One of the best things about living in Alexandria is that it feels like a small town. It has city limits, a personality, a sense of place. And independent businesses contribute tremendously to this. You just can’t get that sense of place at the mall in Applebee’s.

The Dairy Godmother

This is where I like to go when I want something sweet, which is every day – but I limit myself to about twice three times a week. The owner, Liz Davis, is a culinary-trained, transplanted Wisconsinite who wanted to bring the dense, creamy mouth-feel of frozen custard to the east.

People hang out, down sundaes, slurp root beer floats, piece puzzles on the indoor picnic tables, play the jukebox or relax on benches outside. To keep the neighborhood dogs happy, the godmom also sells homemade puppy pops and squirrel treats.

During the warmer months, one Thursday a month is Brat Night. Liz serves up Klements bratwursts of racing sausages fame, German potato salad, Sprecher soda and sauerkraut with apples. There’s always an accordion player and the local seminarians have been known to spontaneously break out into song.

She even sells magic wands.

Misha’s Coffee

A little funky, a little smoky, a little burnt-toasty – Misha’s is the antidote to the ubiquitous Starbucks. The working roaster is right in the shop and the owner knows his beans. There’s an old 50′s refrigerator in the corner that holds bottled water and Orangina. And plastered all over it are pictures of people with their Misha’s cups from remote locations.

I like my coffee like I like my rocket fuel, so I go for the Route 66. Friends of mine only drink the Caravan Blend. And in the winter, you have to try the hot cocoa -rich, frothy and not too sweet.

Yates Automotive

When my dad was alive and I was living in California, whenever I called home, he always asked how my old VW was doing. Tires? check. Oil changed? check. Dad was never one for grand displays of affection; it was his way of showing that he cared.

This is what the guys at Yates do. They ask how the car is doing, they give you a lift home if you need it. They charge reasonable prices for reasonable fixes. And if your tail light is out or your wipers are worn, they replace them for free.

What do these Businesses have in Common?

They are living out loud, letting their personalities shine, caring about their customers in a way that McDonald’s and The Gap can’t. The lives of their owners, the customers, and surrounding community is inextricably tied up in the sense of the place.

So What’s My Point ?

Take a page from each of these businesses and figure out how it can work for you.

1. If you are from the Midwest, bring a little bit of that into your offering.
   I had never heard of Sprecher’s root beer and now it’s the only kind I drink.
2. Hold an event every once in awhile so that your people can get together like people used to, before radio, tv and the internets.
3. If there are corporate websites that offer the same products and services that you do, think of a way to funkify your offer.
   What can you do to truly differentiate your business? The best differentiators necessarily exclude some people. Michael Port calls this the red velvet rope, and I like the way Havi frames it. Being everything to everybody silently screams boring.
4. Care about the people you serve.