Re: B&H puts another local camera store out of business (with my help, unfortunately)

On 2007-05-26 22:16:52 -0700, "Ken Hart" <kwhart@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> said:

> 
> "Rita Ä Berkowitz" <ritaberk2O04 @[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
> news:135hm7bksu4dsa4@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> David Nebenzahl wrote:
>> 
> snip
>>> o spending money in your own community, instead of enriching someone
>>> else out of town
>> 
>> TOTALLY IRRELAVANT!  I don't believe in passing out subsidies nor do I
>> feel
>> I have an obligation to enrich a local merchant.  The merchant need be
>> very
>> competitive if they want loyalty and a chance at survival.
>> 
> Spending money in my local community does the following:
> -- provides employment for other local people who would otherwise have
to
> drive miles to work elsewhere.
> -- provides a tax base to pay for essential services such as police,
water,
> sewer, etc
> -- allows local merchants to support organizations that enrich the local
> community (churches, civic groups, scouts, etc)
> -- brings more business to my local business.
> 
> Follow the logical conclusion: if all the local merchants in your area
close
> down, what will your community be like? Deserted buildings? Homes for
vermin
> (both four foooted and two footed)? No money for municipal services?
> 
> Whenever possible, I will buy from the hardware store down the street
rather
> than Home Depot ten miles (and a county) away.

The nearest town is 10 miles away. The local merchants there are some 
gas stations, a couple grocery stores (Safeway and QFC), a few pizza 
parlors, a McDonalds, a Starbucks, and similar services. There are two 
hardware stores: a nearly deserted Lumbermans and a McClendons that 
generally is better stocked, has better service, and better prices than 
the the Home Depot 30 miles away.

So my local 'camera store' is the photo counter at the Safeway. Big 
whoop. With luck, I might find fresh batteries there. It took nearly 30 
years to get even that much of a camera store in here. The big employer 
is a Navy shipyard 20 miles away which pays no taxes to support the 
infrastructure it needs. The only Mom and Pop store in this town (and 
the only one that has ever been here) is a boat dealer who has no 
marina or dock space and who can be counted on to perform minor repairs 
with a minimal degree of competence. There have never been any Mom and 
Pop type stores in this town beyond a 7-11, the hot dog stand at the 
state park, and a local nursery that changes hands about every five 
years.

There is one new store: a crab dealer who has basically ruined the 
local fishery. I used to be able to catch crabs on my own beach. There 
are none left now. I see little reason for any 'loyalty' towards this 
guy.

And I think that is what it comes down to. Too many local merchants 
think 'loyalty' only goes one way. Their customers should be loyal to 
them, no matter how bad the service, how high the prices, and how poor 
the selection.
-- 
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor