What’s in an MSA?

Time for some facts and figures, brought to you in large part by The United States Census Bureau – even in light of the current federal government shutdown. The city of Atlanta, according a 2012 estimate, has a total of 443,775 residents; the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell Metropolitan Statistical Area has a mind-boggling 5,457,831 residents. But what exactly is a Metropolitan Statistical Area? According to the United States Office of Management and Budget, in order to qualify as a metropolitan statistical area, there must be at least one urbanized area of 50,000 or more in population. That one is easy to understand. But also included in the MSA are counties with a minimum of 25% of workers commuting to the central counties of the metropolitan statistical area. What is still unclear to me is how the central counties are determined, but the Atlanta MSA has 15 of them: Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Newton, Paulding, Rockdale, and Spalding. When the commuting standards are applied, there are an additional 13 counties included in the Atlanta MSA for a grand total of 28 counties: Barrow, Bartow, Butts, Carroll, Dawson, Haralson, Heard, Jasper, Lamar, Meriwether, Pickens, Pike, and Walton.

Image courtesy of the Atlanta Regional Commission

It’s not hard to see how these standards can lead to an ever-expanding web of counties and communities comprising the Atlanta Metropolitan Statistical Area. But as the number of counties included increases, the connectivity with the actual city of Atlanta and the urban core has to decrease. Let’s use Meriwether County, on the very southern fringes of the Atlanta MSA, as an example. First of all, the county is geographically distant from Atlanta. Greenville – the county seat of Meriwether County – is close to 60 miles from downtown Atlanta. It’s well over 100 miles from Greenville to Jasper – the county seat of Pickens County on the northern edge of the Atlanta MSA. Aside from the distance, the MSA standards could result in a situation where no one from Meriwether County commutes to Atlanta for work. All that is needed – and what is most likely the case – is for 25% of workers in Meriwether County to commute to a central county, which includes the much closer Coweta County and Fayette County. There may, in fact, be zero people from Meriwether County working in Fulton County, where Atlanta is located, or in the city of Atlanta itself.

Atlanta is a sprawling metropolitan area.  There is no way around that. The entire land area of the 28 counties is comparable in size to the state of Massachusetts. So, really, people of Meriwether County, how much does Atlanta figure into your daily life? How much does a place like Dawsonville or Winder figure into your daily life? My best guess for both of these questions is very little. I understand these metropolitan statistical areas are just that – statistics. And they are premised on the assumption that commuting to work is an accurate indicator of regional integration. But as more than a concept, the MSA provides only minimal value. There’s just no way these standards can cut it when it comes to determining how closely related counties and communties actually are.

Claxton, Georgia: The Fruitcake Capital of the World

The city of Claxton, Georgia is the self-proclaimed Fruitcake Capital of the World. Two bakeries in the southeast Georgia town of roughly 2,300 people produce over 4 million pounds of fruitcake every year. And one might think, with this enormous output, it would be relatively easy to get one’s hands on a piece of fruitcake there. Think again. A sojourn to Claxton, the seat of Evans County, in late June this year with Nate – with the specific intent to find and purchase fruitcake – turned into a wild goose chase in search of the elusive delicacy.

In spite of the decades fruitcake has spent as the butt of jokes (most famously, Johnny Carson’s claim that there is only one fruitcake continuously re-gifted), it is actually rather tasty. The sweet raisins, candied pineapple, and lemon and orange zest, mixed with the savory pecans and other nuts makes for a scrumptious snack. Heavy and filling, a small sliver goes a long way. But paired with a cup of coffee, it’s a unique and delicious treat I was very much looking forward to sampling.

Claxton Bakery, our first destination and the larger of the two producers, lists its business hours on its website as 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Saturday. This information is incorrect. When we arrived in the early afternoon on Saturday, the lights were off and the doors were locked. The Claxton Bakery was most definitely not open on this particular Saturday between 8 and 5.  And we were not amused. I could have, and in hindsight probably should have, called ahead to double check the information I had found online. But I felt safe in my assumption that a town that relies on fruitcake industry tourism for its survival would not get this one wrong. They did. I came to Claxton to buy fruitcake – for personal consumption and to gift. I also would have very likely purchased a shirt or other souvenir, tantalizingly visible through the large windows fronting Main Street in downtown Claxton. My business was a virtual guarantee for Claxton Bakery, and they failed to capitalize.

Here are a few ideas I have for Claxton Bakery:

1. This is an easy one. Change the hours listed on your website to reflect the times you are actually open for business.
2. If you are actually closed on Saturdays, consider opening, even if only for a few hours. How many people are able to travel to Claxton, Georgia midweek on a fruitcake excursion? How many people want to do this at any time? The weekend just might be a good time to attract visitors.
3. If you are going to claim to have a Twitter account, at least attempt to make use of that particular social media platform. Two tweets from November 2012 and 4 followers is not going to cut it. (There is a Facebook account that appears to be used slightly more regularly.)
4. I realize fruitcake is not exactly a modern culinary trend, but perhaps the best way to show some respect for the tradition is to get with the times. Fruitcake has been produced in Claxton for over one hundred years. Very generally, some modern business acumen is desperately needed in Claxton before the bakery goes the way of much of the rest of South Georgia – gone.
5. Watch your back. Corsicana, Texas also lays claim to the title of Fruitcake Capital of the World. If I can roll up on a Saturday and grab a piece of fruitcake at the Collin Street Bakery in Corsicana, consider this the start of my campaign to declare it the true Fruitcake Capital of the World.

The Georgia Fruit Cake Company, just down the street, did not make a claim to be open on Saturday, but having been thwarted at the Claxton Bakery, desperation was setting in. I needed some Claxton fruitcake, and I was not leaving empty-handed. We pulled into the parking lot on the off chance they were open, but a similarly darkened storefront and quiet warehouse greeted us. Most of my advice for the Claxton Bakery above is equally applicable to The Georgia Fruit Cake Company, although I don’t feel quite the same irritation when it comes to GFCC, since I never expected to be able to visit that Saturday. Maybe opening weekends would be a good opportunity for the smaller player to gain a leg up on its bigger rival?

Both fruitcake producers could learn a lesson in customer service from Mrs. Rogers Restaurant, a local fixture on Highway 301 south of downtown. A small Claxton Bakery logo is wedged next to the restaurant’s own sign, and praying this was an indication that fruitcake could be purchased inside, we stopped the car. An older man, likely the owner (Mr. Rogers?), and an employee cleaning tables welcomed us into the restaurant, even though they were technically closed between the lunch and dinner service. Both were more than happy to assist us and share their personal opinions on the treat that put their town on the map. Unlike the people at Claxton Bakery, this gentleman realized he had a surefire sale, and made the wise business decision to open his doors to us. Between the two of us, a sizeable quantity of fruitcake was purchased. The prized fruitcake of Claxton was finally ours!

Even in light of its antiquated business practices, I enjoy the product put out by Claxton Bakery. And I enjoyed gifting it to friends and family. My criticism of the company comes, to a degree, from pure annoyance, bordering on rage. But I also want this company – and its crosstown competitor – to flourish. Or at least survive. Perhaps not surprisingly, there is a not a whole lot happening in Claxton. These companies are likely important economic engines in the county. And beyond that, even though slightly absurd, the fruitcake heritage adds character and an undeniable uniqueness to the town. It really would be a shame for Claxton to lose its title as Fruitcake Capital of the World. It would be an even bigger shame if I were ever duped into making the trek to Claxton again and found the doors of the Claxton Bakery shut when they should be open.