Six months later

Sometimes things have a funny way if sneaking up on you. I remember the first time I went grocery shopping after closing my store in October of last year. I recall thinking it was my first time in an independently owned store, no longer as a small business owner, and it felt strange to no longer be "one of them".

Tonight its six months later and I'm lost. The job search isn't going so well and I can't find my place. Maybe it's because I haven't made peace with closing that door yet - for the last half a year it's been absent from my life but now here it is just before Memorial weekend. All the small business owners t hat I know are working late, getting prepared and being the captains of small ships on the sea of enterprise. 

My ship doesn't sail there anymore and while I've struggled to come to terms with the end of a 19 year run, somehow I thought it would be easier to move on. I miss my little shop; my customers; being good at what I did and loving it so much. I guess when you've had all that,  feeling lost is to be expected. I'm not sure where I go from here. 

The excitement of having your own small business....

Ahh....the adventure of stepping out on your own as an independent business owner. I remember.

There is nothing quite like the excitement of doing this, as no class can prepare you for all the balls that you will need to learn how to juggle or the numerous tasks and responsibilities that they fail to mention to you in school. It is an adventure all it's own; one that people often view as a leap of faith or a defining moment in one's life. There will be the highs and the lows and the worry, but at the end of the day you may turn the key in a door that is yours and yours alone. 

You might be the captain of a ship on the tumultuous seas, or just one single person in a tiny boat, frantically rowing to keep up with the rushing current. There will be struggle and second-guessing and incredibly long hours as you work to prove yourself, and there might be the sweet taste of success that eludes so many - yes, it may be yours! And if you truly care about doing what's right and standing up for your principles, be prepared, since those choices sometimes come at a cost. It is an experience like no other, but keep in mind; should you grow tired or stale or disillusioned, that there is nothing quite like the pain of having to let go of a dream.....I hope for you that never happens.

Never stop growing; reaching; improving.  I wish you well on your journey

#independent #business #owner #smallretailer #localshop #adventure #thefinal90 #mystoreisclosed #after35years #finallyclosing #beloved #local #store #loveyourlocal #smallbusinessmatters #wereclosed #since1979 #endofanera

Maybe they don't WANT interaction

Reading an article several days ago has made me feel a little sick, realizing that something I suspected was happening, actually IS. It's not being noted with gladness that I was correct; rather sadness that we as people are changing; getting away from interactions with others in our communities; choosing to "fade in" and be faceless. I write this these two sentences and tears are already forming in my eyes feeling the sting of having become a dinosaur of a sole proprietor. I feel old and washed up, and I'm only in my early forties - but I didn't want to see what might be unfolding right in front of me.

It began as a nagging perception, a fleeting glimpse that I caught about five years ago. People began appearing less friendly upon coming into the store; almost a bit panicked when greeted, as if they craved invisibility. It made me wonder if the personal interactions which take place in a small shop were starting to become uncomfortable or awkward, and that perhaps people welcomed the big box mentality because it was more "safe"? I wrote this then about what I thought I saw  -


"I saw the love for local fade from their eyes...

I saw them shift nervously, uncomfortable at the experience of finding themselves out of the familiar layout of a massive chain store. I noticed the man behind the counter say hello; saw them hesitate to respond. It's strange that some people, when acknowledged, seem to resent the personal attention. Perhaps that's why the anonymity of a vast big box experience is considered comforting?

I saw the love for local fade...."


And then just a few nights ago, I came across this article. Parts of it confirmed what I thought; that remaining anonymous may be reassuring and perhaps, the new comfort zone. So are we just going further and further away from the days of personal interactions? And is that a good thing?

http://www.patrickkphillips.com/2014/01/19/big-box-stores-dying-whos-blame/

#thefinal90 #storeclosing #deathofasmallbusiness #after35years #finallyover #favoriteshop #sayinggoodbye #endofanera #community #favorite #losingasmallbusiness #independent #retail #finallyclosing #livelocal