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Started By
Message
Why it's hard to support local retail businesses
Posted on 6/21/18 at 10:19 am
Posted on 6/21/18 at 10:19 am
I try to support local business when I can. I need 30 gallons of paint to paint lines on a ballfield.
Currently we are buying the paint from Sherwin Williams. A friend of mine told me they sell the paint we need at the local Ace Hardware.
Great... I can buy from a locally owned shop.
Call them up to see about getting it. They don't carry it, but can get it next day. That's fine.
Ask them when I can pick it up. They are open 730 am - 500 pm. Meanwhile, Sherwin Williams is open 7 am - 7 pm, and for comparison, Home Depot is open 6 am to 10 pm.
Very few people are in a position where they can get off of work to stop by the store before 5 pm.
How can local businesses expect to be competative with those hours?
And it's not just this store. Many local stores have terrible hours, probably because they don't want to pay for help when they are not there.
If you want people to "shop local" you have to make it easy to do so.
Currently we are buying the paint from Sherwin Williams. A friend of mine told me they sell the paint we need at the local Ace Hardware.
Great... I can buy from a locally owned shop.
Call them up to see about getting it. They don't carry it, but can get it next day. That's fine.
Ask them when I can pick it up. They are open 730 am - 500 pm. Meanwhile, Sherwin Williams is open 7 am - 7 pm, and for comparison, Home Depot is open 6 am to 10 pm.
Very few people are in a position where they can get off of work to stop by the store before 5 pm.
How can local businesses expect to be competative with those hours?
And it's not just this store. Many local stores have terrible hours, probably because they don't want to pay for help when they are not there.
If you want people to "shop local" you have to make it easy to do so.
31
Posted on 6/21/18 at 10:21 am to LSUFanHouston
They don't want it bad enough.
Posted on 6/21/18 at 10:21 am to LSUFanHouston
I shop whatever is most convenient for me.
Posted on 6/21/18 at 10:22 am to LSUFanHouston
Those are all national chains. I don't think that qualifies as "shop local"
Posted on 6/21/18 at 10:22 am to LSUFanHouston
quote:
They are open 730 am - 500 pm
quote:
How can local businesses expect to be competative with those hours?
Those are normal business hours.
ETA: I guess that's early for a retail shop to close.
This post was edited on 6/21/18 at 10:23 am
Posted on 6/21/18 at 10:22 am to LSUFanHouston
Harry's closes at 6. Mary's at 7. Only Eddie is the dick closing st 5.
Posted on 6/21/18 at 10:23 am to LSUFanHouston
Why can't you go on your lunch break?
Posted on 6/21/18 at 10:23 am to OysterPoBoy
quote:
Those are normal business hours.
For white collar. Retail is different. Gotta be open when the white collar gets off too.
Posted on 6/21/18 at 10:24 am to LSUFanHouston
quote:
Why it's hard to support local retail businesses
The same reason why people bought cheap Chinese made shite from Wal-Mart 40 yrs ago....$$$$ They were nearsighted in their buying but that's the reason
Posted on 6/21/18 at 10:24 am to Displaced
quote:
Those are all national chains. I don't think that qualifies as "shop local"
Was going to say something similar. The Sherwin Williams could be a franchise too which would be a local person.
Posted on 6/21/18 at 10:25 am to Hu_Flung_Pu
quote:
Those are normal business hours.
For white collar. Retail is different. Gotta be open when the white collar gets off too.
On a separate note, I wish car places were like this. The ones I have tried to get to look at my truck close before I can make it in and cannot leave my truck overnight for them to look at the next day. On the weekends they tell me they don't have a tech to read what's wrong with it.
Posted on 6/21/18 at 10:32 am to LSUFanHouston
I bet if you told them you couldn't make it during their business hours they would either deliver it to you or find another way to make the sale. 30 gallons of paint is a pretty big purchase from a small business.
Posted on 6/21/18 at 10:33 am to Displaced
quote:
Those are all national chains. I don't think that qualifies as "shop local"
He's talking about Ace Hardware, which are almost all locally owned and run. But complaining that he wants to buy local, but the locally owned Ace's store hours are shorter and less convenient than the national corporate chains like Home Depot or Sherwin Williams.
Posted on 6/21/18 at 10:36 am to LSUFanHouston
That's odd. All of the Ace Hardware's near me are open until 7 or 7:30.
Posted on 6/21/18 at 10:37 am to Cheesy Beaver
quote:
Why can't you go on your lunch break?
I work 30-35 min away
Plus most days my "lunch break" is dining with clients or prospects
Posted on 6/21/18 at 10:39 am to Hu_Flung_Pu
quote:
Was going to say something similar. The Sherwin Williams could be a franchise too which would be a local person.
Ace is a franchise. I consider that "local"
Posted on 6/21/18 at 10:41 am to LSUFanHouston
It’s a viscous cycle
They understandably don’t want to pay for labor and electricity to stay open for people who don’t come by in hopes that someone who wants to buy local comes by, only to take ridicule that they aren’t open during more convenient hours of operation.
If the business was enough to operate at those hours, I promise you that they would be open. The issue isn’t with them. It’s with the overwhelming majority of the market who just don’t care about buying local.
They understandably don’t want to pay for labor and electricity to stay open for people who don’t come by in hopes that someone who wants to buy local comes by, only to take ridicule that they aren’t open during more convenient hours of operation.
If the business was enough to operate at those hours, I promise you that they would be open. The issue isn’t with them. It’s with the overwhelming majority of the market who just don’t care about buying local.
Posted on 6/21/18 at 10:41 am to LSUFanHouston
When I was growing up, the man who had the nicest house in town was the man who owned the general store. I'm not gonna put myself in the poor house while keeping them in the big house! Just my two cents
Posted on 6/21/18 at 10:43 am to whoisnickdoobs
quote:
I bet if you told them you couldn't make it during their business hours they would either deliver it to you or find another way to make the sale. 30 gallons of paint is a pretty big purchase from a small business.
I might have to talk to them then. We normally buy 120 gallons at a time (we use 30 gallons every two weeks) Since this first time using this store and their paint, just bought enough for one job to see how it works.
Posted on 6/21/18 at 10:43 am to Lugnut
Agreed. That's why I give my money to the struggling businessmen like Arthur Blank.
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