Got a question I was wondering about. In the history of The Iron Triangle/Willets Point/Chop City, whatever you want to call it, has a major auto parts chain/company or what have you ever try to get in on the action? I mean has a Nappa or even Sears ever planned to come in and maybe "class up the joint, make it seem more legit?"
While no doubt the business owners would be crying foul, citing The Wal-Mart/Barnes & Noble/Home Depot effect, but in some respect I wonder if having a Nappa or a respected auto parts chain in there would have given more crediblity to the area rather than the joke that it is.
The thing that makes it funny is that its the chop shops that add to Shea's bad name, and gives bashers plenty of annumition when knocking Shea and the Mets. I really wonder if the people (and the owners themselves) that are defending them really know how much riddicule of the Mets and Shea is given because of Chop City.
Its one thing for a stadium to be surrounded by utter nothingness like The Meadowlands, or near stripmalls or decaying neighboorhoods, but one of the things Shea is always knocked for by incoming fans and media members is the fact that right across the street there are all these places that one would expect to find all sorts of seedy characters and not exactly something you'd want right across from something considered a place for "family entertainment" |