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to scrantonluna you say you walk the mall 3 days a week at lunch and you dont know what cronins offer then you say if its a bad idea it wont work
well lets get it straight if you cant see stores that are open then you must only be looking for ones that are closed i guess that gives you reasons to bash the mall now cronins have been in buissness in scranton for over 20 years and are still in buissness so it must have been a good idea to last this long
please get your facts before you make comments that are not true who knows how much buissness you may have had cronins lose by your false statements when people from out of town read your comments please think possitive and and look to the future things can only get better
This is a late response, isn't it? Let me clear something up right now, I was responding to the mention of cronin's closing in the steamtown mall. From other posts, well after mine, I now know that cronin's is not located in the mall, but a 'seasonal' space is opened and then closed at steamtown, and that the main location is at another site. REGARDLESS, if you READ my post, I'm saying that I have no knowledge of cronin's or what they have to offer, and that if I spend a good three hours a week at the steamtown mall and do not notice a business, I only have to assume that they do not offer anything I would be interested in. I am also quite sure that cronin's has never been suggested to me in conversation as a place that I might want to go to buy something.
The comment about a bad business idea was a general comment, meant to describe ALL of the businesses I mentioned, and to illustrate that in an area with little disposable income and fickle taste, it is all that more important that a business appeal to the largest group of consumers possible and at a competitive rate.
Further more, cronin's, whatever it is they make/sell, OBVIOUSLY does not appeal to me. This is illustrated by the fact that I really do not have any idea whatsoever what cronin's is or where it is or that it was even briefly in the steamtown mall, where I spend a good amount of time. From what you say, it's been around a good while, and that's fine. It must appeal to SOMEONE then. This does, however, make my point that for a new business or even an existing business to survive, the core idea must be good and it must be able to project itself above the voice of all the other businesses in the area. You probably can't sell a lot of ice cream in Alaska, but that doesn't mean you can make a killing in Florida if you offer only less popular flavors and charge double the price as your competition.
So to repeat, I am not attacking cronin's specifically. I'm just saying that here you have a person such as myself, in the steamtown mall on a regular basis, who could be spending money in cronin's, and is unaware that it even exists. Understand that I based my comments on this, and that I feel it shows poor business practice on the part of cronin's, just as a $10 mark-up on DVDs at suncoast shows poor business practice.
I was just notified of this exchange between Glenlara and Scrantonluna and I feel it is my responsibility to reply. My name is Breeda Cronin and my family has been running Cronin's Irish Cottage in Scranton SUCCESSFULLY for the past 20 years. I understand that Scrantonluna has been misinformed regarding our business closing and I appreciate the fact that he/she has acknowledged the mistake. However, I must state that I find it wreckless and irresponsible for this individual to post on the internet that our business has closed. Just recently an individual approached me and informed me that it was stated on a website that Cronin's had shut it doors. I have been hearing this for the past several weeks and now I can see why.
I would think that Scrantonluna, for as educated and articulate as he/she seems to be, would not be so careless as to make such a statement about a business closing. In fact, by making such statements without adequate information, he/she can be an indirect result of a business closing. So, I am simpy asking that before making such statements, you get your facts right. I am sure you would not want your careless remarks to be any more detrimental to local, family run businesses than they already have.
I also find it strange that you would spend so much time in the Steamtown Mall and make such decisive remarks regarding my business without so much as ever walking in the door! I am not asking you to purchase anything. As you stated in your post, "cronin's, whatever it is they make/sell, OBVIOUSLY does not appeal to me." That is fine. I am just surprised that you are so quick to judge a book by its cover. Also, you indicated there is "poor business practice on the part of Cronin's" Can you be more specific as to what poor business practice we are employing? Are you referring to the fact that we enter into the Steamtown Mall on a temporary basis twice a year? Funny. I would think that bringing a business to the downtown area at any time would not only indicate good business, but it would be a boost, however small, to our community and the downtown. That is what many of our loyal customers have stated. Oh! You wouldn't know that, however, because you never took moment of your time to even look at the shop that you obviously have had so much to say about.
Next time you are in the mall, you should stop in and have a chat with me! I would love for you to see our wide variety of goods and then you can say whatever you want about my family's business - a business I might add that we have spent over twenty years building. If you choose not to visit, I completely understand. All I ask is that you stop declaring that we have closed and stop passing judgment on a business you admittedly never even attempted to patronize.
Finally, I just want to say that I am dedicated to keeping my family's business flourishing in Scranton - a city I love and have faith in - for generations to come.
If it's any consolation, scrantonluna isn't the only one guilty of this offense. Others have been more or less placing bets on which new downtown businesses will succeed and which ones will fail. Some posters on another rather vicious message board even had a good CHUCKLE when Poochie, a gourmet dog bakery that I frequented, went out of business, because they thought the owner was a Doherty crony. Why people who claim that they "love" their city would wish to see their downtown implode in on itself is an enigma to me, and I'm sad to say that the CONSTANT negativity on this forum, Talkback 16 Online, Doherty Deceit, Channel 61, Times-Tribune editorials, my workplace, my campus, etc. is finally starting to take its toll on me. I've toyed around casually for the past year with the idea of relocating out of the region after college to an area that is generally more educated and more tolerant, but I never gave much credence to it until now. I'm beginning to see that those with optimistic outlooks on life are outnumbered by the gloom-and-doom crowd by a 10-to-1 ratio in NEPA, and that's a very hard figure to overcome. As long as nobody here believes that the area can herald a renassiance, then this long-awaited rebirth will NEVER materialize!
I've quite possibly never seen a city where residents overwhelmingly have as little faith in their city as folks in Scranton seem to. Even Wilkes-Barre's booster vs. detractor ratio seems to be at a more reasonable 50/50. I myself smiled today to notice just how much work has been accomplished on the new downtown riverfront park there since my Spring Break. Nothing turns off potential new residents, investors, entrepreneurs, etc. more than to get whiff of people in their possible new city being miserable to the core. Wilkes-Barre is MUCH worse off overall than Scranton, but its residents still hold that "I Believe" slogan near and dear to their hearts. In Scranton finding like-minded city boosters is about as hard as finding a supporter of President Bush---it just ain't happenin'.
I wish you and your business the best of luck and many more years of continued success. I'm embarrassed to say that I don't believe I've ever patronized your store before because I've never heard of it and have never really noticed it during my many visits to the Steamtown Mall, but I'll make it a special point to take my out-of-town friends there to browse when we're downtown for the parade on Saturday. As we see national chains continuing to devour our area's open space and fleece our downtowns of their limited vitality, it is IMPERATIVE that we all do our part to patronize mom-and-pop operations such as your own to keep them in business. Everyone took the Tudor Bookstores & Cafes for granted in Clarks Summit and Kingston, and now those literary landmarks are gone forever. I don't want to echo our notorious forum pessimist, but I also believe Anthology will likewise be folding this year or next year---I'm ALWAYS alone whenever I shop there. Meanwhile Borders and Barnes & Noble are always packed to the hilts as lemmings pay for overpriced merchandise.
I was just notified of this exchange between Glenlara and Scrantonluna and I feel it is my responsibility to reply. My name is Breeda Cronin and my family has been running Cronin's Irish Cottage in Scranton SUCCESSFULLY for the past 20 years. I understand that Scrantonluna has been misinformed regarding our business closing and I appreciate the fact that he/she has acknowledged the mistake. However, I must state that I find it wreckless and irresponsible for this individual to post on the internet that our business has closed. Just recently an individual approached me and informed me that it was stated on a website that Cronin's had shut it doors. I have been hearing this for the past several weeks and now I can see why.
I would think that Scrantonluna, for as educated and articulate as he/she seems to be, would not be so careless as to make such a statement about a business closing. In fact, by making such statements without adequate information, he/she can be an indirect result of a business closing. So, I am simpy asking that before making such statements, you get your facts right. I am sure you would not want your careless remarks to be any more detrimental to local, family run businesses than they already have.
I also find it strange that you would spend so much time in the Steamtown Mall and make such decisive remarks regarding my business without so much as ever walking in the door! I am not asking you to purchase anything. As you stated in your post, "cronin's, whatever it is they make/sell, OBVIOUSLY does not appeal to me." That is fine. I am just surprised that you are so quick to judge a book by its cover. Also, you indicated there is "poor business practice on the part of Cronin's" Can you be more specific as to what poor business practice we are employing? Are you referring to the fact that we enter into the Steamtown Mall on a temporary basis twice a year? Funny. I would think that bringing a business to the downtown area at any time would not only indicate good business, but it would be a boost, however small, to our community and the downtown. That is what many of our loyal customers have stated. Oh! You wouldn't know that, however, because you never took moment of your time to even look at the shop that you obviously have had so much to say about.
Next time you are in the mall, you should stop in and have a chat with me! I would love for you to see our wide variety of goods and then you can say whatever you want about my family's business - a business I might add that we have spent over twenty years building. If you choose not to visit, I completely understand. All I ask is that you stop declaring that we have closed and stop passing judgment on a business you admittedly never even attempted to patronize.
Finally, I just want to say that I am dedicated to keeping my family's business flourishing in Scranton - a city I love and have faith in - for generations to come.
Ok, I'm only going to address this one more time.
Prior to this post, I have NEVER HEARD OF CRONIN'S. SOMEONE ELSE (weluvpa) posted that cronin's was a store in the steamtown mall and that it was closing/closed. MY COMMENT was based mostly on the OTHER BUSINESSES that I KNEW were closing, and I added cronin's to the list because I FELT IT WAS ODD THAT I COULD SPEND SO MUCH TIME IN THE STEAMTOWN MALL AND NOT BE AWARE OF THE STORE.
Let's review what I said then, shall we?
Quote:
As for Cronin's, I walk the mall AT LEAST three days a week on my lunch break as soon as the weather turns cold, and I couldn't even tell you where or what the store offered.
It's an honest comment. Maybe you don't like it, but it's the truth. This was followed by a GENERAL STATEMENT regarding ANY business in the downtown, and I stand by my opinion that in an area such as Scranton, where many buyers have little disposable income and fickle taste, many niche stores will fail. This WAS NOT a direct comment about cronin's. My initial thoughts, which I have admitted were based on an incorrect post (weluvpa), were that cronin's had either A) not advertised or created a store front that drew my attention, or B) was a niche store that offered a limited product line (skate boards, womens clothing, etc.) or simply items that I had no interest in (video games). These were my thoughts at the time.
Now, let me say that I am glad Biddy posted, because in all of this discussion, NO ONE has bothered to tell me what 'Cronin's' actually is! I now know the correct name, Cronin's Irish Cottage, and I get the feeling they sell Irish items there. In fact, I think I know where the store front was located, on the second level a few doors down from Gertrude Hawk's. If I am correct in this, I also recall the lack of signage, and a limited display (understandable for a seasonal store, but OBVIOUSLY not everyone knows this). Now we get back to the fact that this store is a niche store; I am very happy for Biddy and whoever has built Cronin's up from dollar one, and I only wish them continued success. After what was it, twenty years? they must be doing something right. But you must also understand that not everyone is Irish. I am not Irish, the two people who walk the mall with me three hours a week are not Irish, and no one in my family is Irish. Combine this fact with limited advertisement or a weak store front, and you are reading the result. I mentioned Gertrude Hawk's before; even if you don't care for chocolate, you have still HEARD of Gertrude Hawk.
BOTTOM LINE, signage (in my opinion) must have been lacking and from what I recall (if I am not mistaken) the only thing I DID take notice of was that the store seemed 'sparse and thrown together.' AGAIN, NORMAL FOR A SEASONAL STORE, but the look of the place turned me off as I had no reason to think the store was seasonal. You can say I'm wrong or get offended, but I'd rather you listen to my comments with an open mind. HERE I AM, A CUSTOMER THAT WAS POTENTIALLY AVAILABLE TO YOU three hours or more out of every week you operated at steamtown, and I am giving you my honest opinion.
What can we take from this? Biddy, you don't have to listen, but I really think some better signage (maybe a folding sign in the entrance way as well?), and either a more put-together store front (perhaps just a smaller one so it would seemed filled) or DIRECT WORDING that the store is merely seasonal and that there is indeed a year-round location. You may think it may not matter, but I do know a large number of Irish people, and who knows how many I could have directed to Cronin's if I had gotten a better impression and knew what to call the place, even if I PERSONALLY wasn't the one who was going to make a purchase. This is CONSTUCTIVE CRITICISM, listen to it. I know Cronin's has to be paying a small fortune to rent that space out every year, what's a couple extra dollars for some really nice signage?
In closing, Biddy, I promise you that I will stop by the store when you are in the mall again. I can't say that I will find anything to buy, but I will drop in and have a chat with you. If you still have a beef about someone declaring the store was closed, go talk to weluvpa. I went directly off of his post, which I should have double checked, but then again all I said was that I had no idea of where the store was or what it offered. The rest, I either did not articulate well enough or it was misread.
SWB:
As for you, Paul, don't even think that you're going to lump me in with the long list of Doherty bashers and 'town criers' that frequent this board. YOU KNOW what my attitude has been on here, and it's the OVERWHELMINGLY NEGATIVE attitude that has made me visit this board less and less. I have actually been out doing things that will no doubt be criticized here in the coming months, but at least I'm CONTRIBUTING to society instead of DETRACTING from it like the members here you profess to loathe but you still come back to the well time and again.
My post clearly said that Cronins in the mall closed. I was not aware of the seasonal set up but I never said that Cronins is out of business. I have actually stopped and shopped in the store on Keyser and I have been christmas shopping there for years. I have also spoke to Mr. Cronin personally after he called my house last year to discuss the city and some issues. I have also been to your car lot if I'm not mistaken its called Ninorc's on Wyoming Ave. after I spoke to Mr. Cronin.
Although I clearly stated that the shop in the mall was closed(which it was), I apologize for anything more that was read into it. Thats all I said and if Luna had checked my post he would of found the shop in the mall closed although due to a seasonal closing all be it closed. As far as the merchandise goes I have purchased many gifts for friends from the keyser ave store.
As for you, Paul, don't even think that you're going to lump me in with the long list of Doherty bashers and 'town criers' that frequent this board. YOU KNOW what my attitude has been on here, and it's the OVERWHELMINGLY NEGATIVE attitude that has made me visit this board less and less. I have actually been out doing things that will no doubt be criticized here in the coming months, but at least I'm CONTRIBUTING to society instead of DETRACTING from it like the members here you profess to loathe but you still come back to the well time and again.
Yes. As long as people like Dan feel as if it is their "mission" to see the city fail so he can say "told ya so" to the Doherty supporters, then I'll be here to counter his negative rants every step of the way. As a future homeowner and investor in the city, I'm incredibly annoyed to see that there are indeed people here hellbent on undermining the potential future success of the city as a viable place to raise a family simply to prove a political point. Is Doherty a good mayor? In my opinion he's done much worse for the city than good. Does that sour me on moving to the city? Not at all. The NEGATIVE, NASTY ATTITUDES have soured me (and some of my friends) on moving to the city---not the inept leadership at the helm; mayor can be replaced in a few years but sour neighbors are going to needle their way into your soul until they finally die off. Also, if you do not know me personally then do not insinuate that I do nothing to "contribute to society." Just because I choose not to toot my own horn doesn't mean that I don't try to help others in the community whenever possible.
Paul, the reason why people in Scranton has nasty and negative attitudes is due in part to this inept administration. The roads are a mess. The wage tax is the highest in the state. We pay taxes and get nothing in return. Business is fleeing the city at every turn. The population is declining. Dan doesn't rant just for the hell of it, 99 percent of what he says about the state of the city is true. I say once we get Doherty out of here, and get someone in there that will do something (no I don't mean Janet Evans), then Scranton may have a hope for a brighter future.
It seems to me most of the people with the negative attitudes all seem to be losers. I see the people with the positive outlook on things actually accomplishing things and prospering. Maybe I am wrong, but just an observation.
If you're referring to the people who speak at the council meetings, not all of them are losers. Most of them work and have families. They're just fed up with this city.
It seems to me most of the people with the negative attitudes all seem to be losers. I see the people with the positive outlook on things actually accomplishing things and prospering. Maybe I am wrong, but just an observation.
What respect do you mean "losers"?
My definition would be someone that had a good state job with maybe 10 years to go to retire and blows it.
Whats yours?
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