Fry Street Scene
Having two public universities situated within its city limits, Denton is a town that reflects a more bohemian outlook. Most
stores are locally and independently owned, with wares ranging from whole foods to delicious baked items. And nowhere is
the entrepreneurial blend of art and capital more evident than on Fry Street.

Fry Street serves as a border for the northeastern end of the University of North Texas, where also UNT's renowned art
department has its buildings. The flow of ideas between the shopkeepers and the art students is evident along the street.
Coupled with the music students that make up the heart of UNT, all of the other students who enjoy a good pizza and a cool
beer, and the historic neighborhoods around the university, the eclectic businesses around Fry Street serve a diverse group
of people that make Denton... well, that make Denton, Denton.

Fry Street - No More?
Fry Street, though, is under attack.  United Equities, a real estate developer from Houston, has bought out a large part of the
low-slung buildings on Fry Street in the hopes of making the area an upscale urban shopping experience, complete with a
Starbucks and either Wal-greens or CVS pharmacy. Just what everyone DOESN'T need - more corporate stores and higher
rents that push out independent businesses.

What galls me isn't necessarily the potential loss of the Fry
Street 'scene.' Being a rather shy person who's more at
home in the library than in a club, I only frequented Fry Street
during my UNT days when I needed something from the
copy shop. But the fact that a group of speculators from
Houston can arbitrarily decide how a community should
be formed bothers me greatly. As a preservationist, I see
this kind of injustice a lot. Historic buildings demolished to
serve right-of-ways, classic neighborhoods remodeled into
seas of McMansions, vintage burger joints, motor courts,
and neon signs being razed for cookie-cutter strip malls and
alienating fast food drive-throughs.

Say No to Sameness!
Speculation is the reason why our current free market
economy is failing. And yes, it is failing - every time you see
an independent store go out of business because Wal-Mart or
Home Depot siphoned off their customers, not only does the
local economy contract, but a piece of American cultural
history extinguishes forever. The free market thrives not so
much on competition, but on the ability of businesses to
reflect the communities they serve. In the American system,
businesses anchor the community. Without that, downtowns
die, people move into bland suburban sprawl, and the sense
of belonging is gone. That's why the need for local businesses
with a stake in the local economy is so real.

What we all need to do is to rally around the businesses
on Fry Street in Denton and oppose the demolition in any
way possible. Outsiders have no right to determine what
our communities should look like, or how they should function.
We've got to take back control of our cities. We've got to
stop the misguided urban and regional planning philosophies
that do not take into account the culture of the areas they serve.
We also have to stop believing in the notion that people can use their property as they see fit.

Please help save Fry Street! For information on activism, go to http://www.savefrystreet.com !
Musings from the View on my Soapbox

You can tell how well locally owned
businesses anchor communities just by
visiting an ethnic neighborhood.
Predominantly Mexican neighborhoods,
with their mercados and street vendors,
are lively and vibrant. Korean
neighborhoods are close-knit and friendly.
Chinatown in San Francisco is so cool
precisely because it has kept its local,
immigrant economy afloat (though its more
geared towards the tourist than towards
the originals).

On the other hand, predominantly Anglo and
African American communities, having had
their local businesses succumb to big box
retailers (and in the case of African
Americans, to many other racist forces
outside their control), have become
stagnant, dull, and in some cases,
dangerous.

The same idea that local institutions hold
together a community is true for churches,
too. Mega-churches do not hold much of a
stake in their local surroundings. The
geographic nothingness of today's
business and religious climate is diluting
American culture.
Keep Denton
Local!
Evidence of community
activity along Fry Street
This block of buildings is facing demolition by an
investor who has no idea about Denton. Shouldn't a
community have a right to self-determination?
The copy shop on Fry Street
Art on the campus, across from Fry
Street - blending the University with the
neighborhood
UPDATE

The commercial buildings along Fry Street that have been acquired by Houston-based United Equities have been
demolished as of July 2007. While this is regrettable, it is also not the biggest tragedy in Denton. After all, Fry Street
will remain commercial and pedestrian friendly.

Now, the biggest threat to Denton is the development of Rayzor Ranch, where a huge retail strip mall  will be located
on top of a scenic hill on the city's west side. This hill, once home to a ranch and to several longhorn, was one of the
last undeveloped parcels inside the city that still had ties to its past (and a wonderful prairie view). I will report more
on this latest development soon.