Useful tool? Good Government?

While on vacation, I did watch the news so yes, I’m aware of certain big national stories. However, I didn’t care. What did catch my eye was something the town of Winter Garden, FL was doing which made me wonder if DC is doing something similar, and if not, why not.
What the City of Winter Garden has is a website showing commercial properties available for lease or sale. Then when you find a property, it gives you the selling price, the lease per sq ft, and the contact agent should you actually want to set up shop. The demographic information is possibly where the city mixes in it’s info by showing what certain (I’m talking very specific like “Medical transcriptionists”) occupations make per hour and annually, where other businesses are in relation to the location you are looking at, and how much money per household and per $000s was spent on things like “Women’s Apparel” in a certain mile radius.
When I heard of that I thought, that would be great for parts of DC that need to attract businesses, like North Cap. However, that would require sharing information with the public, being pro-business, working with private entities, and pro-active. Yet considering that the District can be sloppy with information, anti-small business, and stubborn as a mule against change, I highly doubt the City would provide a tool like Winter Garden’s that would inspire someone to open that small boutique or that dentist’s office, or some other small business by seeing how much particular skilled labor and space will run them.
Another thing, looking at the long list of Winter Garden occupations and their average wages and salaries, got me to thinking about how that may be helpful for job seekers and people trying to become more valuable as workers. So not only would the tool help potential employers but employees as well.

Capital Market: The Series

After the tour of the market area given by Richard and Elise a couple of weeks ago, I suggested creating a resource for would be shoppers. Something that pre-tour could be printed up or for others not interested in the tour, a directory of some of the places one may want to explore. There is a template, and that is just to keep it so that you as a reader and shopper aren’t bogged down with too much sundry information, just the basics. If anyone else wants to participate, I can provide you with the template and some ideas.
First up is Obengs. Unfortunately, I don’t know too much about the place as it is not one of my regular stops. I’ve been in a few times, once to buy the Afrophile roommie some goat meat. I’ll probably update it when I go through there again just to remember what other products are there.

Capital Market: Obeng Market


Obeng Market
Originally uploaded by In Shaw

Obeng International
300 Morse St., NE
202 544 8255
Takes: Cash, Debit & Credit

Description: Serving the African immigrant population the store sells items like fu-fu flour, goat meat, and salted fish. They also sell items familiar to Americans like fresh chicken at their butcher’s counter, large bags of rice, and kitchen spices.

Extra: When ordering from the butcher’s counter your chicken will be cut into quarters and your goat into large cubes. If you don’t want your meat cut say something.

LINKS:
The Capital City Market Blog
Capitol City Market: The Series
InShaw’s Flickr Pix of Obengs
Frozen Tropic’s March 2008 post on Obengs