Worrying Trends

Yes! worrying trends said the town’s chief admins officer – wow! you mean he only realized it now?  HOLY MOLY!  i didn’t have a degree in managing this town but 5 years ago, when folks in this town starting moving away to get a job – i already knew that things isn’t looking really well.  Surely, then he should have done and said something?  no?

Isn’t it a bit too late to start worrying now?  and start looking for solutions for the deficits of this town and where the money is going to come from seeing that there is less property to tax and less business occupancy to collect?   Jeeze ! it sure didn’t take a genius to see it eh?  or did everyone sit in their cloud 9 this long?

She Said I Was Brutal!

So a customer came in today and the boss wasn’t in – but she wanted to leave her computer and the works at the store – to let him check it out – to see if he wants to buy it.  I told her very nicely that we don’t keep customer’s stuff when when are not around ( in case, they accused us of exchanging their things like ram, hard drive and video card) and bad-mouthed us when we don’t even know about it.  I asked her nicely, if she could come back later in which she replied “NO! “  and turned around and called me brutal or rude !

What the hell!!!  I was so nice about it – and the store was crowded, I was serving another customer !  I was dumb – founded – didn’t know what to think !  why do people behave this way ?  you want to sell something to the store – you want my money – why in the world would you behave this way?  You can bet I wouldn’t be paying much when you come back when the boss is in.

Parking Downtown Issue Again

So we were visited by a few councilors asking us about the parking issues in our downtown and wanted our opinion about the extended hours for parking downtown.  Most of the councilors were earnest about it – but one was like hmmmm…  well, not really asking for our opinion – more like since I’m here – I’ll just pretend I’ll ask you something serious – so you will think I’m working hard for the town.

Well, even though I’m not originally from this town, I can assure you – I’m far from being naive or stupid, so since the question was asked flippantly I also replied flippantly.  And this councilor can be sure that he/she will not be getting my vote the next time round.  If the town councilors think that the folks in town don’t know who is really working for the better of the town, well, they are in for a shocked the next time it is time for an election.

Anyhow, back to the parking issue of our downtown – I seriously feel that parking shouldn’t be limited and if the town is worried that the employees are going to park where the customers are – they should just inform the business owners to tell their employees not to park in front of their own store and to use the car park.  Shopping downtown shouldn’t be this hard for the customers, who would wanna shop downtown if they have to worry about a parking ticket?  so please don’t make it so hard for the downtown businessmen – make the customers want to come downtown by offering free parking all day like Starrs Road.

More Empty Shop Fronts

Yes, a lot more empty shop front in the works, a neighbor down the road is applying to move his business to his home because he said it makes no sense to stay on Main since we’ve not only lost the ferry but also people in this county.  Yes, the amount of people that had move away from this town is quite scary and still the provincial government don’t think that the ferry had affected the economy in this town really makes me very worried.

Because of the latest development, I’m kinda weary as to whether we should invest in a business property here, I’m quite scared too if our money is going to go down the drain.  I mean we are doing well now but what if people keeps moving away from this town, who will be left with buying consoles and games and computers?

I know we need a bigger store but do we really wanna put so much money down?  the town hasn’t convinced me enough to want to do that truth be told.  I wanna be able to up and move if things don’t turn around for the town because eventually, it will affect us right?

The Town Needs More Action Takers

Yes! we don’t need more talkers – we need more action takers.  Talking is easy as we all know – it’s taking the bull by it’s horn that is what we need.  I know that the airport is trying very hard to get something going and negotiating with some people from away, if only everyone is like him that would be really nice.  Please no more talking – some action is much better for this town. I’m tired of seeing the town going downhill and sure people are going tell me why don’t you do something then ?  well, I’m not paid to do something – I’m just a small business owner who is trying to keep the business going for a long, long time to come not just for this year or next year but a lot of years down the road, so that my kid can take over the business.  When someone wants to start paying me for business lunches, business class flights and hotel accommodation – then it’s up to those who are getting all these perks to do something eh?

 

Dealing With Irate Customers

Most of our customers are great but once in a while – some wake up in the morning without taking their meds and then come to the store and make trouble for us.  We were not in the store yesterday, so poor Gary had to fend for himself.  Customer came in asking for a store credit for something he had bought over the weekend and our store policy is only the boss can do it. Since the boss was sick, Gary couldn’t do anything and instead the customer threatened Gary that he was going to bring his lawyers to sue us for $10K  * slap forehead * .

Anyhow, customer returned today and of course, didn’t kick up a big fuss but I did tell him that we didn’t appreciate his behavior and that there was no need to go after Gary for anything because he was just doing what he was told.  His complains were not relevant whatsoever  and after 13 years in business, we know how to handle crazy people like that.

Student’s Lunch Downtown Van Not Approved

So the van take takes passengers around town everyday is now deemed too dangerous for student to be on – to go downtown for lunch.  The board or the school does not approved of this kinda van it seems * roll my eyes*  really ????  I can’t believed that the school board is making it hard for the students to leave and take their lunch outta school.  What is next now?

Did the school know that these students order their pizza and they get delivered to school?   Either way, they are not going to be stopping anyone I am sure and in my humble opinion – I think it’s safer to take the van – and definitely much more time effective for the kids.

Real Men Pay Their Debt

After shopping came back to the store – to entertain some sassy teenagers who wanted to rent from us but I said no – because he owed us a game from 2002 and never brought it back. So he started questioning me – asking why he was allowed to rent movies and not games – and we tried to explain to him that he owed us a game that wasn’t returned from years ago and we are not holding it against his parents. So he and his friends started sassing me up – and before they left – asked if i owned the store – in which PB replied “she’s my wife – so she does own the store” . They came back a few mins later – to buy the 40 bucks games – and said that’s the way a man do things – by buying it – PB said – the way a man do things is to pay up his bad debts.

The Roll My Eyes Phone Calls

I swear I want to get one of this button to wear when I’m at the store serving some idiotic customers or when I answer phone calls that people over the other end shouldn’t even have called for.  The stories I can tell – it’s pretty amazing I tell yer.

The most favorite one is when someone call and tell me he bought a computer a few days ago and it doesn’t wanna do this or that or that it’s a blue screen.  But of course, I’m darn smart after 12 years in business – and asked him to wait a minute and to let me know where and when he bought the computer – and of course – revelation – he bought it from Walmart or Staples or some other god know where places.  Of course, I quickly stop him short there and told him there is nothing i can do over the phone for him unless he wants to bring it in – and we can then try helping him.

But my new year’s plan for these kinda calls is to tell caller to give me his credit card # and that we bill every 15 mins on the phone at $10 an hour – now that should stop them really quick and not call us for technical support when they didn’t buy their stuff from us.  And what about those callers that bought their xboxes or ps3 from zellers or gamestop – and calls us up to help them with their parental code breaking – OH MY GOD right??  you didn’t buy the systems from us – so why are you calling for technical help?  sometimes you really want to smack them – not only are they taking up your time, they are also hogging my phone line for genuine customers /paying customers who may be calling in or worst stop me from taking money from a paying customer who is already in front of me.  Yes !  the “don’t make me roll my eyes at you” tag must be made for next year and worn at all times at the store.

Parking Sign Needed Bad

Yes! we were blocked in again and the other day this white van took our parking spot! and today when I caught him while driving off for lunch I assumed, he replied that there was plenty of space !  *slap forehead*  But that’s not the point right?  the point is you inconvenienced us and while the boss fumes and does nothing I’m the one with looking for action.  So I’m going to get a sign today by hook or crook.  What the hell is wrong with people these days – they don’t have any common courtesy do they?

Hope For A Ferry In Town

I was quite sure that Dexter wouldn’t say anything good with the report but I was wrong but not entirely wrong – since his announcement if you read properly has too many clauses – the “IFs” and “BUTs” into it.  There is going to be a lot of red tape before we will eventually see the money working towards getting a ferry into this town.  But of course, there is hope for the town and hopefully, all will come true.  And if it was a election move on Dexter part, I guess he isn’t wrong either right?  to each his own – he had to look out for his own best interest first.  One can only hope, one can only keep our fingers crossed.

Really Councilor!

So the new councilors are sworn in and one asked that the town help the downtown businesses to promote shopping downtown but was shot down immediately by an old guard.  He wants the downtown business owners to promote themselves.  Really councilor???  all she was suggesting was that the town coordinate and of course the downtown merchants are going to do what they have to – to make it work for everyone.  It’s like the old guard was saying that the downtown merchants were asking for the town to sponsor the advertising – that was not the intention I am sure of it.  But nope – no explanation – no exploring the idea – just shoot us down !  really ???  God !  this town had got a long way to go.

Flea Market

I normally don’t like going to flea market but the boss thinks otherwise, for some reason – he loved to try out the flea market to see if he can move some of the stuff in the store as we are really overloaded with movies and games.  But when i first looked at the flea market and saw what they sold in it – I didn’t really think that it would worked but like all smart woman I kept my opinion to myself and let it play out itself.  4 weeks later, we lost a total of $80 in products – so it’s not a win-win situation anymore – today we took our things out from the flea market and I’m hoping this would end all the flea market runs from now on.  The boss should just concentrate on the store and not think of anything else.  He tries too many things and I don’t approve of it.

CBDC

I’ve just learned something rather disturbing about the CBDC – and cannot quite fathom why they didn’t help our business some 10 years ago but helped another over and over again at 10 times more  than we had asked to borrow to expand our business.  The CBDC is an organization that is supposed to help small businesses in their expansion and modernization of their business by providing money and advice to young entrepreneur.   Had they helped us out 10 years ago, we would have been a lot more successful quicker than we are now.  Because they wouldn’t loan us a $25K expansion money – their reason was we are bankable – but it’s not true because no bank would help us some 10 years ago.

So in the end – the boss did it his own way but not a way we would advice other young entrepreneurs to take because it would means a lot of wasted money and time when one can do better with a loan from CBDC at a lower interest rate.  It’s CBDC lost – because the interest and principal were all paid up within the 5 years that we had planned and now our business is doing so good, we don’t even owe our suppliers any money.  Everything in the store belongs to us – but it’s still disturbing to learn that CBDC loan $150K to another business over and over again.  I also know that they’ve loaned another business that went under within 6 months.  Boo ! to CBDC in this town – good thing we didn’t need anyone’s help after that.

Inconsiderate Drivers

This town has many inconsiderate people and these people think that everyone owes it to them, to let them have their way.  The red car is ours and the one behind is an employee of Tim’s.  It’s not even a parking space and I went out to her telling her that she was blocking our car in when we need to leave.  But nope, she wouldn’t do nothing about it and just told me that she would be back in 5 mins – 2.5hrs later – when we left at 4.30pm – the car was still there – luckily for us the other shop owners who parked in front of us weren’t there that day, so we could get out.  I don’t know what’s wrong with these freaking people.  Really!  how inconsiderate can people get in this town.

Get Downtown Parking Right

If Digby can do it right – why can’t this town do the parking right by the customers.  The town says that they want to make the town a more friendly place to shop in – and they want more people to support the downtown local businesses but how can you entice customers to come when parking is only an hour and people have to scurry back to their car in a jiffy plus being afraid of getting fine if you are 5 minutes late!!!  I wouldn’t want to go downtown either if I wasn’t a business owner ourselves and have our own parking lot.  It’s the town councilors, the mayor and their crazy bylaws that is killing the downtown businesses and not any other thing for one.  They really should get their act together! even Digby seems to know and act wiser!

The Back Of The Store

Recently, I have been noticing that the back of the store keeps smelling weird at different times of the day, especially when the wind is blowing into the store.  Mannn!!  it sure suxs – and we don’t know where it is coming from, it is the ocean behind us?  or the fish plant behind us or the neighbor’s store that are using strong chemicals for their nail shop?  It’s smelling like garbage now as I typed this – and yesterday it was smelling like chlorine – tomorrow I don’t know what it will smell like.  And you and I know that a smelly store does not attract any customers – so I have to resort to closing the back door but of course, the boss doesn’t like it because it gets really hot.  But the smell is killing me – so he just have to bear with it.

The Pizza Man Is Running For Town Council

So the rumor goes – but if Pizza man is running for council – I’ll be the first to campaign against him winning.  How can someone who is so petty run for town council – the town will suffer greatly with a person like that – who don’t have a mind of his own but rather lived by what his wife said.  He cannot even run his business properly – how can he run for council.  He is someone who pays his employees under the table and doesn’t pay his bills and gets the worst kind of meat for his pizza – so no – if he runs for town council – I will be the first to voice my opinion – which i usually don’t want to get involved because it’s politics.

сондажи

A Great Concern Over Changes With Electoral Boundaries

I’m very concerned over recent even about the changes about to happen with the electoral boundaries of this town.  We’ve talked to our local MLA – whom I liked very much and have faith in and I seriously do not want the town to lose its voice in the government.  AS it is we are already losing so many things  – from the boat to all sorts of jobs and no funding for just about anything.  What else is next?  do we have to move to another town to secure our future and those of my kid?   I’ve signed the petition online and have hard copies of the petition at our store – we cannot let this happen else – we will lose our voice – this town will not count for anything.

Bad Planning Or Poor Coordination

I feel bad for the kids who were waiting for the road to clear and start walking in the parade.  The start of Seafest is today and the children’s parade was the first to show off the seafest season – but poor kids waited for at least another 15 mins before they started walking in the heat.  The cars kept coming as if they didn’t know that there was a parade going on. Some bad planning or poor coordination of the town and the seafest coordinators.  My kid was in the parade and I’m not too pleased with that at all.