In article , Ellice writes:
it is the LNS that are hurting. The proliferation of web-shopping has done
that.
Not necessarily. I had a fantastic LNS some years ago. Unfortunately, they
were only open one evening per week, and not on Sunday. About a block away was
a chain craft store, open every evening and all day on Sunday. For those of us
who were at work during 90% of the LNS' open hours, the chain store was far
more convenient, and cheaper, too.
I've seen it with other types of stores, too. Grandpa was only open 10-5 M-F,
Dad was only open 10-5 M-F, and therefore, we're going to do it just the way
that's worked for 100 years. Unfortunately, what worked in the 1950s when most
women were home during the day does not work in the 2000s when most women are
at work downtown during the day.
The shop owners complain about WalMart stealing their business, without ever
considering how much additional business they could do if they were open the
same hours as WalMart. I have to go out of my way to get to a WalMart, but I
do *not* have to use precious vacation time to get there. If there were
someplace in my neighborhood that I could buy this stuff after 6 PM, I'd shop
in my neighborhood, but since the shops in my neighborhood are telling me they
only want the business of people who don't work, I'll go to a store that
accommodates my schedule.
I appreciate that the LNS owner has a family and she'd like to be home with
them in the evening, but she needs to realize that businesses operate for the
convenience of the customers, not for the convenience of the owners. If we
can't get there during her open hours, it's easier for us to find someplace
that will serve us when we can shop, than to change our schedules to
accommodate her. I've been mail-ordering for decades because by the time I get
home from work, cook, clean up after dinner, and have time to shop, that's the
only option that's available to me. Pre-dated substantially even the first
beginnings of the internet.
--
Finished 12/14/03 -- Mermaid (Dimensions)
WIP: Angel of Autumn, Calif Sampler, Holiday Snowglobe, Guide the Hands (2d
one)
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