Official Announcement

Posted on my facebook page yesterday....

Dear customers, 

It is with extreme sadness I share the news that our store will close in October. Opened in 1979, it has been an area favorite for decades. So many of our customers grew up coming here, looked forward to visiting and are now friends that I know by name. Over the last 19 years I've had some of the best times in my life, thanks to many of you.

Unfortunately things have been bittersweet lately as circumstances outside of my control have changed. It was very difficult to make this decision and I have put it off as long as possible. Sadly, it is time.

Thank you for the many years of support, encouragement and your friendship. Sometimes doing the right thing and running an honest, decent business doesn't guarantee success. As many of you know I stuck by my principles for the products offered here, and you could always be sure your children were not sold inferior candies made in china. I support American-made, quality confections and the many independent companies who like me, have struggled to remain in business. Sadly each year there are fewer of us left.


Regretfully,
A.B
1979 - 2014

#localshop #favorite #momandpop #locallyowned #thefinal90 #endofanera #independent #retailer #beloved #weareclosing #lettinggo #sayinggoodbye #closingannouncement #afteralltheseyears #deathofasmallbusiness

The Invisible Independent

Today, a new emotion surfaced. One of the many, many layers of the grief/sadness/letting go process perhaps?

Someone came in the store and made a small purchase. He jokingly asked how long the store had been here since "he'd been coming here forever and never noticed it". I mumbled that it had been here for 35 years and then immediately wished I hadn't because then the questions started. Really? Had it always been RIGHT HERE in the same location? Or somewhere else? 35 years....was I sure? Yes. I'm sure.

But he couldn't give it up, and then proceeded to ask how long into the fall/winter months we remain open, and what the off season hours are, etc, etc. Finally I just blurted out look, we are closing in a few months so it doesn't matter, and of course, the next reaction was shock and awe. NO! This store couldn't be closing....why?? All I could do was point at him and shrug. If you can't see something that you don't want to see, what can I do? A chain store with a reassuringly familiar name - now that you'd notice, but the little mom and pops - well, they are not even registering on your radar.

Looking around he observed that many of the items were "different" and I agree; they are. That's because many of them are made in the USA, and some look different because they aren't imported from china. <<Eye roll>> from Mr Clueless, followed by "well that's nice but it's so durn expensive to buy American-made". Actually, I beg to differ; our prices are FAR better than the chain store competitor across the street so it's not really the cost of our products that killed us. It was the apathy towards small, "different" retailers, the ones that are original, unique and offer a non-bland experience. But you can't support what you're afraid of, what you tune out, what you can't SEE. And by labeling me and my shop as over-priced, he just reasoned away any possible thoughts of exploring something new.

#storeclosing #finalgoodbye #momandpopshops #bigboxgiants #independentretailer #struggling #locallyowned #thefinal 90 #afteralltheseyears #finallyclosing #endofanera #communityicon #beloved #local #shop #sayinggoodbye

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