Types of business specific to a state/town (NOT RESTAURANTS DON'T POST RESTAURAN

[Scott5114]

What types of business are specific to, or unusually prominent in, your state or town? For clarity (and I'm sure at least one person is gonna ignore this) I don't mean local chains, I mean an entire product/service type. So a local chain restaurant isn't what I'm looking for, because every town of a certain size has restaurants. If you know why that type of business is so prominent, explain why, too!

One example from Las Vegas (and probably Nevada as a whole; the Northern Nevada people will have to let me know) is chain fingerprinting services. This is because to get a gaming license you have to file your fingerprints with the Nevada Gaming Commission, and they have specific standards for what is and is not acceptable. The fingerprinting places handle everything for you according to the state standards. But you don't see that type of business elsewhere because most cities' major industry doesn't require fingerprinting to be done.

Is there anything like that in your state or town?

[The_Ginger]

Nothing here.

[kphoger]

For clarity (and I'm sure at least one person is gonna ignore this) I don't mean local chains, I mean an entire product/service type. So a local chain restaurant isn't what I'm looking for ...

Tutors Biscuit World.

Well, that didn't take long.

[The_Ginger]

For clarity (and I'm sure at least one person is gonna ignore this) I don't mean local chains, I mean an entire product/service type. So a local chain restaurant isn't what I'm looking for ...

Tutors Biscuit World. (local chain restaurant)

Well, that didn't take long.

Apologies.

[Max Rockatansky]

But in general Fresno has an industry centered around agriculture.  There are countless operations based out of here that farm plots all the Central Valley.

Fresno seems to have the urban taco truck market cornered for the U.S.  There are dozens of spots that pop up in the immediate radius of my house nightly.  I haven't seen this phenomenon such a high volume outside of Mexico.

[Rothman]

But in general Fresno has an industry centered around agriculture.  There are countless operations based out of here that farm plots all the Central Valley.

Fresno seems to have the urban taco truck market cornered for the U.S.  There are dozens of spots that pop up in the immediate radius of my house nightly.  I haven't seen this phenomenon such a high volume outside of Mexico.

Bakersfield could give Fresno a run for its money in that department.

[kphoger]

It's not totally unique to Branson (MO), but I do think it's kind of rare that, in a town of <15k people, it's totally normal for a high schooler to get a regular part in a live show as their first "real job".

[Rothman]

Can't think of anything unique here.  My area suffers from an inferiority complex and keeps yelling out, "See, this [business] is pretty good" which just continues to imply that overall, we're not (especially in the bakery department -- my word...they slather Duncan Hines frosting on a donut and people go nuts over it here).  Yes, there are some good restaurants and other businesses in the area, but the locals just don't know how to promote the area without it sounding like "See, it's not so bad!"

Like I've relayed before, my old boss and I went for a walk and he said, "You know, this is really a nice little city."  My thought was that one usually doesn't have to say something like that out loud.

[JayhawkCO]

For a while, recreational marijuana dispensary was only in Colorado. Can't think of anything specific now.

For Alaska, qiviut goods stores? Can't think of any other state that would have them.

[Max Rockatansky]

But in general Fresno has an industry centered around agriculture.  There are countless operations based out of here that farm plots all the Central Valley.

Fresno seems to have the urban taco truck market cornered for the U.S.  There are dozens of spots that pop up in the immediate radius of my house nightly.  I haven't seen this phenomenon such a high volume outside of Mexico.

Bakersfield could give Fresno a run for its money in that department.

It often does.  Their economy is also heavily based around the oil industry.

[GaryV]

Soo Locks boat tours.

[Dirt Roads]

Nothing here.

But historically, Ravenswood was associated with the aluminum industry.  I'm wondering if Ravenswood will be equally known for titanium melt once the new Berkshire Hathaway Energy Renewables located on the former Kaiser Aluminum site gets up and running.  If nothing else, the plant will be known for the fact that it will operate mostly "off-the-grid" on its own solar farm.

[The_Ginger]

Nothing here.

But historically, Ravenswood was associated with the aluminum industry.  I'm wondering if Ravenswood will be equally known for titanium melt once the new Berkshire Hathaway Energy Renewables located on the former Kaiser Aluminum site gets up and running.  If nothing else, the plant will be known for the fact that it will operate mostly "off-the-grid" on its own solar farm.

Very true. That may be the case soon.

[TheCatalyst31]

Roadside cheese shops in Wisconsin, for obvious reasons. They exist in other states too, but Wisconsin almost certainly has the most.

[ModernDayWarrior]

Lead mines. Not entirely specific to this area, but Missouri still leads the nation in the production of lead. Six of the mines remain open, all nearby. Production has certainly declined over the past couple of decades, so this is less true today, but growing up in Viburnum, if you didn't work in one of the lead mines you definitely had family and friends who did. 

[kphoger]

Roadside cheese shops in Wisconsin, for obvious reasons. They exist in other states too, but Wisconsin almost certainly has the most.

I almost posted this myself, but I wasn't sure if other states had them or not.

[kalvado]

Can't think of anything unique here.  My area suffers from an inferiority complex and keeps yelling out, "See, this [business] is pretty good" which just continues to imply that overall, we're not (especially in the bakery department -- my word...they slather Duncan Hines frosting on a donut and people go nuts over it here).  Yes, there are some good restaurants and other businesses in the area, but the locals just don't know how to promote the area without it sounding like "See, it's not so bad!"

Like I've relayed before, my old boss and I went for a walk and he said, "You know, this is really a nice little city."  My thought was that one usually doesn't have to say something like that out loud.

Syracuse used to be the home for both US microbalnce deposition controllers companies. Inficon and Sycon. As far as I understand, I ended up aquiring the rebels back and now owned from Switzerland, though.
If mines count, salt city should be mentioned as well.

[Rothman]

Can't think of anything unique here.  My area suffers from an inferiority complex and keeps yelling out, "See, this [business] is pretty good" which just continues to imply that overall, we're not (especially in the bakery department -- my word...they slather Duncan Hines frosting on a donut and people go nuts over it here).  Yes, there are some good restaurants and other businesses in the area, but the locals just don't know how to promote the area without it sounding like "See, it's not so bad!"

Like I've relayed before, my old boss and I went for a walk and he said, "You know, this is really a nice little city."  My thought was that one usually doesn't have to say something like that out loud.

Syracuse used to be the home for both US microbalnce deposition controllers companies. Inficon and Sycon. As far as I understand, I ended up aquiring the rebels back and now owned from Switzerland, though.
If mines count, salt city should be mentioned as well.

Meh.  Salt is hardly unique.

[Road Hog]

Midlothian, Texas is the Cement City. (The city's PIO doesn't like you calling it that, though.)

[kphoger]

Midlothian, Texas is the Cement City.

Right.  Because they don't make cement anywhere else.

[Road Hog]

Midlothian, Texas is the Cement City.

Right.  Because they don't make cement anywhere else.

The town is often shortened to "Midlo" and several businesses and URLs reflect this, but there's always one old fuddy duddy who objects to it. The next town down 287, the kids all call it "Hachie."

[kphoger]

Midlothian, Texas is the Cement City.

Right.  Because they don't make cement anywhere else.

The town is often shortened to "Midlo" and several businesses and URLs reflect this, but there's always one old fuddy duddy who objects to it. The next town down 287, the kids all call it "Hachie."

What does that have to do with CalPortland and Titan not being in Midlothian?

[Sctvhound]

Here in South Carolina you have Calabash seafood restaurants in the Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach area. Those seafood buffets you don't see many other places. Most of them have a couple hundred items because seafood is at the forefront of everything and they have every type.

Lizard's Thicket is pretty unique in the Columbia area. Their speciality is a meat and 3 vegetables and all of their locations have drive-throughs. You can get steak, ham, turkey, and pretty much any type of meat without having to go inside. You don't see that in many places.

[Road Hog]

Midlothian, Texas is the Cement City.

Right.  Because they don't make cement anywhere else.

The town is often shortened to "Midlo" and several businesses and URLs reflect this, but there's always one old fuddy duddy who objects to it. The next town down 287, the kids all call it "Hachie."

What does that have to do with CalPortland and Titan not being in Midlothian?

Being businesses, it's just a matter of time until the leveraged mergers.

[roadman65]

Quincy's which is buffet style Steak Themed restaurant,  was once all over the Southeast.  Now has only a location in Florence, SC on the US 52 Service Road at I-95.