Letters

It’s a Saturday morning, and I just finished a Sculpt by Emily Tyson class. I would love to walk to get breakfast after, but where?

I need sunscreen, but we have no drug store. Liggett’s is gone, and Rite Aid has closed. I would love to get some knickknacks for my apartment. Noel’s has been closed for years. Coffee other than a chain? Hampton Coffee is great, but I’m in a rush and it’s on the other side of town.

It’s the end of summer and I would love some new clothes — Fandango! But then where else if I want something different? I see a new store has opened and look only to find another salon.

I want to start by saying: Support all your local small businesses. I love the ones we have now. James Maguire Antiques, Good Ground Antiques, Fandango, Bon Amour, Antojitos Bakery, Francesca’s, etc. — these are all amazing places. We just need more.

I would love to be able to park my car and walk around the town to get necessities, gifts, food, drinks, all in one trip. I would love to walk to Good Ground Park and find a farmers market. I would love to see my friends open their small businesses.

There are many who will read this and think, “There are plenty of places — what is she complaining about?” Again, I am not saying to stop going to the local businesses we have now. What I am saying is, this town needs more — it needs a livelier and more vibrant downtown. Whether that is a new one or adding different businesses to the old. I do not know the answer how to make this happen; all I know is that it needs to happen.

When I drive to neighboring towns, there are people walking everywhere. This, I am sure, gets some to think, “Traffic! People! Overcrowding!” We already have that. Why would we not want to see our downtown lively, filled with people shopping and dining? Why would we want to be a drive-through town?

I am asking for those who live here and love Hampton Bays, as well as the Southampton Town Council, to really listen to the few voices of the younger generation that are left here. We want to have a Main Street that is lively and walkable. We want to have a drug store again. We want a small coffee shop in the heart of the town. We want stores like Noel’s again.

Please support all current local businesses, but allow room for growth.

I wrote before that Hampton Bays is the “Cheers” theme song. I do not want the song to end — I only want it to begin again.

Stefani Joslin

Hampton Bays