Bringing It Back

Once upon a time, shopkeepers in East Hampton Village all knew your name and your shirt size, the way you liked your hair cut, and who your family members were — and asked after them. The stores were open year-round, and most wares and services were within reach of a year-round resident’s household budget.

Nostalgia for those times was an almost universal thread at last week’s Press Sessions conversation, titled “Bringing Life Back to East Hampton Village.” A number of panelists and audience members described the business district today as unwelcoming and simply no fun. And, they said, that’s not only because mom-and-pop shops have been replaced by high-end retailers that shutter up when summer ends, but also because village regulations — from parking limits to bans on live music and outdoor seating and displays — have become too strict. Seeking order, they’ve snuffed out life.

The conversation, which was lively, pointed to other factors, as well: an increasingly older and more seasonal population, a Chamber of Commerce that lay dormant for many years, the larger demise of brick-and-mortar retail stores, home prices far beyond the reach of young adults, and the need to install a sewer system before more apartments and restaurants can be created, for example.

Several panelists and audience members suggested that village government should at least try to make some changes — allowing outdoor dining, for instance — with the understanding that they can be withdrawn if they do not pan out. In the meantime, one bright spot has been the recent cooperation between village government and the Chamber of Commerce in staging street fairs throughout the year, including one, beginning this December, to celebrate the winter holidays.

The village is a tricky place. It is composed mostly of residents whose needs most assuredly should be respected by commercial establishments, even though many of those residents are here only seasonally and unlikely to spend much time in the business district. On the other hand, many residents of Springs and other hamlets that are near the village but that lie outside its boundaries feel a sense of ownership in what for them is the closest thing to a metropolis.

No matter what actions the village government takes or does not, a full return to the good old days is simply not going to be possible. Even so, it’s great to see that so many people are willing to work for a return to better days. Figuring out exactly how to achieve that is a conversation well worth continuing.