Too much gentrification

I read a post on Gawker.com (a blog of Manhattan news and gossip) that complained about how the authentic and edgy nature that made the "meat packing district" that was so attractive to "cool" people has been replaced by branded stores and other less-than-authentic feeling places.

I've read about this sort of over gentrification before; people look for authentic experiences and cheaper rents for new and trendy businesses, which in turn attract more people who want the same sort of lifestyle, which in turn attracts bigger businesses that want to cash in on big groups of trendy people.

The more successful a city becomes, the less real it may seem. I often fear this sort of dulling of Saint John. Luckily, I think we have a long way to go before we're inundated with a chain-only downtown.