.

Locals, for their part, will identify with corporations who are good community citizens. In this case, however, locals and visitors alike will suffer the corporate homogenization of small-town America.
They give us burger joints like those in Des Moines, Seattle and Montpelier, and we will still buy.

Carrolls, which owns this Burger King franchise, may think it has won. Nothing, however, could be further from the truth. It had the chance to set itself apart, to use the best fastfood location in Waynesville to show it cared about the wishes of the community in which it is located. Instead of leading the way, Carrolls has blundered along and become the freak at the carnival sideshow who wonders what all the fuss is about.

Waynesville officials have been reluctant to pass strong ordinances forcing businesses to adhere to their design preferences. Instead, they sought the neighborly approach. They are trying to convince businesses that it would be in their best interest to build a restaurant with fewer gaudy colors, less street-side parking, fewer bright lights, smaller signs and more street-side landscaping. They failed to convince Carrolls, but it appears the owners of Long John Silvers is listening more closely as it prepares to remodel its Russ Avenue location.

As the debate about appearance standards continues, Waynesville officials are fighting the good fight. With the help of local citizens who participated in a visioning process, they have developed a vision for their community that seeks to preserve and enhance its identity. In too many places, wonderful communities have lost their identity without putting up a fight. It’s time to make a stand.

 

Back to Top
The Smoky Mountain News