January 16, 2009 142 Comments

Small Town Superheroes

Mick Galuski Mick Galuski runs the Toy Soldier comics and games store in a town not far from where I live. I’ve been a customer for some time, like, since I was 18 and they were in another town. Mick and I started talking a bit more over the last few months. Just a little bit more. But I got to know a bit more about him each time. He knows what comics I like, and he keeps his eye out for new things for me to try.

Not unlike my friend, Carolyn Jordan, Mick runs what I call a cafe-shaped business. He responds to small, personal interactions, and he has the loyalty of several nearby towns worth of nerds and parents as a reward.

The other day when I stopped by, Mick mentioned that he’s still thinking about his 3 words for 2009. He’s a regular reader of the blog. Do you know how rare that is? I live in northern Massachusetts, not Silicon Freakin’ Valley. The fact that Mick and I even know who each other are is rare.

Personal. Small. Cafe-shaped. Mick Galuski is the kind of guy you want to buy from.

And you? Have you written about the stars in your town?

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  • http://www.mikebilleter.com Mike Billeter

    I also just realized that I neglected to share my thoughts on your post itself. In regard to Mick and his efforts to stay engaged with individuals, I had a similar experience with a comic book store in a town about an hour away from where I live. Although I have a comic book store in town where I used to make my purchases, I was never impressed with the impersonal service there (which treated customers as if *they* were the hassle more often than not). Then, in an “emergency situation” (as far as comic needs go), the shop about an hour away was unbelievably helpful and treated me like I was the first customer they’d had in years. From that point on I’ve taken my business twice a month to the store an hour away and they’ve always been great. Consequently, that’s where I tell all my friends to go when they ask about comics, so I agree entirely that a little bit of personal touch and care can make a huge difference and is certainly worth the extra effort.

  • http://blogs.wolfpawroad.com LoneWolf

    I’ve got to learn how to network like this more (on and off line). I’ve always been a bit of a loner but there are some great small businesses here in town. My wife is always good at getting to know the people who work at them — even people in the big places like W*lM*rt.

    I need to make more of an effort to connect with the people in my community like this — and promote them.

    Thanks for the encouragement.

  • http://blogs.wolfpawroad.com LoneWolf

    I’ve got to learn how to network like this more (on and off line). I’ve always been a bit of a loner but there are some great small businesses here in town. My wife is always good at getting to know the people who work at them — even people in the big places like W*lM*rt.

    I need to make more of an effort to connect with the people in my community like this — and promote them.

    Thanks for the encouragement.

  • http://blogs.wolfpawroad.com LoneWolf

    I’ve got to learn how to network like this more (on and off line). I’ve always been a bit of a loner but there are some great small businesses here in town. My wife is always good at getting to know the people who work at them — even people in the big places like W*lM*rt.

    I need to make more of an effort to connect with the people in my community like this — and promote them.

    Thanks for the encouragement.

  • http://blogs.wolfpawroad.com LoneWolf

    I’ve got to learn how to network like this more (on and off line). I’ve always been a bit of a loner but there are some great small businesses here in town. My wife is always good at getting to know the people who work at them — even people in the big places like W*lM*rt.

    I need to make more of an effort to connect with the people in my community like this — and promote them.

    Thanks for the encouragement.

  • http://blogs.wolfpawroad.com LoneWolf

    I’ve got to learn how to network like this more (on and off line). I’ve always been a bit of a loner but there are some great small businesses here in town. My wife is always good at getting to know the people who work at them — even people in the big places like W*lM*rt.

    I need to make more of an effort to connect with the people in my community like this — and promote them.

    Thanks for the encouragement.

  • http://www.mycomicshop.com/ CP

    Mick’s store is a treat, and a place I’d love to frequent if it wasn’t a few days’ drive away. He has the respect of other retailers all over the country (I’m one) because of the cozy, clean, personal shopping experience he created at Toy Soldier. It’s a great store with great PEOPLE working there, and a lot of thought goes into everything they do.

  • http://www.mycomicshop.com/ CP

    Mick’s store is a treat, and a place I’d love to frequent if it wasn’t a few days’ drive away. He has the respect of other retailers all over the country (I’m one) because of the cozy, clean, personal shopping experience he created at Toy Soldier. It’s a great store with great PEOPLE working there, and a lot of thought goes into everything they do.

  • http://www.writer-mommy.com Marianne Thomas

    Hi Chris; always good stuff to read from you in my Google Reader.

    I live in a small town, too, and this idea — of using social media as a cheerleader’s megaphone to spread the good news about what small biz owners are doing – is fantastic.

    Thanks for once again sparking my imagination.

  • http://www.writer-mommy.com Marianne Thomas

    Hi Chris; always good stuff to read from you in my Google Reader.

    I live in a small town, too, and this idea — of using social media as a cheerleader’s megaphone to spread the good news about what small biz owners are doing – is fantastic.

    Thanks for once again sparking my imagination.

  • http://www.writer-mommy.com Marianne Thomas

    Hi Chris; always good stuff to read from you in my Google Reader.

    I live in a small town, too, and this idea — of using social media as a cheerleader’s megaphone to spread the good news about what small biz owners are doing – is fantastic.

    Thanks for once again sparking my imagination.

  • http://www.writer-mommy.com Marianne Thomas

    Hi Chris; always good stuff to read from you in my Google Reader.

    I live in a small town, too, and this idea — of using social media as a cheerleader’s megaphone to spread the good news about what small biz owners are doing – is fantastic.

    Thanks for once again sparking my imagination.

  • http://www.writer-mommy.com Marianne Thomas

    Hi Chris; always good stuff to read from you in my Google Reader.

    I live in a small town, too, and this idea — of using social media as a cheerleader’s megaphone to spread the good news about what small biz owners are doing – is fantastic.

    Thanks for once again sparking my imagination.

  • http://OnlineMarketerBlog.com DJ Francis

    Man, how many of us marketing guys were/are comic book fans? John Wall left a comment on my post about marketing advice from comic book superheroes citing “The Boys” (http://onlinemarketerblog.com/7-marketing-tips-from-comic-book-superheros/) and I swear Amber Naslund brought up comic books within the last month.

    There’s got to be a connection between the social media marketing types who also may have been comics geeks (yours truly is certainly in that category) and what Todd Defren describes as the “listening mentality” for social media gurus: http://www.pr-squared.com/2009/01/the_value_of_modesty.html.

    Did being a little outside the mainstream help us to better understand different viewpoints? Can social media creativity be linked back to the wonders of the creaking stand-up racks at our local pharmacies and 5 & dimes?

    Are we achieving in the business world the great power with which comes great responsibility? Phew, heavy stuff!

    (Chris, you’ve got to read The Walking Dead TPBs and the 100 Bullets series. Fantastic!)

  • http://OnlineMarketerBlog.com DJ Francis

    Man, how many of us marketing guys were/are comic book fans? John Wall left a comment on my post about marketing advice from comic book superheroes citing “The Boys” (http://onlinemarketerblog.com/7-marketing-tips-from-comic-book-superheros/) and I swear Amber Naslund brought up comic books within the last month.

    There’s got to be a connection between the social media marketing types who also may have been comics geeks (yours truly is certainly in that category) and what Todd Defren describes as the “listening mentality” for social media gurus: http://www.pr-squared.com/2009/01/the_value_of_modesty.html.

    Did being a little outside the mainstream help us to better understand different viewpoints? Can social media creativity be linked back to the wonders of the creaking stand-up racks at our local pharmacies and 5 & dimes?

    Are we achieving in the business world the great power with which comes great responsibility? Phew, heavy stuff!

    (Chris, you’ve got to read The Walking Dead TPBs and the 100 Bullets series. Fantastic!)

  • http://OnlineMarketerBlog.com DJ Francis

    Man, how many of us marketing guys were/are comic book fans? John Wall left a comment on my post about marketing advice from comic book superheroes citing “The Boys” (http://onlinemarketerblog.com/7-marketing-tips-from-comic-book-superheros/) and I swear Amber Naslund brought up comic books within the last month.

    There’s got to be a connection between the social media marketing types who also may have been comics geeks (yours truly is certainly in that category) and what Todd Defren describes as the “listening mentality” for social media gurus: http://www.pr-squared.com/2009/01/the_value_of_modesty.html.

    Did being a little outside the mainstream help us to better understand different viewpoints? Can social media creativity be linked back to the wonders of the creaking stand-up racks at our local pharmacies and 5 & dimes?

    Are we achieving in the business world the great power with which comes great responsibility? Phew, heavy stuff!

    (Chris, you’ve got to read The Walking Dead TPBs and the 100 Bullets series. Fantastic!)

  • Mick Galuski

    Chris! Thanks for the blog entry – probably the nicest things anyone has said about me and the shop!

  • Mick Galuski

    Chris! Thanks for the blog entry – probably the nicest things anyone has said about me and the shop!

  • Mick Galuski

    “Did being a little outside the mainstream help us to better understand different viewpoints? Can social media creativity be linked back to the wonders of the creaking stand-up racks at our local pharmacies and 5 & dimes?”

    I think one of the best things about comic shops is the variety of people who have conversations with each other. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen doctors, lawyers, grocery clerks, students, machinists, IT, moms and weirdos all talking to each other while standing in front of the comic wall. That’s probably something “social media types” can draw some understanding.

  • Mick Galuski

    “Did being a little outside the mainstream help us to better understand different viewpoints? Can social media creativity be linked back to the wonders of the creaking stand-up racks at our local pharmacies and 5 & dimes?”

    I think one of the best things about comic shops is the variety of people who have conversations with each other. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen doctors, lawyers, grocery clerks, students, machinists, IT, moms and weirdos all talking to each other while standing in front of the comic wall. That’s probably something “social media types” can draw some understanding.

  • Mick Galuski

    “Did being a little outside the mainstream help us to better understand different viewpoints? Can social media creativity be linked back to the wonders of the creaking stand-up racks at our local pharmacies and 5 & dimes?”

    I think one of the best things about comic shops is the variety of people who have conversations with each other. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen doctors, lawyers, grocery clerks, students, machinists, IT, moms and weirdos all talking to each other while standing in front of the comic wall. That’s probably something “social media types” can draw some understanding.

  • http://notexactlyroughingit.wordpress.com Emily

    I did write about someone, just yesterday in fact. A roving citizenship teacher in the Twin Cities, Teacher Ron. He reaches a whole lot of people, often one by one, always with his unique and engaging sense of humor. His latest project is here http://bit.ly/14EUV, and it’s kind of time sensitive.

    Echoing @Stacy Lukas and trying to not do the tongue thing you hate – http://bit.ly/ngNQ -, you did ask. :)

  • http://notexactlyroughingit.wordpress.com Emily

    I did write about someone, just yesterday in fact. A roving citizenship teacher in the Twin Cities, Teacher Ron. He reaches a whole lot of people, often one by one, always with his unique and engaging sense of humor. His latest project is here http://bit.ly/14EUV, and it’s kind of time sensitive.

    Echoing @Stacy Lukas and trying to not do the tongue thing you hate – http://bit.ly/ngNQ -, you did ask. :)

  • http://venmarkmedia.com cj Alegre

    Chris:
    I thought for a second there you were gonna briefly cover some of the approaches to social media that a guy like Mick could use to promote his business online. So many cafe-shaped businesses out there with so much value and no angle.
    I think I’m a bit spoiled…your fault!

    Later

  • http://venmarkmedia.com cj Alegre

    Chris:
    I thought for a second there you were gonna briefly cover some of the approaches to social media that a guy like Mick could use to promote his business online. So many cafe-shaped businesses out there with so much value and no angle.
    I think I’m a bit spoiled…your fault!

    Later

  • http://venmarkmedia.com cj Alegre

    Chris:
    I thought for a second there you were gonna briefly cover some of the approaches to social media that a guy like Mick could use to promote his business online. So many cafe-shaped businesses out there with so much value and no angle.
    I think I’m a bit spoiled…your fault!

    Later

  • http://venmarkmedia.com cj Alegre

    Chris:
    I thought for a second there you were gonna briefly cover some of the approaches to social media that a guy like Mick could use to promote his business online. So many cafe-shaped businesses out there with so much value and no angle.
    I think I’m a bit spoiled…your fault!

    Later

  • http://venmarkmedia.com cj Alegre

    Chris:
    I thought for a second there you were gonna briefly cover some of the approaches to social media that a guy like Mick could use to promote his business online. So many cafe-shaped businesses out there with so much value and no angle.
    I think I’m a bit spoiled…your fault!

    Later

  • http://venmarkmedia.com cj Alegre

    Chris:
    I thought for a second there you were gonna briefly cover some of the approaches to social media that a guy like Mick could use to promote his business online. So many cafe-shaped businesses out there with so much value and no angle.
    I think I’m a bit spoiled…your fault!

    Later

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  • http://www.frombogotawithlove.com Sven Patrick Larsen

    I think some of you guys are touching on the fact that comic book shops were an amazing precursor of social media. New comic book day was and still is a terrific example of real world community building. I’m sure many of you have been in a comic store on a Wednesday and been part of the lively discussions about the artistic merits of new releases and related projects/media. One of the great benefits of the web and social media has been the removal of the need for a physical gathering place and the immediate connection that is possible between like minded people. I’m sure this is at least part of the reason for the rise of “geek culture” and the success of mass media like “THE DARK KNIGHT” or ‘IRON MAN”.

    Mike – to your point on Marvel’s Social Media outreach efforts. I had lunch with my friend Dan Buckley (publisher of Marvel) a few weeks and he was telling me that the launch of their digital comics effort (and the overwhelming traffic to their site as a result) really opened their eyes to the opportunities in digital media. I’m sure you can expect a lot more to come from them.

    Chris – I’m serious about the tour offer. Just let me know.

    BTW if anyone is interested about the rise of “shiny covers” or some behind the scenes stories on Marvel’s marketing efforts in the ’90s just let me know. I’ll be happy to post something for everyone.

  • http://www.frombogotawithlove.com Sven Patrick Larsen

    I think some of you guys are touching on the fact that comic book shops were an amazing precursor of social media. New comic book day was and still is a terrific example of real world community building. I’m sure many of you have been in a comic store on a Wednesday and been part of the lively discussions about the artistic merits of new releases and related projects/media. One of the great benefits of the web and social media has been the removal of the need for a physical gathering place and the immediate connection that is possible between like minded people. I’m sure this is at least part of the reason for the rise of “geek culture” and the success of mass media like “THE DARK KNIGHT” or ‘IRON MAN”.

    Mike – to your point on Marvel’s Social Media outreach efforts. I had lunch with my friend Dan Buckley (publisher of Marvel) a few weeks and he was telling me that the launch of their digital comics effort (and the overwhelming traffic to their site as a result) really opened their eyes to the opportunities in digital media. I’m sure you can expect a lot more to come from them.

    Chris – I’m serious about the tour offer. Just let me know.

    BTW if anyone is interested about the rise of “shiny covers” or some behind the scenes stories on Marvel’s marketing efforts in the ’90s just let me know. I’ll be happy to post something for everyone.

  • http://www.frombogotawithlove.com Sven Patrick Larsen

    I think some of you guys are touching on the fact that comic book shops were an amazing precursor of social media. New comic book day was and still is a terrific example of real world community building. I’m sure many of you have been in a comic store on a Wednesday and been part of the lively discussions about the artistic merits of new releases and related projects/media. One of the great benefits of the web and social media has been the removal of the need for a physical gathering place and the immediate connection that is possible between like minded people. I’m sure this is at least part of the reason for the rise of “geek culture” and the success of mass media like “THE DARK KNIGHT” or ‘IRON MAN”.

    Mike – to your point on Marvel’s Social Media outreach efforts. I had lunch with my friend Dan Buckley (publisher of Marvel) a few weeks and he was telling me that the launch of their digital comics effort (and the overwhelming traffic to their site as a result) really opened their eyes to the opportunities in digital media. I’m sure you can expect a lot more to come from them.

    Chris – I’m serious about the tour offer. Just let me know.

    BTW if anyone is interested about the rise of “shiny covers” or some behind the scenes stories on Marvel’s marketing efforts in the ’90s just let me know. I’ll be happy to post something for everyone.

  • http://www.frombogotawithlove.com Sven Patrick Larsen

    I think some of you guys are touching on the fact that comic book shops were an amazing precursor of social media. New comic book day was and still is a terrific example of real world community building. I’m sure many of you have been in a comic store on a Wednesday and been part of the lively discussions about the artistic merits of new releases and related projects/media. One of the great benefits of the web and social media has been the removal of the need for a physical gathering place and the immediate connection that is possible between like minded people. I’m sure this is at least part of the reason for the rise of “geek culture” and the success of mass media like “THE DARK KNIGHT” or ‘IRON MAN”.

    Mike – to your point on Marvel’s Social Media outreach efforts. I had lunch with my friend Dan Buckley (publisher of Marvel) a few weeks and he was telling me that the launch of their digital comics effort (and the overwhelming traffic to their site as a result) really opened their eyes to the opportunities in digital media. I’m sure you can expect a lot more to come from them.

    Chris – I’m serious about the tour offer. Just let me know.

    BTW if anyone is interested about the rise of “shiny covers” or some behind the scenes stories on Marvel’s marketing efforts in the ’90s just let me know. I’ll be happy to post something for everyone.

  • http://www.frombogotawithlove.com Sven Patrick Larsen

    I think some of you guys are touching on the fact that comic book shops were an amazing precursor of social media. New comic book day was and still is a terrific example of real world community building. I’m sure many of you have been in a comic store on a Wednesday and been part of the lively discussions about the artistic merits of new releases and related projects/media. One of the great benefits of the web and social media has been the removal of the need for a physical gathering place and the immediate connection that is possible between like minded people. I’m sure this is at least part of the reason for the rise of “geek culture” and the success of mass media like “THE DARK KNIGHT” or ‘IRON MAN”.

    Mike – to your point on Marvel’s Social Media outreach efforts. I had lunch with my friend Dan Buckley (publisher of Marvel) a few weeks and he was telling me that the launch of their digital comics effort (and the overwhelming traffic to their site as a result) really opened their eyes to the opportunities in digital media. I’m sure you can expect a lot more to come from them.

    Chris – I’m serious about the tour offer. Just let me know.

    BTW if anyone is interested about the rise of “shiny covers” or some behind the scenes stories on Marvel’s marketing efforts in the ’90s just let me know. I’ll be happy to post something for everyone.

  • http://communicatrix.com communicatrix

    Ha! Loved Sven’s comment. Because yes, I live in a tiny village (Silver Lake) in a gigundous city (Los Angeles) and the local shopkeepers need all the props and help they can get, even the good ones.

    Just wrote about two of my fave places last night. I think I’ll try to write more, now you mention it.

    Think globally, act locally, and vice-versa.

  • http://communicatrix.com communicatrix

    Ha! Loved Sven’s comment. Because yes, I live in a tiny village (Silver Lake) in a gigundous city (Los Angeles) and the local shopkeepers need all the props and help they can get, even the good ones.

    Just wrote about two of my fave places last night. I think I’ll try to write more, now you mention it.

    Think globally, act locally, and vice-versa.

  • http://communicatrix.com communicatrix

    Ha! Loved Sven’s comment. Because yes, I live in a tiny village (Silver Lake) in a gigundous city (Los Angeles) and the local shopkeepers need all the props and help they can get, even the good ones.

    Just wrote about two of my fave places last night. I think I’ll try to write more, now you mention it.

    Think globally, act locally, and vice-versa.

  • http://altitudebranding.com Amber Naslund

    @DJ I sure did talk about comic books. Yep. I’m a girl. I love comic books, have for years. Sue me. :)

    There’s an element of the comic culture that I think translates so well to all of this social media stuff: storytelling. Comics are graphic stories, and the web is like one giant storybook to me. I’m constantly reading, seeing, absorbing…with both sides of my brain. We comic nerds love debating the undercurrents of our characters, the holes in our plotlines, and speculating about where it’s all headed.

    Comics move fast. They’re in frames, digestible chunks that can be absorbed as such. And to me, much of the beauty of social media is that we can consume the story in frames, issues, and watch as it all morphs in front of our eyes.

    But back to Chris’ post topic and Mick’s comments: comic heads always manage to find commonality in one another. It’s uniting in a world when so many other things are divisive. And comic book shops have always had that “come on in and hang out for a while” vibe that so many other retail experiences don’t have anymore. It’s not transactional, it’s social. And it’s awesome. Long live our nerdy little hangouts. (Is it Wednesday yet??)

  • http://altitudebranding.com Amber Naslund

    @DJ I sure did talk about comic books. Yep. I’m a girl. I love comic books, have for years. Sue me. :)

    There’s an element of the comic culture that I think translates so well to all of this social media stuff: storytelling. Comics are graphic stories, and the web is like one giant storybook to me. I’m constantly reading, seeing, absorbing…with both sides of my brain. We comic nerds love debating the undercurrents of our characters, the holes in our plotlines, and speculating about where it’s all headed.

    Comics move fast. They’re in frames, digestible chunks that can be absorbed as such. And to me, much of the beauty of social media is that we can consume the story in frames, issues, and watch as it all morphs in front of our eyes.

    But back to Chris’ post topic and Mick’s comments: comic heads always manage to find commonality in one another. It’s uniting in a world when so many other things are divisive. And comic book shops have always had that “come on in and hang out for a while” vibe that so many other retail experiences don’t have anymore. It’s not transactional, it’s social. And it’s awesome. Long live our nerdy little hangouts. (Is it Wednesday yet??)

  • http://altitudebranding.com Amber Naslund

    @DJ I sure did talk about comic books. Yep. I’m a girl. I love comic books, have for years. Sue me. :)

    There’s an element of the comic culture that I think translates so well to all of this social media stuff: storytelling. Comics are graphic stories, and the web is like one giant storybook to me. I’m constantly reading, seeing, absorbing…with both sides of my brain. We comic nerds love debating the undercurrents of our characters, the holes in our plotlines, and speculating about where it’s all headed.

    Comics move fast. They’re in frames, digestible chunks that can be absorbed as such. And to me, much of the beauty of social media is that we can consume the story in frames, issues, and watch as it all morphs in front of our eyes.

    But back to Chris’ post topic and Mick’s comments: comic heads always manage to find commonality in one another. It’s uniting in a world when so many other things are divisive. And comic book shops have always had that “come on in and hang out for a while” vibe that so many other retail experiences don’t have anymore. It’s not transactional, it’s social. And it’s awesome. Long live our nerdy little hangouts. (Is it Wednesday yet??)

  • Anonymous

    Great post, Chris. I’m glad you’re thinking about how digital community ties into our real-world neighbors. I’ve been thinking about the word ‘hyperlocal’ often in 2009, and not as some obscure, geeky buzzword — though hyperlocal has certainly merited one or all of those qualifiers over the years. Last year cloud computing and green IT were everywhere, not to mention anything-as-a-service.

    Forget the buzzwords.

    I think Chris is spot on to turn his attention to what bloggers can bring to local small businesses. Whether it’s comic book shops, great local bookstores, bakeries or microbreweries, we now have the ability to give instant feedback through our smartphones on the services, products and people that come within our experience.

    All of those reviews on Google Maps, Yelp, Chowhound and the growing location-based social networks add up to something special: a digital neighborhood, with recommendations rolling in in real-time.

    Just a few short years ago, a small business still needed to set up a website, hosting, hire a designer and figure out how to update it. That’s still important, of course, but the action now is in the social layer of the Web on top of it.

    Hyperlocal news outlets are springing up here and there, like MyDedhamNews in my backyard or Rob Curley’s growing network of hyperlocal microsites throughout the country.

    When you combine that growth with outstanding uberlocal blogs like Universal Hub or Gothamist that monitor, filter, edit and share the best (and worst) of the regional blogs, Twitterers, Craigslist posts, newspapers and video podcasters, it’s not hard to see how ‘small town superheroes’ could thrive in tough economic times.

    It’s going to be a bit of a bumpy ride while it all shakes out. I’m glad to be along for the journey.

  • http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/it-compliance Alex Howard

    Great post, Chris. I’m glad you’re thinking about how digital community ties into our real-world neighbors. I’ve been thinking about the word ‘hyperlocal’ often in 2009, and not as some obscure, geeky buzzword — though hyperlocal has certainly merited one or all of those qualifiers over the years. Last year cloud computing and green IT were everywhere, not to mention anything-as-a-service.

    Forget the buzzwords.

    I think Chris is spot on to turn his attention to what bloggers can bring to local small businesses. Whether it’s comic book shops, great local bookstores, bakeries or microbreweries, we now have the ability to give instant feedback through our smartphones on the services, products and people that come within our experience.

    All of those reviews on Google Maps, Yelp, Chowhound and the growing location-based social networks add up to something special: a digital neighborhood, with recommendations rolling in in real-time.

    Just a few short years ago, a small business still needed to set up a website, hosting, hire a designer and figure out how to update it. That’s still important, of course, but the action now is in the social layer of the Web on top of it.

    Hyperlocal news outlets are springing up here and there, like MyDedhamNews in my backyard or Rob Curley’s growing network of hyperlocal microsites throughout the country.

    When you combine that growth with outstanding uberlocal blogs like Universal Hub or Gothamist that monitor, filter, edit and share the best (and worst) of the regional blogs, Twitterers, Craigslist posts, newspapers and video podcasters, it’s not hard to see how ‘small town superheroes’ could thrive in tough economic times.

    It’s going to be a bit of a bumpy ride while it all shakes out. I’m glad to be along for the journey.

  • http://www.law.harvard.edu/faculty/directory/index.html?id=775 amanda

    The strength of cafe-shaped businesses (wonderful phrase) is also their weakness; it is hard to make personal contact scaleable. It’s worth asking why every business needs to be scaleable – local success (or translocal, niche success for digital businesses) is enough for many business owners. But it often isn’t enough for many purveyors of credit, particularly venture capital, or for commercial landlords. Maybe if access to credit, like blogging, becomes more micro-scale and more social (cafe-shaped lending institutions?), socially-networked businesses will be favored by credit institutions that match their configuration.

  • http://www.law.harvard.edu/faculty/directory/index.html?id=775 amanda

    The strength of cafe-shaped businesses (wonderful phrase) is also their weakness; it is hard to make personal contact scaleable. It’s worth asking why every business needs to be scaleable – local success (or translocal, niche success for digital businesses) is enough for many business owners. But it often isn’t enough for many purveyors of credit, particularly venture capital, or for commercial landlords. Maybe if access to credit, like blogging, becomes more micro-scale and more social (cafe-shaped lending institutions?), socially-networked businesses will be favored by credit institutions that match their configuration.

  • http://www.law.harvard.edu/faculty/directory/index.html?id=775 amanda

    The strength of cafe-shaped businesses (wonderful phrase) is also their weakness; it is hard to make personal contact scaleable. It’s worth asking why every business needs to be scaleable – local success (or translocal, niche success for digital businesses) is enough for many business owners. But it often isn’t enough for many purveyors of credit, particularly venture capital, or for commercial landlords. Maybe if access to credit, like blogging, becomes more micro-scale and more social (cafe-shaped lending institutions?), socially-networked businesses will be favored by credit institutions that match their configuration.

  • http://www.law.harvard.edu/faculty/directory/index.html?id=775 amanda

    The strength of cafe-shaped businesses (wonderful phrase) is also their weakness; it is hard to make personal contact scaleable. It’s worth asking why every business needs to be scaleable – local success (or translocal, niche success for digital businesses) is enough for many business owners. But it often isn’t enough for many purveyors of credit, particularly venture capital, or for commercial landlords. Maybe if access to credit, like blogging, becomes more micro-scale and more social (cafe-shaped lending institutions?), socially-networked businesses will be favored by credit institutions that match their configuration.

  • http://edsocialmedia.com Steve Ritchie

    Not to turn this into a Marvel thread, but… After growing up with comics in the late 70s and 80s, I sort of lost touch with comic books after the mid 90s. But my girls have gotten into the 90s Spider-Man and Fantastic 4 (and Superman and Batman) cartoons showing in reruns, and I have had a lot of fun getting re-acquainted with the stories. They got me the new Marvel Chronicle book by DK for Christmas. Fantastic stuff.

    I would certainly love to see a post from Sven about the marketing efforts in the 90s.

    /thread hijack

  • http://edsocialmedia.com Steve Ritchie

    Not to turn this into a Marvel thread, but… After growing up with comics in the late 70s and 80s, I sort of lost touch with comic books after the mid 90s. But my girls have gotten into the 90s Spider-Man and Fantastic 4 (and Superman and Batman) cartoons showing in reruns, and I have had a lot of fun getting re-acquainted with the stories. They got me the new Marvel Chronicle book by DK for Christmas. Fantastic stuff.

    I would certainly love to see a post from Sven about the marketing efforts in the 90s.

    /thread hijack

  • http://edsocialmedia.com Steve Ritchie

    Not to turn this into a Marvel thread, but… After growing up with comics in the late 70s and 80s, I sort of lost touch with comic books after the mid 90s. But my girls have gotten into the 90s Spider-Man and Fantastic 4 (and Superman and Batman) cartoons showing in reruns, and I have had a lot of fun getting re-acquainted with the stories. They got me the new Marvel Chronicle book by DK for Christmas. Fantastic stuff.

    I would certainly love to see a post from Sven about the marketing efforts in the 90s.

    /thread hijack

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