Are National Chain Stores Affecting the Character of Downtown Rye?

The character of downtown Rye may be changing, with yet another national chain coming in even as a number of empty storefronts dot the downtown business district and traditional "mom and pop" shops struggle to hang on.

Geri Piovesan, who has owned Rye's legendary Poppy's Café on 27 Purchase Street for more than 25 years, paused in mid-hamburger flip last Thursday as she mulled over the answer to how she felt about the opening of yet another national chain –Lululemon Athletica, a national women's sports apparel chain—on Elm Street on April 15.

"Let me be careful about this," she said. "But how can I tactfully say I don't like it. This used to be a quaint little town with lots of quaint little stores, but the national chains are changing that feeling. Rye is losing its small town flavor, which is what originally brought a lot of people here. Now a lot of the old timers are moving out because of the high taxes, high rents. I liked it better the old way. But it is what is."

"I don't know; I get tired of looking out the window at empty storefronts," said Poppy's counterwoman Lisa McGrath, gazing across the street at the empty Sam Goody's stores that has been vacant for more than a year now.

"I miss the way Rye used to be," said Joan, a 44-year Rye resident who declined to give her last name. "Sure, now we have Starbucks, Victoria's Secret, Joseph A. Banks, fancy schmancy la-dedda, with lots of trendy restaurants and banks. But what we don't have are those small stores like Katan, Leplers, O'Dells Hardware, Greely House, Balf Jewelers and P.Cox."

Her voice trailed off, but her friend Patricia, who has lived in Rye for more than 50 years, picked it right up: "Katie Holmes, the old Woolworth's five and 10 cents store, more places like Poppy's, where you could pick up a BLT or a cheeseburger."

Sally Wright, spokesperson for the Rye Chamber of Commerce, had a different take on the Lululemon's opening.

"Anything is better than an empty storefront," she said. "So as long as the area is zoned for retail, we're in favor of businesses coming in, even if they are national chains. Anything is better than nothing. What we object to is the pop-ups."

"Pop ups?" she was asked. "What are they?"

"Stores that just pop up for a month or so in peak times, like Toys 'R' Us opening up for Christmas season right next door to Toys Express, coming in on a one-month lease and then closing right down afterwards. Like that apparel store right around the same time."

And what criteria does the City Planning Commission (CPC) use to determine whether a particular business is suited for Purchase Street?

Patch asked the Commission.

"If the area is zoned for retail, we're glad to have them," said Christian Miller, Rye's City Planner.

"We don't want empty storefronts. As long as its zoned for retail, we want it," said an employee in the city's zoning department who declined to be named.

"I think Lululemon is great for Rye," said Catherine Parker, a City Council member and owner of Parker's, the travel store emporium on 43 Purchase Street.

"It's going to be lively, colorful, interesting, exactly what downtown Rye needs," she said. "Anything is better than an empty storefront."