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Blink and It’s Gone
by Colleen Snyder

I live in Linden, Virginia—a town so small that you’ve already passed through it by the time you
realize that you’ve been there. Despite its size, it does have several stores, mostly to service
traffic coming off of Interstate 66 which runs east/west from Washington, DC before intersecting
with Interstate 81 west of the Blue Ridge Mountains—a major north/south interstate.

Before the Observation Lab, I really didn’t pay much attention to the three stores—really local
convenience stores--other than to note that The Apple Store is a major stop for tourists coming
out from the city to visit the Shenandoah National Park and enjoy some time in the mountains.
The city-dwellers always think they are invisible, but the locals always notice how much they
stick out.

So, observations…..I decided I would just look at each convenience store according to how easy
it is for a local to get in and out of the store with a soda and a snack. First, The Apple Store is
clearly targeted to tourists. The sodas and snacks are in the far back, making a patron walk past
lots of Virginia wines, crafts, and stuff. Locals never go there…too expensive, too inconvenient.
Second, The Apple Mountain Store is directly in front of you as you get off of the Interstate.
Cokes are in a bin at the front with piles of snacks, ready for grab and go. Clearly, the store is
targeted to the commuters that roll in there and use the park and ride. Third, the Monterey
Service Station about a mile away is where the locals go and visitors fear to tread. It’s run down
with no attempt to make it inviting. Why bother? Locals know that it’s the quick and easy place
to get a soda and snack and get up the mountain quickly to home.

The Observation Lab showed me that the everyday places encountered in a small town like
Linden have their own personalities and purposes if you are careful enough to really look.

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Blink and it's gone

  • 1. Blink and It’s Gone by Colleen Snyder I live in Linden, Virginia—a town so small that you’ve already passed through it by the time you realize that you’ve been there. Despite its size, it does have several stores, mostly to service traffic coming off of Interstate 66 which runs east/west from Washington, DC before intersecting with Interstate 81 west of the Blue Ridge Mountains—a major north/south interstate. Before the Observation Lab, I really didn’t pay much attention to the three stores—really local convenience stores--other than to note that The Apple Store is a major stop for tourists coming out from the city to visit the Shenandoah National Park and enjoy some time in the mountains. The city-dwellers always think they are invisible, but the locals always notice how much they stick out. So, observations…..I decided I would just look at each convenience store according to how easy it is for a local to get in and out of the store with a soda and a snack. First, The Apple Store is clearly targeted to tourists. The sodas and snacks are in the far back, making a patron walk past lots of Virginia wines, crafts, and stuff. Locals never go there…too expensive, too inconvenient. Second, The Apple Mountain Store is directly in front of you as you get off of the Interstate. Cokes are in a bin at the front with piles of snacks, ready for grab and go. Clearly, the store is targeted to the commuters that roll in there and use the park and ride. Third, the Monterey Service Station about a mile away is where the locals go and visitors fear to tread. It’s run down with no attempt to make it inviting. Why bother? Locals know that it’s the quick and easy place to get a soda and snack and get up the mountain quickly to home. The Observation Lab showed me that the everyday places encountered in a small town like Linden have their own personalities and purposes if you are careful enough to really look.