Failing upward.

Every so often, Bend seems to attract new businesses whose attitude seems to be that they are bringing culture to our poor benighted town.  That somehow, in the last explosive 30 years of growth, we've never seen their type of service or product.

Generally, they are from the 'Big City', you know Back East, or from San Francisco, or Seattle or even Portland.  They're going to show us local yokels how the big city folk do it.  Often they announce that they've left some high powered job and are just wanting to simplify their lives.  (Because apparently, we're simple.)

Now, I see a couple possibilities.

One is that we really haven't seen their likes before, and that what they're offering is so new and special that we'll be glad they came.

The other possibility is that they have misjudged us -- or more likely, misjudged the message.  Chances are, we already have multiple businesses offering the same thing they are, or that others have tried what they're offering and we weren't taking.

Sometimes they overshoot -- like wearing a tuxedo to a family reunion.  Or undershoot, like wearing overalls to a wedding.

So I'm told that we have some wealthy people in this town, and I guess I have to believe it.  (Why don't any of them buy comics?)  We certainly have high-end dress shops and jewelry stores and restaurants and boutique hotels -- all that.  So the clientele is probably here.

But most of these established businesses that cater to the high end start from a more humble approach.  There is a sweet spot for Bend.  You want to give off the message that you're sophisticated, but not pretentious.  (Not saying that we are, but that's what we want to hear.)

I actually don't believe these high powered newcomers mean to give off this message.  It's the result of the excitement of opening a new business -- and the zeal they have to promote themselves.

But you don't walk up to a girl and say, "Hey, you've got potential.  If you let me clothe you, I can make you pretty!"

No, what you say is, "You're a pretty girl, and I'd love to be able to clothe you."

A not so subtle difference, but one that can be lost in the promotional noise.

I believe that there are people in town who will respond to the first message -- they'll welcome the new business, feel them out, and then gently avert their eyes when the business starts to falter.  The first whiff of struggle and they're gone.

Sometimes these newcomers adjust their message, tone it down, try to fit in.  Bend is certainly willing to take their money.  Interestingly, very often someone else -- often a local -- will inherit the space, the concept, even the business, and make a go of it, starting over from a less grandiose approach.  They inherit a beautiful corpse.  Thus does downtown Bend continually fail Upward.