Commodifying-monetizing the neighborhood

From "It's a beautiful (shopping) day in the neighborhood" in USA Today:

Your neighborhood is getting crowded with Madison-Avenue-devised neighborhoods.
Many Starbucks stores now boast that they have the best espresso "in the neighborhood." Applebee's has a new slogan: "It's a whole new neighborhood." Wal-Mart's smaller-scale suburban stores call themselves Wal-Mart Neighborhood Markets. Tesco's new grocery stores are dubbed Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets. Even Lowe's is onboard to be a neighborhood hardware store.

There goes the neighborhood?

Not exactly. The term "neighborhood" is beloved because it gives people a sense of place. "Times of global stress cause people to retract and to want a sense of community," says Renee Fraser, a Los Angeles ad psychologist. "Belonging to a neighborhood really motivates people."

To buy, the marketers hope.

Also see past blog entries:

-- Why the future of urban retail isn't chains
-- Formula retail restrictions and other planning and zoning techniques.