| For a decade, famed Oaxacan chef Esperanza | | | | preservation-worthy than the Zócalo? Were |
| Chavarria Blando operated Restaurante Quickly, a | | | | Burger King and the landlord in cahoots, to the extent |
| traditional Mexican eatery a block away from the | | | | that they kept the plan secret? Was Mr. Toledo out |
| Zócalo on Macedonia Alcalá, the | | | | of town? Surely the landlord must feel that since |
| high-traffic pedestrian walkway. Not only lauded in | | | | Oaxaca, a tourist mecca in part because of its |
| most Mexico travelogues, Quickly was patronized by | | | | old-world quaintness and ambience, has enabled him |
| local merchants, bank employees, street vendors and | | | | to lead a comfortable lifestyle, he accordingly owes a |
| artists, including on occasion Oaxaca´s current | | | | duty to preserve even what the State and City |
| native son, famed artist Francisco Toledo who a few | | | | have apparently not mandated as a priority? |
| years ago spear-headed the successful opposition to | | | | Apparently not. |
| McDonalds opening in the Zócalo. | | | | There's enough blame to go around. I don't fault |
| Without apparent opposition, in mid-September, 2005, | | | | Burger King, my own leftist anti-capitalist politics |
| Burger King unveiled its signage at M. Alcalá | | | | having evaporated decades ago. It's greed winning |
| 100B, the former Quickly locale, after having | | | | out over altruism and pride in one's city, together |
| seemingly clandestinely completed its renovation of | | | | with a lackadaisical, to be generous, government. |
| the premises. A week earlier there was no clue that | | | | There is a solution, even though it would mean yet |
| the fast-food giant was set to open. | | | | another layer of bureaucracy...but this one well worth |
| The landlord, a Oaxacan gentleman of means with | | | | the cost and effort. Every business that proposes |
| other downtown holdings, had been increasing Ms. | | | | opening its doors in the Centro Histórico |
| Chavarria's rent, significantly. The last straw was the | | | | ought to submit an application to the municipality |
| demand for a 5000 peso per month increase to take | | | | answering a simple question: is there a parent |
| effect in January, 2004. She could no longer afford | | | | company, affiliate, subsidiary or franchise either |
| to stay in business...the late nineties earthquake and 9 | | | | American owned or otherwise with multi-national or |
| 11 had already taken their toll, and continuously raising | | | | extra-Mexico interests? All negative responses would |
| menu prices was neither what she wanted nor | | | | result in rubber stamping. Otherwise the request |
| figured the market could bear. | | | | would go to a sitting panel comprised of a broad |
| Word on the street was with Quickly gone, the | | | | diversity of individuals. Without a unanimous decision, |
| landlord was now looking to double the previous rent. | | | | public hearings would be held. |
| After several months, Apetito, a sterile fast-food | | | | Sam's Club, Pizza Hut, Sears and the rest have a |
| establishment opened. I never saw many people in | | | | place in our city, and to that extent the area outside |
| the place, for good reason. During the summer of | | | | the downtown core known as Plaza del Valle |
| 2005 it closed its doors, presumably as a result of a | | | | provides an important function. But if what's |
| lack of business and the landlord misreading the | | | | happening now is not checked, tourist dollars will |
| extent to which his yearning for top dollar would pay | | | | evaporate and we won't have patrons with funds to |
| dividends. A couple of months later voilá, The | | | | support such enterprise, anywhere. The next time |
| Whopper appeared. | | | | we pass by a downtown building under renovation or |
| So what happened? Should we not be looking to | | | | construction, we should worry that Wal-Mart might |
| protect the entire Centro Histórico? Is the | | | | be set to open. |
| Anador Turística that much less | | | | |