Andrew Small
Andrew Small is a freelance writer in Washington, D.C., and author of the CityLab Daily newsletter (subscribe here). He was previously an editorial fellow at CityLab.
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What We’re Following
Gobble gobble: Thanksgiving, as much as any holiday, is rooted in a sense of place. The paths home might stay the same, though your mode of travel may vary. Family, friends, and food may gather together for turkey year after year, but it’s often then that you realize how far flung everyone has become.
Just the act of returning home can reveal changes quickly. Last year, my childhood mall near Gettysburg showed the fallout of the so-called retail apocalypse in the strangest of ways: with a bird sanctuary replacing what once was an American Eagle outfitters. That’s a less subtle example, but parts of my town that I took for granted—the local music store, the favorite bar, the nearby coffee shop—have given way to one change or another since I moved away, and the buildings still house the memories that remind you that those places matter. Readers, we’re curious: If you’re traveling home this week, what changes do you notice around town? Drop us a line to tell us what they mean to you: hello@citylab.com.
We’ll be off for the holiday, and will return to your inbox on Monday. Until then, we wish those of you in the U.S. a happy Thanksgiving and remind you, as always, to be grateful for Gritty.
More on CityLab
What We’re Reading
Maintenance and care: fixing a broken world (Places Journal)
Your online shopping is polluting this small town (Curbed)
Unsurprisingly, Amazon employees join the Long Island City land rush (Wall Street Journal)
The classist vilification of the Black Friday shopper (Vox)
HUD tallied numerous violations in New York City public housing. It still gave passing grades. (ProPublica)
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About the Author
