Is it racism or pure economics?

Prince Georges County Maryland business opportunity observations

Let me start by saying I normally despise cries of racism. Racism as a reason why things do or don't happen is still one of the most overplayed and abused cards in the deck. There are plenty of clowns (more appropriately called shake-down artists) like Jesse Jackson out there with friends like Rev. Al Sharpton ready to blame racism for why things happen or don't happen to members of the Black (or is the correct term still African-American?) community. I call them clowns because they are. I call them shake-down artists because they are. And I denounce their typical cries of racism because they are nothing but race baiters that blame the misgivings of themselves and others that share the same skin tones on a supposed bias or hatred that is harbored within people that have pale skin.

And yet... I live in the Washington D.C. area, near but not "in" Prince Georges County, Maryland. Prince Georges County is one of the richest counties in the nation, but it is predominantly occupied by Blacks. Some areas are just this side of slums, and some are quite notorious for being havens for drug dealers. There are residents of other ethnic origin, and of different economic standing, including "poor white trash" or rednecks, and more.

A look at a map would show Prince Geoges County covers a large geographic area, bordering D.C., and being bordered by several other counties. Some parts of the county are filled with very expensive homes -- many McMansions have sprung up offering luxury living with fairly convenient access to either D.C. or Baltimore while still offering up space for a yard to let children play in, or to have pets in. And there is at least one booming shopping area (in Bowie, Maryland) that has become one of the models for several other shopping "town centers" in other communities.

But while the economy has boomed, while these McMansions have sprung up and sold fairly quickly during the housing boom (somewhat more slowly lately since the housing market has hit the brakes), there are many retailers and many restaurants that are doing a very poor job of trying to serve the local communities.

Years and years ago the precursor for the now named CompUSA opened a store in the Tysons Corner area of Northern Virginia. They went on to open a store in the Rockville, Maryland area. And another in Glen Burnie, Maryland. And another in Columbia, Maryland. (Glen Burnie is a suburb of Baltimore. Columbia would also be considered a distant suburb of Baltimore too).

Best Buy followed similar patterns, though they have at least opened a store in Bowie.

Meanwhile many businesses that use Information Technology equipment occupy space in Prince Georges County. And many employees and regular residents of the county seem to be ignored (in many cases) when it comes to eateries and restaurants.

... more in the comments area. Please continue reading there.

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... continued from original article.

I know that there are restaurants like Cracker Barrel Old Country store that have never opened in the immediate D.C. area. Frederick, Maryland as well as an area near Baltimore and far north on I-95 (near the Maryland-Delaware border) have seen Cracker Barrel build there, but nothing in Prince Georges County.

Cracker Barrel has a reputation as a company that may discriminate against persons of color. Whether or not the reputation is deserved is debatable. As a corporate entity and within their corporation they have had to fight in court over whether or not they have policies or have used other means that are discriminatory against classes of individuals.

As I stated in the opening paragraph in the original article, I don't want to paint with a broadbrush and say that the lack of some businesses having a presence in Prince Georges County is because of racism. It could be purely economic based. Could be, but in many ways I suspect it isn't.

PG County has money to spend, and some businesses are apparently very slow to recognize that fact and try to take advantage of it. Some businesses that could be reaping the rewards of having a retail presence in an area with money waiting to be spent. And some businesses could be building restaurants that could help spread the patronage from the relative few restaurants that are always over-crowded.

I recognize and appreciate that there are several major restaurants in areas of the county. Ruby Tuesdays. TGIFridays. Chilis. Bennigans in a few spots. A few other major chains too. But then again there are plenty of others that don't seem to see PG County as an area they could flourish in.

I know that these companies have business plans and models that they follow. They do market research, they survey customers, gather up zip code information, or telephone number information and use it to determine where customers come from. And perhaps there are lots of customers from PG County that don't supply current information or don't want to tell these businesses where they are from.

Is it purely economic based? Will things change in Prince Georges County so that they start seeing more upscale businesses, more mainstream businesses, and more restaurants and other stores that cater to the residents? I would have to think that eventually economics will win out and even if there is some racism involved in keeping businesses away that things will change and the flood gates will open.

Only time will tell.

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