The neon wired clock above a countertop lined with jars of candy welcomes customers into the Palo Alto Creamery, a restaurant known for its signature milkshakes and iconic old school diner ambiance. For decades, family-run shops have dominated the retail scene in small towns. In a metropolitan setting, however, the general style of business changes into mostly streamlined companies. Compared to local...

There’s an absence of laughter in the once animated neighborhood. Streets are now vacant; the lack of youth draining it of the neighborhood’s prior vibrancy. No longer are children playing outside, rather, they sit stiffly inside, awaiting standardized direction. One by one, they flip through the plans of an itinerary, their days planned to the minute, their brains set on autopilot. The buzz...

With each step, the music becomes louder and the floor becomes stickier. As you descend into the basement, you fight against the flashing lights to distinguish your fellow fraternity brothers from the sea of unfamiliar faces. Wading through crushed beer cans and empty red Solo Cups, you push through the sweaty masses and make your way deeper and deeper into the horde. You spot a bottle of vodka floating...