An Intriguing Tale Of Being An Owner

Although we didn’t have much tourists come thru’ this town during this summer because of the lost of ferry – we sure had a few that came by to ask if we had an internet cafe.   We used to have a little room that we used – for tourist/s and their internet needs last year – but this year – we didn’t do anything – because we didn’t think we would have any request for it.  But with the little space we have in our store – next year – it would make more business sense to have an outdoor internet cafe  with some  patio chairs and patio tables.  Afterall getting patio chairs are not expensive and it would be nice to have some to sit on – when watching the kid play outside instead of insisting she stay in the store during summer.   Our set up will be simple – just a computer and a monitor and some patio chairs and tables right in front of our store – how’s that for you – for being creative and innovative?

So I have been reading for months now a few times a week – that Blockbuster is going bankrupt again.  Like I said – it’s not the first time I’ve heard about this – and to think that this town wants a Blockbuster to come in since Movie Gallery closed its door about a month ago.

Today I read a long report on MSN- about Blockbuster missing a $42 million in payment to its bondholders and because of that they may be filing for another bankruptcy.   It may just be better off – for them to close its door because how the hell do people pay $42 million back?   which makes a total of more than 100 million in the hole so far just this year.   So no – folks of this town – you are probably stuck with just us now and are we making money?  hahaha!!!  not telling you .    but we’ve been doing this for 11 yrs and still going strong – and yes – we do have new releases every Tuesday.

Yes ! ever since the competition closed its door for business about a month ago – we decided we should rent games again.  Firstly, it’s only logical to give good customers a wide variety of choice while there is no competition. Secondly, things are changed a wee bit – because as you can see – there are conditions to rent the game.

Refundable deposit for anything priced higher than $24.98 and that way – I don’t get so aggravated when anyone tries not to bring them back.  At this point of time – we have a group of very great customers – but if you are a long time customer/s – you don’t need to do the deposit thing.  So there – for new customers only – deposit required.

So I read on the local News that Frank Anderson is suing the government and Percy Paris the Minister Of Economic and Rural Development? A notice of intent is being served already as I write this – so what do I think about it?  Well, according to Frank Anderson – it’s a defamation and slander case – that whatever Percy Paris said caused Frank Anderson to lose his job both in the industrial commission and development authority.

So all the stories surrounding Anderson wasn’t true?  I’m sure Percy Paris didn’t say nothing that wasn’t placed in front of him – I mean – he didn’t just become the minister yesterday – he had been in politics for a long, long time.  So what about this report that there is $500K missing?  Sometime in June – Ernst & Young reported major problems – so what is that all about?   And was there any truth about what happened in Shelburne County.  Mannn!! what a mess!  I’m following this really closely – because it would be very interesting to see how all these turn out.

Tis’ awfully wonderful – NOT! when people come in with an item – they had bought a month ago – like a game – and want to return it because they claimed it doesn’t work *slap forehead*.  We warranty all our things – but come on ..!!!  a month..???  even when you buy something from Zellers or Walmart – they don’t do an exchange or return or cash back after a month..????

I mean seriously!!!!  i wouldn’t even go to Zellers or Walmart to try and return something that is 1 month old – AND especially if the game or movie were only like $5 !!!!  I wished people wouldn’t be so annoying?  el cheapo?  ridiculous?  I really don’t know what you called it – but it’s very irritating !!

We celebrated our 11 yrs in business a few days ago – the no tax sale was a great success and many customers – old and new came by to congratulate us.  We even had a celebrity from out of town who came in to wish us many more years of success.  Can you guess who the celebrity is?

11 yrs in business is definitely no easy feat – we’ve learned a lot during the last 11 yrs and realized that it’s easy to open a business but to keep your customers coming back to you – now that’s the difficult part.  Along the way – we’ve seen many good people but we’ve also had our fair share of nonsense.  We look forward to another year of challenge and I have to say that this year – we’ve done fairly well for ourselves despite the fact that we’ve lost the boat and our link to the USA.  But having said that – we don’t do touristy business  – maybe that’s the reason why we are not affected.  We also foresee – that if we continue to not have tourist or the boat – it would be detrimental to this town and ultimately us.   So lets hope for a better year next year – not only for us but for the rest of the town as well.

It’s not only the bathroom here that I don’t like – the bathroom at home – don’t have a window either – I don’t have any idea – why they build houses this way here but the store’s bathroom definitely need some bathroom fans.  Our store’s bathroom is just a small little cubicle with no windows nor any ventilation in it -  nor does it have a heater either.  So when it’s winter – it’s darn cold and when it’s summer – it’s darn hot – so it’s a no win situation for us.   I had asked the boss to speak with the landlord about some bathroom fans and after renting for almost 4.5 yrs now – he still hasn’t spoken to him about it.  So soon I’m gonna insist that either the boss speaks with the landlord’s assistant or I will make him do it himself.  By this town’s standard we have been paying good money for the store – but besides the space that we have – that’s it!  We spend long hours here – so we have to make this work for us right?  how to send the customer/s into our bathroom when it doesn’t have heat nor ventilation fans?

I haven’t seen eye to eye with our town’s Mayor since he was elected almost 2 yrs ago – this coming October.  But this morning – I read on our local papers how he refused to create another tax just to support a local organization supposedly to be helping the downtown businesses.

Yes for years – local business have to pay for parking – whether you have a car or not – and business occupancy tax – but this year or was it last – it was eliminated. But i also see another town councilor – who is also a lawyer – by profession and old guard – who is insisting that they find some money for this organization somewhere.  The boss and I will be watching this very closely – to see how the small business is going to be affected.  No way are we going to take it lying down if they are going to try and tax us small businesses again.

We are celebrating our 11 years in business with a no tax sale on Friday and Saturday.   Yes!  no easy feat – 11 yrs – the stories i could tell you.  No tax sale is a huge thing in Canada – because that means – the customers don’t have to pay an extra 15% to the government – we absorb the tax.  So for the next two days – we would be making less profit but what better way then to give back to the customers right?  So come right in – everything in the store is tax free! woohoo!!  Love no tax sale – don’t you?

In a few days – the store will be celebrating its 11 yrs in business – I asked the boss how he feels about it?  his reply?  mildly successful since we are still open – muahahhahaha!!!   Yes! we’ve come a long, long way for a small business – we’ve been thru’ so many things – you couldn’t even begin to imagine but on our 10th anniversary last year – i think we kinda settle into this very good routine – no employees – and work ourselves.

Don’t get me wrong – we have had some very good employees and they know who they are – but for such a small store in order to keep our prices down and competitive – the only way to do it – is to do it on our own.

We are very grateful to our loyal customers – and they also knwo who they are – the store has evolved to where it is now – because of them – without them – we won’t be where we are.  We are far from being rich – but i’m happy to say – that we are comfortable with our store and happy with our clientele – everyone of them are decent people.  Thank you all – for making our store a success!

The spouse will be holding some kind of tournament at the store today for the game Magic.  It had been going for a few weeks now  – in the beginning – he played at midnight after the kid went to bed  – but that didn’t work out because i wasn’t too happy.  Normally, i wouldn’t mind – but every time he plays we would have to send the kid to her grandparents and I would have to man the store.  I don’t mind either – but this morning – the kid woke up with some sneezing and coughing and i was quite worried.  I really didn’t want her to go to her grandparents if she didn’t feel well – but what was i gonna say – because he already had his mind set to play.  *sigh*. MEN!

Plus the chinese restaurant is not opened this weekend – so i have to eat frozen food – normally i don’t mind – but because i started on a stricter diet 2 weeks ago – because of my diabetes – so this is just going to set me back.  Oh well – what to do ?  the boys need their game time right?  *shrug* Random ranting is a must!

Online courses and upgrading are very popular in this area – every time a customer comes into our store – and we asked them what they are doing for work – they normally tell us they are preparing to go back to school or doing some online courses.  Upgrading is a huge part in this town – so it doesn’t come as a surprised to me when a long time customer whom we haven’t seen for a long time told us that he is doing his lsat prep online.

I wished that upgrading was as easy for us as it is now in this country.  Back home – when you failed your studies – you can’t go online and finish or upgrade as easily.  If your parents were well to do – you can go overseas and finish your studies – but if they are not – then you pretty much just can’t finish school.  Back then even a secretary – needs to go for a 2 yrs course – before you can get a job and a secretary needed her O’ levels equivalent to Grade 12 here.   So yes, folks from the West are very blessed because a customer – who is in his 50s had gone back to school to upgrade and it’s a program that the government  supports and when he finishes the upgrade he can apply online and do other courses to specialize in something.  I think it’s wonderful to be able to upgrade or finish one’s studies – especially when during your teens you don’t think it is important but only realizes how important it is when you are a lot older – a second chance – i called it.

So all competition for renting movies and games finally closed its door 2 days ago – except for a convenient store that just started up to rent again.  I believe it is the work of a major supplier in Canada – we’ve worked with them before and they just sux big time.  For they promised us heaven and earth 2.5 yrs ago – but guess what – they didn’t keep to their words.  They backed out when we needed them most and they thought they left us stranded – but guess what we stayed and did better without them – for now we once again – own our own movies and games and can do just about anything with it.

So this week – we put up an ad in hope to entice and educate more people in this town – to let them know that we are still the best deal in town.  Lets hope we see some returns from such an expensive ad.  We haven’t advertise for a long time now – so we are hoping that some advertising will go a long way.

For the longest time – we have been saving money on advertising on the papers or radio about our store  – but chose to give  personalized gifts during Christmases and the store’s anniversary.   But ever since the competitions closed its door – next week – we are playing a prominent ad on the local trading post – which will cost us a bit of money.  But i think it is time too – and for this year’s 11th year anniversary of the store  – we will continue to give out gifts to loyal customers and special ones.  As for the new customers – we have to think of something special to remind them about us.  For example – the ladies can get a tote with our logo on it and the men a baseball cap?  Worth thinking about something special this year since we are really the last rental place left in this town.  While there are convenience store still renting some movies – we are basically the ones – who will have all the newest and biggest selection.

We do like most of our customer/s – of course there are few whereby you know – you can never pleased them even if you gave them freebies to show them you are value their business.  But it never harm to try to get your customers to like you too – plus gifts like that are also for long – time customers.  But when you are a customer that never bought the computer or game or even consoles from us – do you really think you should come to us for tech support?

I can never fathom why people would buy something from another store and then come and ask us how to get it working or when they have trouble with it – how to reset a password.  Isn’t it common courtesy not to rub it in our face that you bought something from somewhere else instead of giving us the business?  Yes ! we like our customers and would buy Christmas gifts for special customers – but really – some folks really gotta give us a break too eh.

A few months ago – while we were up in Halifax – we visited another locally owned game store – and from what we saw – we came back with some ideas that we could use to revamp the store – with the little space we have.  From the beginning of opening the business – the boss had always done his own shelving – so when the other “Big” Movie Store decided to close its door – we bought some of their fixtures instead.  A lot cheaper than buying glass cabinets that we had originally planned.   Now some faux wood blinds for the back windows would be a perfect match for our new fixtures – if we could get the landlord to come up with the money for it.  But having dealt with the same landlord for the last 4.5 yrs – i think it would end up coming out from our own pocket.  They can’t even provide us with a spare piece of carpet.  I missed my old landlord – truth be told – if we could have turned the clock back – we would have done it differently – but for now – a small price to pay for the blinds that we want to pretty up our store.

So fireworks night was last Friday – one would think that it’s a simple ritual – a yearly thing for this small town – and the entire town are usually out at the waterfront or by Wendy’s where everyone finds a place and sit and wait for the sky to turn dark and enjoy the firework.

This year’s firework was slightly better than the previous years and this year we opted to go down by Wendy’s instead – but we didn’t come with chairs nor a towel to sit on.  So we met our neighbor and chatted for abit – when the guy sitting in front of his car by the road – raised his voice and said we were blocking his view.  Yes! rude and the firework hasn’t started for that matter – and really – this is afterall – a free space and anyone can stand in a big open space where they want.  But as usual – we didn’t want any trouble – and i asked the boss to move a few feet away and the big Caucasian guy moved his chair where we were.   Like i said – no need of that – the space didn’t belong to him – if only he would ask nicely – we wouldn’t have been offended at all.  My grandmother used to say – people like that ” San Yan Ba Sei Dei” – meaning – direct translation – living person placing order on a dead land.   Why can’t people be nice?

If you are thinking of flying to Halifax from this town – then you are out of luck because the airline that pulled itself out because they used the federal funding meant to last for 5 yrs within 2 years.  Yes, there is an audit but when will the audit come to an end or will anything yield from it – i don’t know. Apparently, everything is still up in the air and although there had been mails sent out to previous passengers – we have yet to know if it is going to do anything good.

It was a lot of money invested into this airline link – the people of this town who brought them in – might as well have invested in shares with Amazon books as far as i am concern.  Afterall, Amazon books proved to be a lot more lucrative and everyone is using it – and it’s still in business.   How much more will it take to make the people of this town who runs this place and who holds the money come up with wiser decision?  Like i said – the next time they ask me for my opinion – my best bet is to invest in something feasible – like the online bookstore – everyone needs it – everyone buys from it.  What i meant was to be able to bring in something that everyone needs – and won’t cost them an arm or a leg  just to use them.  Cater to the needs of its people!!!  how hard is it to understand – to stay in business – you have to have a transport that everyone can use!

So we had more celebration in this town – for the summer – as usual – they are the same old thing – the festival of lights – the mackerel throw – the chowder cookout and lobster eating.  Yes! same old, same old – tis’ kinda boring after so many years and even with the fireworks – it didn’t really bring a lot of joy to me.  I don’t know about others in this town – maybe they liked the fireworks a lot – maybe they went to the drinking holes – but this summer – i know i didn’t see much tourists nor those who went to the waterfront drop in at our place to shop.   I’m just glad that our business is steady with our regular customers and of course more of the new ones who are renting movies from us.  Yes, the celebration will be over this weekend – for Seafest/summer  – but alas, the town seems to not get their act together yet.

I’ve time and again told you that this town is extremely funny !  you see they even have bylaws for signs – that means you need to get permission to put up a sign and no flashing signs too.  Yes – apparently – flashing signs can cause accidents?  Mannn!! this people haven’t been to Las Vegas or Japan eh – muahahah!!  anyhow – we were out looking for door chime from the local hardware store when we heard a conversation between 2 customers that the sign bylaws were gonna be changed but there is going to be a big debate about it.

The town planner fears that with this new bylaws or freedom for putting up signs without getting a permit could lead to more cost – because they might be asked to remove it. *sigh* – how ridiculous right?  businesses need a permit to put up signs!  how is a business gonna thrive if they need a red tape on everything they are doing?  Makes no sense to me !  is the concern of the town planner a real concern?  I really can’t tell – but this town sure looks pretty dull in my humble opinion – even India has some awesome signs in the city. So more debate i heard soon – we didn’t continue listening as we needed our door chime and head back to work.