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Old 08-18-2008, 02:06 PM
 
1,095 posts, read 3,989,460 times
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There's a local breakfast and lunch place that's really the only place of its kind anywhere close. Yet for some reason it's closed Sunday. I really don't think it's a case of devout Christians, it's just the day the owner decided to take off. And that's on top of all the other quirks that seem to go with locally owned places - it's not open very late in the evening (if it's open at night at all), it's pretty expensive, especially for baked goods and coffe (seriously, in Indianapolis a cup of plain coffee and a croissant should not cost six-something), and its interior setup is awful, apparently a function of the owner's refusal to have actual table service, instead requiring the customer to wait in two separate lines to order food, pay, and pick up coffee before finding an empty table, only to wait a LONG time to have pretty average food brought out.

I don't feel bad at all about going to the Starbuck's across the street. It's easier, the baked goods are better and much better priced, and it's open on Sunday morning.
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Old 08-19-2008, 05:54 AM
 
203 posts, read 926,299 times
Reputation: 143
Just pick and choose whatever is convienent for you. I love the large chains because in this fast paced/not enough time world it's great to have a place open late. Less people, less line ups, more help etc etc. I understand the small business owners dilemma, it's difficult dealing with the public and giving them everything they desire(they can be very demanding!) and balancing with your own need for time off to spend with your family. If you want to support local businesses just get their hours and if it jives with your lifestyle visit when possible. To a sauve business type all "suggestions" should be welcomed as it is a very competitive world and if they choose to ignore the customers wishes they will be but a distance memory in no time at all. Frankly the big chains serve me better.........i can't count how many times i've been ignored or treated like some dead carcass the family cat dragged in as an offering! Hey, i may not "Look" like i got dough but you scr*w up your face like you just sucked on a lemon the second i walk in the door?!..........guess if i'm coming back?
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Old 08-19-2008, 07:17 AM
 
502 posts, read 1,064,084 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Naptowner View Post
There's a local breakfast and lunch place that's really the only place of its kind anywhere close...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Naptowner View Post
...it's not open very late in the evening (if it's open at night at all)
.
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Old 08-19-2008, 09:11 AM
 
750 posts, read 1,432,100 times
Reputation: 1837
Smugness is not attractive.
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Old 08-19-2008, 01:39 PM
 
502 posts, read 1,064,084 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jsqueezer View Post
Smugness is not attractive.
Neither is a nation of homogenous cities and towns.

The reason that most people go to chain stores has very little to do with convenience, and more to do with fear of the unknown. People driving past dozons of locally-owned restaurants to find an Applebee's.. Americans seeking out McDonald's in Paris... too unsure of how to order a cup of coffee at a new coffee shop, you go to Starbucks... unsure of where the Gregorian Punk-Chant would be at the local music store, you go online...too afraid to try something new, you only read the New York Times Bestsellers and only buy from Amazon because you're embarrassed by your reading choices...

(I'm sure all of you that have talked up chains will disagree...)

Chain stores are unchallenging and comfortable. Comfort zones are like drugs.
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Old 08-19-2008, 02:04 PM
 
Location: mass
2,905 posts, read 7,334,813 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jsqueezer View Post
Why thank you! I'm sure you're calling me "lame" in the kindest sense of the word.

Maybe you aren't one to give gifts of food to people. Please understand, if I wasn't clear in my post, that these are little, edible works of art. These are not your usual "shove as many as possible in my mouth and take a big swig of milk" kind of cookies. They are bit expensive. They are most likely sold as GIFTS. For a business intending to sell these rather special, pretty cookies and packaging them in a take-out container is kinda dumb to me. But, as you pointed out, I need to relax.
No I agree with you completely. If they are going to bother making fine quality cookies and charging a fair price, they should package them appropriately, and a styrofoam container is not appropriate. they would be better off putting them ON a styrofoam plate and wrapping them with saran wrap. at least that would show the pretty cookies.
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Old 08-19-2008, 02:44 PM
 
164 posts, read 515,936 times
Reputation: 71
Quote:
Originally Posted by Naptowner View Post
I don't feel bad at all about going to the Starbuck's across the street. It's easier, the baked goods are better and much better priced, and it's open on Sunday morning.
Plus, Starbuck's treats their employees fairly well...or they used to when the economy supported expensive coffee. By that, I mean they offer even part-time employees benefits like health insurance and 401(k)s. (I picked up a recruitment brochure at a new Starbuck's once that outlined the benefits.) Not sure if Starbuck's can still afford to do that, but if so, I'm all for supporting them.

So if you can afford Starbuck's coffee, you can drink it while feeling good about giving American workers a good job WITH benefits.
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Old 08-19-2008, 03:11 PM
 
164 posts, read 515,936 times
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I think about this sometimes. Do you support local businesses over big box stores based on personal beliefs...no matter what the service and quality is like at the local business? Or do you choose to support businesses that give you quality products and services no matter the location or ownership?

I would love to shop at only local small businesses, but not if it means bad service and shoddy goods.

Its always good to try out a new small business. Also, to try them a few times to let them "work out the bugs" in their new business. However, if I have repeated bad experiences, there's no way I'm going to give the store my business.

Small business owners have it rough starting out...but they also have a few advantages over big box stores. Someone mentioned that businesses need to listen to their customers...and that is one big advantage small business owners have over big box stores (if they're smart enough to realise it). Their policies aren't set in stone...they can listen to customer comments and quickly respond. Refusing to consider a suggestion of a customer, especially a frequent customer, is idiotic.

I think the comment about the bakery making expensive, fancy cookies and then refusing to consider packaging them more attractively is a good point. They lack self-marketing strategy...this business looses out on self-promotion by placing an upscale product in an upscale package (with their logo/address prominently displayed).

Good customer service _should_ be easier to enforce, too, when the business is small. Its dependent on hiring good employees, of course, and small businesses that rely only on family members for employees (even when the family member drives away customers with bad attitude) have handicapped themselves.

Its sad that sometimes the folks with the guts and money to start their own business don't always have the savvy to realize their place in the market (in relation to big business stores) and capitalize on their strengths.
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Old 08-19-2008, 03:17 PM
 
9,238 posts, read 22,823,813 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by colorado native View Post
Neither is a nation of homogenous cities and towns.

The reason that most people go to chain stores has very little to do with convenience, and more to do with fear of the unknown. People driving past dozons of locally-owned restaurants to find an Applebee's.. Americans seeking out McDonald's in Paris... too unsure of how to order a cup of coffee at a new coffee shop, you go to Starbucks... unsure of where the Gregorian Punk-Chant would be at the local music store, you go online...too afraid to try something new, you only read the New York Times Bestsellers and only buy from Amazon because you're embarrassed by your reading choices...

(I'm sure all of you that have talked up chains will disagree...)

Chain stores are unchallenging and comfortable. Comfort zones are like drugs.

I'm sure there are such people, but not as many as you'd think, and definitely not "most.". You sound like the people who hate our country and think we're all "ugly Americans." I am one of those people who end up going to chain stores, but only for the convenience. I would rather support the local economy, and I like new & different things. I think people are stupid when they go on vacation and go to Applebee's or Red Lobster. But if I go to a local place that is closed when it's convenient for me to shop, I'm going elsewhere, probably to a big "homogenous" chain store. Certainly not because I'm "comfortable" there or because I have some xenophobic aversion to all things new and different.
Sometimes you just need to be practical and not read a deeper meaning into such choices people make. If a place is only open when I'm at work, they lose my business. If the only place open at 11:00 for food is an Applebee's, then I'm stuck going there, not out of fear of finer cuisine, but out of convenience. Don't the smug and culturally superior also care about convenience?
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Old 08-19-2008, 03:38 PM
 
502 posts, read 1,064,084 times
Reputation: 329
Quote:
Originally Posted by TracySam View Post
I'm sure there are such people, but not as many as you'd think, and definitely not "most.". You sound like the people who hate our country and think we're all "ugly Americans." I am one of those people who end up going to chain stores, but only for the convenience. I would rather support the local economy, and I like new & different things. I think people are stupid when they go on vacation and go to Applebee's or Red Lobster. But if I go to a local place that is closed when it's convenient for me to shop, I'm going elsewhere, probably to a big "homogenous" chain store. Certainly not because I'm "comfortable" there or because I have some xenophobic aversion to all things new and different.
Sometimes you just need to be practical and not read a deeper meaning into such choices people make. If a place is only open when I'm at work, they lose my business. If the only place open at 11:00 for food is an Applebee's, then I'm stuck going there, not out of fear of finer cuisine, but out of convenience. Don't the smug and culturally superior also care about convenience?
You're using one example of an hours-of-operation issue with one store as a way to justify not shopping locally. If you'd rather support the local economy then do so. The convenience thing is most often simply not an actual issue. Most times I think the only inconvenience is driving somewhere you don't usually drive... prolly somewhere closer.
The simple fact of the matter is that there is a moral choice made when you spend your money. Do you support the local economy and your neighbors, or some uber-rich family in Arkansas? You make the choice. Call it smug if that makes you feel better.

Should you support a businees that treats you like crap? No. On the other hand, should you go into someone's business and tell them they need to change things so it's more like a chain so they can retain your business? Again, no.

Am I one of those "people who hate our country and think we're all "ugly Americans?" (scoff) Maybe, but I do think that America's love affair with chain stores is making America ugly.
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