| We await the final analysis of the Christmas season. | | | | indeed all over the world, share a belonging and a |
| Did retailers meet objectives or were the economic | | | | membership that cannot be found in the national chain |
| situations as dire as the foreseers of gloom and doom | | | | stores. The big box stores can never develop a small |
| predicted? We do not know. Even when the scrutiny | | | | town atmosphere. |
| is complete, it will not include the micro economics that | | | | I am definitely not someone opposed to large business. |
| are each of our own lives. | | | | There are so many instances where our lives are |
| What will all of this wailing and gnashing of teeth mean | | | | enhanced by the products and prices that large |
| for you personally, or your neighbor, or me? We | | | | corporations provide. Not to mention that these large |
| won’t know until we get through to the end of this | | | | corporations all began as small business. As in most of |
| crisis. Even then our own personal stories will not be | | | | life, we need a balance. |
| complete. That is because we live the newly written | | | | Large businesses have an economic advantage. They |
| parts every day, whatever the outcome. | | | | have the advantage of bulk purchasing, large support |
| In speaking to several small business owners in my | | | | systems and the ability to offset poor economic |
| town, I received a cautious, optimistic determinism. The | | | | performance by diversification. We benefit by what |
| newsletter from my local quilt shop contains the | | | | they provide. We would not have available to us the |
| following passage: | | | | cars and washers and dryers and refrigerators that |
| As the year draws to a close, we want to sincerely | | | | make our lives simpler if the corporations did not exist. I |
| thank you for your support. We know that this has | | | | appreciate that we have those options available to us. |
| been a difficult year for many and while we don’t | | | | There is a time and a place for the “big box’. |
| know what the future will hold we are looking forward | | | | What they don’t have is the personal touch. You |
| to the new year with a positive attitude. While we | | | | cannot be a necessary part of Home Depot. If I |
| aren’t ignoring the happenings in the wider world, | | | | walked into JoAnne’s (where I do make regular |
| we want you to feel that Luella’s Quilt Basket is a | | | | purchases) with a half finished project and asked for |
| place of refuge, where you can come and enjoy | | | | advice on the best color for my accent fabric, I would |
| some peace and quiet for an hour or two, either in a | | | | be laughed at. I went once to JoAnne’s to buy |
| class, shopping for a new project or just breathing the | | | | cording for some reupholstering I was doing. Asking |
| sweet scent of new fabric! And as you make choices | | | | the closest teenager working there, she responded |
| about where to spend your money this season and | | | | with a flick of her hair and a disdainful, “We |
| next year, we want to encourage you to support your | | | | don’t sell pipes here.” She didn’t know, |
| local small businesses: the dry cleaners, the gift shop, | | | | Luella’s ladies would have. |
| the local cafe and the quilt shop. | | | | I love my membership to Costco but it does not |
| Luella’s Quilt Basket is everything I love about small | | | | compare with my membership to Luella’s, or to my |
| business. It is a small, woman owned shop born out of | | | | membership to my auto mechanic or to my |
| a love of a favorite pastime, but it is so much more. It | | | | husband’s new membership to the cigar shop, or to |
| is a refuge. Its customers develop a club membership | | | | Norm’s membership to Cheers. |
| sort of feel. We belong and we encourage and | | | | We find community at the neighborhood small |
| support each other and any newcomers. It is so much | | | | businesses that formulates who we are. The same |
| more than just a fabric and sewing machine shop. It is | | | | folks go out every Saturday morning to their favorite |
| somewhere friends meet and share and participate in | | | | local golf course. I wouldn’t change dry cleaners on |
| a favorite hobby. | | | | a dare. We prefer the small local restaurant to give us |
| When my husband went to buy cigars for a Christmas | | | | the flavors of the area. And when I walk into |
| present, he wandered into a small cigar shop with | | | | Luella’s (like Cheers) I hear, “Hi Karen, what are |
| three men sitting together watching TV, smoking cigars | | | | you working on?” |
| and “shooting the bull”. The sort of environment | | | | Times are very uncertain right now. There are many |
| portrayed in the movie “Barbershop”. They | | | | reasons to support the local economy. The best |
| were more than willing to help the neophyte without | | | | reason I can think of, though, is that they deserve our |
| the experience and knowledge to really make good | | | | patronage. And that I don’t want to lose my |
| decisions. Laughing, discussing life and engaging in their | | | | membership in my local shops. |
| interests, small business customers all over the country, | | | | |