...catering increasingly less to townies.

"It sounds like the McDonaldization of Broadway," says John Lynch, a flower vendor who has worked on the corner of York and Elm for 12 years, on Yale's plans to draw more national chains into its downtown storefronts.

Lynch points to the homogenization of downtown areas across the country and says he believes that Yale is merely following suit. "I think the general trend nationwide is toward the corporate approach to retail," he explains. "It's not just a Yale-New Haven phenomenon. It's extremely difficult to start a business anywhere," he says.

Lynch fears recent changes will exacerbate problems that have been developing in the surrounding community for years. He feels that bringing in more chain stores "will change the demographic of the sidewalk, but it's been moving in that direction anyway. The truth is that the Broadway and York area has catered increasingly less to `townies' and more to the immediate Yale community.... I think with more chains the Broadway area will become less colorful and more homogenized."

Jennifer Supernaw/YH

Working in such a high-traffic area situated in the heart of campus, Lynch has a chance to observe hundreds of Yale students everyday, yet has trouble describing the typical Yalie. "It's difficult to make generalizations about Yale students," he says. "Most Yalies come from a higher economic bracket, but I don't look at them as a bunch of rich snobs....Yale has a very diverse group of people. Many of them are very socially conscious; perhaps lacking in street experience, but that's no crime."

Lynch says he is often impressed by Yalies' intelligence but stunned by the lack of common sense that some exhibit. "I've had some of the most interesting and inspiring conversations with Yale students," Lynch says. "It seems that many Yale students can get 1400s on their SATs but don't know how to cross the street."

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