Globalizing Sheboygan

It's strange to me how much our town has evolved over the past two to three years. Just this past month, the first sushi restaurant since the history of man-kind in Sheboygan County appeared on our doorsteps. There was a lot of talk, and many curious visitors, but in the end, I think it only got a luke warm reception. Not so much because it served raw fish. God knows how many modern blooded Americans live in Sheboygan to sustain the one and only sushi restaurant within a 60 mile radius. Sadly, it's to do with the poor business judgment of the owner in his choice of staff, his choice of not changing the decor since the last 2 failed owners, etc. We arrived at this restaurant two weeks ago and were reminded by its past failures. It was hard to sustain my appetite with the surrounding tacky decor. Wrinkly heavy-blanket looking kimono in the back of the restaurant with a price tag. In fact, every piece of decor (including the bathroom decoration) has a price tag on it. The owner must have contracted with the antique dealer next door to decorate for free in exchange for free advertisement. What a terrible business idea. I felt practically insulted in every way for all Japanese in the world and sushi lovers over the low quality cleanliness of this restaurant, the tackiness of service, and the manner of preparation of food. So sad. My friend Gaelle is already counting down the days of its closing. I try to be optimistic, but who can be optimistic these days when a Festival Food Market is openning down the street from us this fall.

Festival Foods, bigger and better than Wholefoods possibly. With a full on sushi bar and a free daycare service while you shop. WTH!? Are we really ready for it? Our neighbors just recently bought their headstones last month. I wonder if they should have held off for a little longer with all the exciting change that's taking place in this town. Gaelle just posted yesterday that they're even openning an Ulta Make-up Salon next to Target this fall. This is the big rival to Sephora, serious luxury. By next year, Sheboygan women will have absolutely no excuse to walk out their doors frumpy and without make up.

There have been some recent modern additions to Sheboygan over the past year that have received a great deal of skeptism, like the Bed Bath and Beyond and the Starbucks. I recall the openning week of Bed Bath and Beyond, a man commented that he could easily make his own knife block in his own garage for cheaper. We live in a blue collar factory town surrounded by farms. Despite the odds against Bed Bath Beyond, they are still standing with their heads held high while their sister stores in California are closing left and right. Meanwhile, Starbucks have multiplied like a virus in Sheboygan. People from even further outlying counties will drive near an hour to shop at the shops in Sheboygan County. Shops they've only heard of through television advertisements but are yet to see in the flesh. Like a few of my contemporaries here in Sheboygan who will drive for over an hour for the quality shops and the Olive Garden in Appleton County. This is Wisconsin for you. We are a pearl necklace of small towns strung loosely together by a few country roads and highways. How a railway transit system would change the economy of this state entirely.

While contemplating the souls who brave entrepreneuralship in Sheboygan County, I will be celebrating the one year anniversary of my business grand openning this week. The next two years are looking much brighter than even I could have predicted. 8)