Local Businesses Fill Community Needs
November 18, 2016
To the Editors:
There is a sentiment among certain Oberlinians — both town and college — that it’s OK to steal from Gibson’s Bakery and other stores downtown, so says my 17-year-old Oberlin High School son. My thought is that love and compassion can go a long way toward mending these issues.
I call on students and shoppers to develop relationships with workers at local stores. Interact with them as human beings. Look them in the eye as you conduct transactions. Be honest and above-board.
I can tell you that, as an Oberlin resident, I have done this and the results are amazing. With some workers, who can be sullen and disinterested, it has taken sometimes years to develop positive relationships, but it has paid off. We greet each other with smiles and take pleasure in our interactions. Most folks respond quickly.
I also call on students to respect the businesses that support College students. Gibson’s is a fifth-generation family business; it is over a century old. It is a valued asset to Oberlin — would you rather have only chain businesses with distant owners? Try love.
– Lynn Haessly
OC ’79
