As chick flicks go, this 1998 romantic comedy’s a safe bet. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan suit each other in this exposé of internet chat, messaging and cyber romance. They hate each other professionally but don't realise they are falling in love over the internet.But it’s also a tale of how the Fox Books superstore chain is forcing the small, independent Shop Around the Corner children’s bookstore out of business. It’s about corporate capitalism and bulk purchasing power versus product knowledge and friendly service. The twist in the plot is neither secret emailers Hanks nor Ryan known that they are business rivals.
Are there lessons in the film for Tesco and Rhuthun/Ruthin?
Of the community living around the latest all-conquering Fox Books superstore, owner Hanks says, “They think we’re out to destroy everything they hold dear. They’re going to hate us in the beginning but we’ll get them in the end.” Further, “We’ll seduce them with our discounts and our square footage…”
In fact, when the new store opens, Hanks’ fictional family state of their new customers, “They’re wondering where we’ve been all these years and how they ever managed without us.”
In the film, there’s news of the collapse of another independent bookstore. With an accompanying pretend pistol fight, Hanks and fellow superstore owners sate,“Another independent bites the dust. On to the next.”
Facing the might of the giant retailer, ever optimistic independent shop owner Ryan is sanguine, even in the face of declining sales. “Their store’s new, it’s a novelty. It will all shake out.”
And, of course, it does all shake out. The tiny Shop Around the Corner closes.