Walking along the streets of Brooklyn today, one can easily tell when they are entering an area that is being gentrified. All of a sudden, the stores, condition of the houses, and population begin to change. Houses no longer look dilapidated and old, local mom and pop stores are replaced by new expensive stores, and the average working class person becomes a hipster or yuppie. Many of the stores in a gentrified neighborhood really reflect the new population and a sort of “culture of gentrification.” Surprisingly enough, this was also happening when gentrification took place in the ’80s and ’90s. The Smith article talks about the urban frontier myth of gentrification and the culture created around it.

In the ’80s and ’90s a lot of fashion and home decor were centered around the wild west. Men and women began to wear bandanas and boots brandishing a style called “cowboy chic.” A lot of Tex-mex restaurants began popping up and people began to decorate their apartments with furniture made from animal hide. A lot of the products however were made with conservation in mind. This is similar to the products in gentrified neighborhoods where many of the products say “free range” or “organic.”

Question: Is it gentrification culture or simply rich culture?