A Throwback - One Less Dog In The Hunt

January 13, 2024January 1, 2024

Book of Wishes

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/christmas-ideas/a29729515/sears-wish-book-history/

It was originally about two inches thick. Later it dropped to half that size, but it was still filled with nearly anything you could imagine. JC Penney’s tried, but nothing could compete with the Sears Christmas catalog. The colorful, collection of each Christmas season’s dreams and wonders first published in 1933 with the name Sears Christmas Book. Richard Sears first published his original Sears Catalog in 1894, calling it a Book of Bargains. Around the country the Sears catalog was often referred to as the book of wishes. In 1968 Sears officially named the catalog the Christmas catalog the Sears Wish Book.

From ant farms to zeppelins, Holly Hobbie dolls to Red Ryder BB guns, it served as the research document for informed Christmas lists (complete with footnotes) from around the world. Speaking from experience, I can tell you that letters to Santa often included page numbers from the Sears Wish Book. The book was often perused over the season, as the dreams and goals changed. Folded page corners, circled item numbers, torn out pages left on the kitchen counter as subtle reminders, the book was definitely ready for the trash can by the time New Year’s day arrived.

September 17, 2022September 17, 2022

Main Street

http://clipart-library.com/clipart/76577.htm

Man, I drive down Main Street in our dusty little county seat on a Saturday, and it’s a ghost town. During the week it’s fairly lively, but on the weekend its dead. Tumbleweeds have more movement. Parking certainly isn’t a problem, but then why would you be parking? There isn’t a store open after 12 noon, and there were only three that bothered to open at all. It’s sad, but it’s also expected.

It’s no secret, I managed a big box before I got laid off. That’s what got this page started in the first place. And though it wasn’t in this town, we were often vilified for “Killing Main Street.” It is one of the biggest bullshit stories you’ve ever heard and people eat that crap like it was coconut cream. No doubt, Big Box Retail presents a challenge for small business and for cities and towns that have lived on that apple pie way of thinking since their founding. Don’t get me wrong, I worked for Big Box, but I root for the small box. I’m as freaking Americana as they come. I grew up on Leave it to Beaver, Hazel, My Three Sons, and Father Knows Best. All that sixties/seventies nuclear family stuff is in my blood.

June 4, 2022April 16, 2022

Is it worth the brand?

Copyright: Coca-Colar
http://clipart-library.com/clipart/cola-cliparts_13.htm

Copyright: Disney http://clipart-library.com/clipart/disney-ears-cliparts_16.htm

Carhartt. Levi’s. Disney. Coca-Cola. Gillette. The list goes on. Companies who have decided it is more important for them to make a social statement rather than focus on their brand. I suppose, to an extent, business has always been filled with people who make statements with how they run their business. But it used to be more about what they did, than what they said. Some companies were just all business — Leave the other stuff on the other side of the door; we’re here to make money. Others made social care part of the company — Thanksgiving turkey donations, holidays off, United Way drives.

July 31, 2021August 14, 2021

Rule #1

You know, I don’t go in there very often. We do most of our shopping online these days. It just saves the hassle. But one of the things I get most aggravated about my former retail employer is just how far they have strayed from their original standards.

Rule #1 – The customer is always right.

Rule #2 – If the customer isn’t right, refer to Rule #1.

April 8, 2021August 14, 2021

Here We Go Again

We’ve talked about this before, but here we are. Do Not let anyone convince you that raising Corporate Tax only hurts those bad ol’ corporations you’ve been told to hate. Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of problems with Corporations. Corporations are using their power and size to crush small business. They are using the same power and size to get involved in your politics. We’ve all known for a long time that they spend millions on lobbying. But now they are getting directly involved, publicly involved, stepping into issues that, honestly, corporations should leave to the voters.

November 17, 2020November 7, 2020

They Think Yer Stupid – Maybe You Are

I saw a certain celebrity tweet about the need to raise corporate taxes the other day. It’s amazing how someone who thinks themselves so intelligent that they speak for everyone else is too stupid to understand the simple methods of business. I get it. It’s easy to think that these large corporations and businesses should pay more of the taxes in this country. People want some of their wealth, but there’s truly no real way to collect more in corporate taxes without hurting the very people you claim to help. It’s just a matter of math, or business, whichever you choose. It’s easy to see why an average American could consider raising corporate taxes as the right thing to do, and for a politician, well it’s easy to see that they just see more $$ signs and more money to spend. Realistically, this isn’t necessarily a political argument. There are people on both sides of the aisle who believe that corporate taxes or taxes to business in general should rise.

But simply put, these people who think this is a good idea are either extremely ignorant of the ways of business or they simply use it as a way to rile the masses against the very core of capitalism (much like leading sheep to the slaughter, if you will). Whether we’re talking about corporate business or a Mom and Pop, business is business. You have to stop looking at corporate tax as a way to get more money into the government’s coffers or to even the playing field between Middle Class America and the Rich, and start looking at it as it is — a business expense. Raising taxes on any business, corporate or main street, raises the cost of doing business. Costs of doing business impact profit. Profit is the only reason a business is IN business. If a business is not in business for profit, they aren’t a business; they are a non-profit organization.

November 2, 2020October 18, 2020

A Titan of a Statement

“Attitude reflects leadership.”

Wood Harris and Ryan Hurst in *Remember the Titans*, 2000.Everett Collection / Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

Remember that statement by Julius in Disney’s Remember The Titans? Only three words but it’s one of the most powerful reflections of effective leadership ever stated. Yeah, it’s just a line from a movie, but there’s a depth to it that today’s leaders need to hear. People respond, and perhaps mimic, the examples of their leaders.

Whether it is the leadership of a football team, the leadership of a company, or the leadership of a nation — attitude, posture, outlook, and direction are exemplified through leadership. If leadership does not present itself well, the attitude of those who follow will fail to achieve the right results.

May 7, 2020April 18, 2020

Fix or Flee

One of the hardest parts of business is getting and keeping good people. And what makes good people anyway? I used to think that people were just born with a good work ethic; something that came natural, but as time went by I realized that just isn’t the case. Some are instilled with a good work ethic when they are young and some have to learn it along the way.

Each of my kids began working when they were in junior high or high school. In fact, you might say they started earlier than that by doing odd jobs for relatives as early as second or third grade. They were taught by their parents; they were expected to put in their best effort no matter what they did. And we were fortunate that the people they worked for – farmers, ranchers, small business owners – expected the same thing from them. In most cases, they are still close to their former employers and, though three out of four (one still being in college and working) of them have moved on to become pretty successful at what they are doing, if they had need to return to their former places of employment they would be accepted with open arms.

December 26, 2019April 11, 2020

Convenient for Who 2?

So, you’re busy. Life has you going in circles. You have work, kids to get to school, ballet lessons, soccer practice, dinner to make, and bills piling up you haven’t had a second to pay. Oh, and the car just reminded you that it needs its oil changed. You feel like you’re out of breath, and meeting yourself around each corner. The last thing you need to do is fight your way through the superstore to shop or even drop by the local grocery store.

Never Fear. A solution is near. Whether it’s that massive superstore or your local grocery store, they have you and your busy life covered. From the convenience of your home, your car, your computer, and your phone you can shop. They even have a place for you to park while you wait for them to bring it out to your car. You’ll love it, no time wasted pushing a cart, bumping into other shoppers and displays. No more crowded aisles to try to weave down through, fighting for bargains, and climbing over carts or pallets of freight.

How can you not scream for joy? What could possibly cause you complaints?

September 24, 2019April 11, 2020

Convenient for who?

http://clipart-library.com/clipart/pcqrRz4zi.htm

Rule Number One: The customer is always right.

Rule Number Two: In the event the customer is not right, refer to Rule Number One.

These rules used to be among the first taught to new employees. The truth is the customer isn’t always right and you often have to revert to rule number two. If you’ve ever lived, worked, breathed retail you know that sometimes the customer just gets it wrong. Not wrong in what they want, just wrong in what you are able to give. Maybe there are restrictions. Perhaps Uncle Sam (and I mean the US Government, not Sam Walton) says you have to do it a certain way. Maybe the decision would require an executive approval. Maybe what they want isn’t really something that is good for them. Your job is to come to a conclusion which makes the customer right or at least satisfied. Still, the idea behind the rules are important, and a good company adapts to the needs of the customer, not the other way around.

Yet, more and more in today’s market we see retailers trying to force the customer to conform to what is best for the retailer rather than adapting to the wants and needs of the customer. Oh, to be sure, they’d never admit it. They always mask it with an effort in improved customer satisfaction. They would say they are just striving to provide a more convenient atmosphere or they are trying to make the shopping experience more customer friendly.