Building Little Five From The Ground Up, by Brittnee Gillespie

Hundreds of thousands of dollars, tons of manpower, and countless hours of thought and careful planning go into building a store. Every miniscule detail is taken into consideration in order to create a specific type of ambiance. Turquoise or teal paint? Cement or stone walkway? Arched or saddle-back or flat roof? Every decision made is made for a reason. Constructors manage materials to craft a tangible manifestation of an idea & each building is totally unique. In fact, while walking down the sidewalk of Little Five Points, one cannot help but notice the great variety of stores. Of course each store possess the basics—a door, a roof, support beams, and maybe a parking lot. But each architectural construct is distinguished and every aspect of the structure is designed and placed for a specific purpose.

For example, all buildings have windows to let in sunshine and air. But windows also serve a dual function as portals through which cultural constructs, such as consumerism and multiculturalism, can be examined. In Little Five Points, windows contribute to the consumerist mentality of shoppers by exhibiting flashy displays or merchandise meant to catch attention.

The variety of shapes of windows—square, large, rectangular, and diamond—are an exemplary show of the stress on uniqueness in American society. All windows serve the same basic purpose, but each store is practically required to put a special touch to the glass. No two windows have the same cut or dimensions or style; many are tall, others are tinted, and some have shutters. A window might display a mannequin clad in the latest fashion, enticing appetizers of a corner café, a rainbow of flyers, or a collection of Bohemian funk music. Depending on a window display, a preteen or a football player or a college professor might be motivated to go into a store. Through the window, a passer-by gets a quick sample of what the store has to offer. Even the window itself makes a statement about the establishment. A store dedicated to punk rock music has iron bars across the window, rather like a prison.

According to renowned authors Jeffrey Nealon and Susan Searls Giroux, in some contexts multiculturalism might be considered exclusive or discriminatory (57). This is not at all the case at Little Five Points. The many representations of different peoples and nationalities are evident by the great range of building structures. Any person can find a store of interest. The great show of multiculturalism ensures the economic survival of Little Five Points; the many choices of stores increase the attractiveness of the locale to the shopper and, simultaneously, contribute to the consumerist state of American culture.

Each establishment was intentionally created to maintain a distinctive style to attract a particular demographic. Just walking down the sidewalk, one begins to get the impression that every architectural aspect of a building, not just the windows, was formed to be visually pleasing for the sake of obtaining money. For example, the coffee shop is purposely built to resemble a quiet home to give off a quaint, comforting vibe to potential customers. The store with the giant skull with swirly red eyes commands the attention of anyone walking by, successfully peaking the interest of curious shoppers. Plaster covered in an eccentric paint design calls out to youth consumers. A respectable-looking plain building would have the reverse affect. At Little Five Points the way a building is designed is meant to appeal to people with money to spend.

Little Five Points has countless qualities making it a unique place to socialize and shop. It is a little piece of the world where people of all cultures and colors and backgrounds can come together as one. In this place, the lack of a monolithic culture is exactly what makes it beautiful, cheery, and relaxing. Anyone can come and fit in, because all people are completely unique. In fact, the infinite number of differences in the style of the buildings is a reflection of the differences among the shoppers. Each individual store fits seamlessly next to her neighbors and the addition of each new store increases the worth of the whole. Likewise, the every individual in an array of cultures significantly increases the value of the crowd.

Nealon, Jeffery, and Susan Searls Giroux. The Theory Toolbox. United States of America: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, 2003. 51-81. Print.