Clealy my point has been missed. I have lived in one of the wealthiest suburbs of SD for almost 15 years and most of the businesses I frequent are owned by national entities. Finding a quality locally owned business is a rarity and when I am lucky enough to find one here, I generally become a loyal customer. Where I used to live and visit often, people rarely step into national companies because the locally owned companies are much better. Rather than being staffed by $40K managers with college degrees who are resume building, they are staffed by family members who started at the bottom knowing they would definitely rise to the top by starting at the absolute bottom , working the butts off and truly learning the business. The quality of service and knowledge of most retail/service employees around here is abysmal.
OLD money is not just Vanderbilts and Rockefllers, it can be found in every community that I have seen back East in tire stores, plumbing firms, exterminators, pet stores, jewelers, bakeries and yes even paint stores. It is as common among so called average joes as it is the upper crust.
