Link to a New York Times feature: In Market, Hopes for Health and Urban Renewal
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/25/us/25market.html?_r=2&ref=us&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
This is a nice explanatory narrative piece. It starts with a bit of news, the opening of a new supermarket in a Philadelphia’s neighborhood. The writer has a thematic approach on the different implications that the opening of the supermarket entail. The journalist shows throughout the piece how a supermarket can change a neighborhood and the life of the people. The supermarket does not only bring food closer to people but it really changes the way of life of its inhabitants.
Good issues are dealt with in the piece. First, health issues: people won’t buy takeout as much as before but will instead buy healthy food. Then, local people won’t need to drive far to make their grocery shopping. The journalist also deals with the broader issue of the “food deserts of poor areas”. In poor areas, there are no facilities and it has an impact on eating habits.
The author shows that the opening of this supermarket belongs to a larger public policy which is aimed at renovating the plaza. He also emphasizes the implications on employment for local inhabitants and on the safety of the “plaza”.
The journalist uses good quotes and raises the different issues through characters Keller and Smith. There is a good description of the neighborhood at the beginning; we can picture the place. We also have some historical insights. However, I would have liked to have a scene or a description of the Progress Plaza to really see the poverty and the insecurity that the author refers to.
3 comments:
I thought this article was very clean. There was a fair amount of quotes, a few context clues and some good numbers, put together tightly for the reader to easily breeze through the piece.
This story relates to that of the Felpausch on the North Side here in the Zoo. It was a celebrated development when it opened. Its sad that the income gap is so deep that even grocery stores aren't available to many low income communities, leaving McDonalds as one of the best options for dinner.
Again, I agree with Kim's comment. Really tight writing, great incorporation of background information and detail drive this piece through to the end. I was really impressed by the way you can take a simple news piece, the opening of a new grocery store where there hasn't been one in years, and expand it into such a thoughtful and though provoking piece about blighted areas. I liked this one a lot.
Yes, I see this as a trend piece with a local perspective. I thought the close-up look followed by supporting facts and data made for a compelling read.
I agree with Virginie that a clearer description of place would have rounded out the piece nicely.
Post a Comment