The myths have been perpetuated throughout the years by students, residents and outsiders alike: Hanover doesn't allow chain stores within its limits. Rather, the few that made it into this wealthy town of 11,000 were granted special exemptions.
But this month, the proposed start of construction on a CVS pharmacy in P&C Foods' former location debunks, at least to some effect, the theory that Hanover is a chain-hostile environment. Indeed, a Starbucks Coffee outlet and a Dunkin' Donuts stand in Foodstop might be next on Main Street's slate, town officials told The Dartmouth -- all they have to do is meet current zoning regulations.
Such ordinances say nothing about bringing chains in or keeping them out, town manager Julia Griffin said, refuting stories that Subway was allowed into Hanover because of its health-conscious, low-fat menu, and Ben and Jerry's for its socially aware, environmentally friendly policies and nearby Vermont headquarters.
While Hanover does have very stringent parking regulations and laws that make it difficult to obtain permission for features such as drive-up windows, Griffin said, it does not specifically target national or regional chains in one way or another.
"Parking is tight," she said. "It's difficult for some businesses to locate here -- not just chains, but all traffic-generating stores have had hard times settling in."
Griffin attributed the steadier arrival of chain stores in recent years to regional trends rather than any changes in the books. The Upper Valley as a whole is seeing more market penetration than in the past, she said, and chains look to Hanover and nearby Hartford, Vt., once they've conquered the terrain of the bustling Lebanon area.
And although businesses may be interested, town officials have not worked to instigate their arrival. Rather, one word might characterize Hanover's general stance toward new stores: ambivalence.
"There hasn't been a concern yet to
relax regulations in order to be more aggressive," Griffin said, noting that no official lobbying for new chains to come in has taken place. "Hanover's been hands-off in courting specific businesses."
The College, however, has undertaken such store recruitment activity, Griffin said. It began with Hanover's first chain store, The Gap, which opened in 1994 after three years of deal-making with Dartmouth's real estate officials. The popular clothing store replaced Brewster's, a local, upscale counterpart that had occupied the space for two years before.
Prior to Brewster's arrival, Campion's apparel filled the space next to the Hanover Inn for close to 90 years, catering to a mature clientele of men and women. Its women's department has since reopened at a smaller location on South Main Street.
Griffin recalled that during its early stages, there was much debate over The Gap's presence in Hanover.
"People said then, 'There goes downtown," she said, noting however that others -- including much of the student population -- were proponents of the chain's arrival.
National scope
What's happening in Hanover's business district, for better or for worse, mimics situations facing many other small communities, town officials and business owners said.
With local, family-run stores finding it increasingly difficult to pay high overhead prices with a limited customer base, they often can't fight chain competitors with much larger pockets, said Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce executive director Clint Bean.
"It's really a fundamental economic landscape change we're talking about," Bean said. "We're in the process of trying to cultivate the business community in such a way to remain competitive."
Some local stores, however, have found that the pressure of chains only exacerbates existing problem's caused by the weak economy. Citing a lack of sales, the Dartmouth Co-op in 2001 gave up the half of its retail space devoted to non-College-related outdoor apparel. The same year, Main Street favorite Patrick Henry's, a small restaurant serving New England "comfort foods," went out of business. And this past November, the 130-year-old Dartmouth Bookstore announced that it would end textbook sales to cut mounting expenses.
"By getting out of textbooks it's going to free up a lot of space and a lot of time and effort," said part-owner Dave Cioffi '75. "The backbone of our store has always been the front of the store."
Because of internet competition and a lack of cooperation from Dartmouth's academic departments, many of which did not provide lists of textbooks before the start of each term, the market stopped being lucrative two or three years ago, Cioffi said.
To prevent further losses, Cioffi has reorganized the store, making three areas available to sublet and eliminating nearly 4,600 square feet from the 23,000 square feet area.
"Hanover relies a lot on tourism, and in the last couple of years you haven't seen as many visitors," he said. "This summer has been a little more upbeat."
Very high rents, ranging from around $35 to $40 per square foot for Main Street businesses, also raise the chances of chains moving to Hanover, he added. "Those guys have a lot of capital to come into a small town like this, whereas a small business can't do that."
Other business owners argued that a chain store's presence in town isn't always deleterious for the community.
"Some of the chains are actually good," said Lou's owner Toby Fried. "It keeps the downtown alive."
With the presence of high-quality chains in Hanover, there's no reason for people to seek out a mall atmosphere, Fried said. "What it's doing is bringing people into town."
Griffin added that time and new residents moving in to Hanover has also made for an atmosphere more receptive to change -- and the chains that may come along with it.
A somewhat overlooked aspect: chains have also made products available in Hanover stores more affordable, Fried said, noting that prior to The Gap's arrival, the majority of clothing available in town was unrealistically priced. Now, people can find clothing they can purchase not only on special occasions -- and then stay in town to shop at smaller boutiques.
But businesses that only take away local stores' customers are not favored, Fried said, pointing to CVS and Starbucks and their effects on the existing Dirt Cowboy Cafe and Eastman's Pharmacy. "I don't think anyone will be drawn into Hanover because of a coffee chain," he added.
Something like a nightclub, however, which town residents speculate will fill the space formerly occupied by Mojo's, would add an aspect to Hanover that is currently lacking, Fried said. But a potential problem, though, is the hit-or-miss nature of evening-oriented businesses.
Commercial aid
What local stores need to boost business activity may be coming from a somewhat surprising source: Dartmouth itself.
One of the stated goals of Hanover's South Block area, which the College is currently developing, is providing plenty of space for small retailers to thrive.
In this large tract, businesses will be able to move in at lower costs than in many other areas of town, promoting competition in the process, town officials and business owners noted.
"You may wind up with a chain on Main Street, but on the back streets, there will be a lot of fun little shops," Cioffi said. "I think that Hanover, the more independent it stays, is what people want -- the more we can have independent places that lend a little bit of variety, the better off we are."
The parking garage on Lebanon Street has also increased overall store traffic, he added. In comparison with the garage, Main Street offers a scant amount of space, many locals have complained over the years.
Town businesses are also testing out a strategy of free garage parking for those who purchase goods in local stores each Saturday.
"To get customers to come into Hanover, they've got to be able to park," Cioffi said.
Throughout the business community's transition, he added, Hanover residents themselves have also lent a helping hand. "You have a lot of independent people here who want to support independent businesses."
At this point, though, Fried said, chains are so embedded in Hanover business life that their eradication would be impossible.
"If you kicked them all out," he said, "I guarantee it wouldn't be half as busy."
