You know, I go back there every now and then. I mean in my thoughts. I don’t really go back there. I avoid it like the plague (sorry, kind of a tough word to use given the times we are in). We do a lot of online shopping these days, not because of Covid; just because we don’t want to waste our time going in.
If you’ve been following this, you know I spent thirty plus years in retail. My first foray was with the Big K, while in college. They were actually a big company then. The largest discounter. It’s humorous now, maybe a little sad in some ways. They really thought they would squash the Big W before it ever got rolling. I remember my old boss telling me about this little retailer that was coming on strong. Based in Arkansas, they were just getting ready to move into the DFW area. “Yeah, we’re going to roll over them and send them back to the small towns,” he claimed. It didn’t happen of course. The Big W went on to crush the Big K and the rest is history.
I went on to join another retail company as a department manager after college. Moved up through the ranks. I’ve made it a point here not to use the name of said retailer. No need to give them any more publicity than they already get. After all those years, I got caught up in a management layoff. No bitterness here really. I wish it had been handled in a more humane manor, but business is business.
Yet, when I think about where I am and where I was, I can’t help but be thankful for the push. I probably would never have left on my own. Yeah, I have suffered financially. My retirement is all but gone, but I am such a different person. I enjoy my work days. I enjoy my free time. I don’t think about what I didn’t get done, or worry about getting called on my day off. I don’t have the pressure of a corporate bureaucracy hanging over me. Life has taken on a different tone.
And Covid. Lawd, how I am thankful that I didn’t have to go through Covid there. Masked for fourteen hours. Cleaning, or at least supposed to be cleaning, and sanitizing day after day. Dealing with people who are angry that you ASK them to mask. Dealing with people who are angry that you don’t MAKE people mask. Working for a company that has become more concerned for its social stance than for its business platform. Dealing with the daily crap.
Business today – Big Business today – has become so concerned with activism, that it doesn’t even care that it is driving away half of its potential base. They have completely lost sight of the fact that they are in business to create as much profit for their company and for their stockholders as possible. Sure, the Big W’s and the Big A’s of the world are doing just fine, but how much better would they be doing if they didn’t spend half their time pissing off the other half of the country? Any time you take a stand on a social issue, you are cancelling half of your potential customer base. If you are in business to sell coffee, sell coffee. If you are in business to sell diapers, bleach, sporting goods, and groceries, then sell them — to everyone, not just to those who agree with your on social issues. Socials issues belong to government, civic groups, churches. Business is business. Focus on it.
“Well I’m happy that a company cares enough to take a stand,” comes the answer from the other side. No, you aren’t. You’re happy they took a stand with you. If they had taken a stand on the opposite side you would be boycotting them and calling them fascists. You can’t make everyone happy all the time, tis true, but to intentionally take a side on issues that are just intended to divide and cost you business is suicide. The Big W, the Big A, the Big S — they may withstand for a while, but eventually these issues will bring them down.
Off the soapbox, I just can’t imagine working retail today. I hope I never find need to go back. There’s just too much BS associated with it. I like the one on one of what I do. I like fixing things, problems which have existed. I like helping people, and putting their minds at ease. Yeah, there is BS everywhere you go, but some places are designed to maximize it and other places try to minimize it.
Nope. I don’t miss it. I miss some of the people, some of the relationships, and some of the successes, but I don’t miss the place. And coming full circle, I am so thankful that they pushed me out those doors.
