An Intriguing Tale Of Being An Owner

A customer was in today looking for the hair shop that was opposite ours – you see I had not noticed that they moved away!  So this customer said to me – that there should be a store in downtown selling beauty products like acne treatments without having to go to a beauty spa.  Yes!  i fully agree and if I weren’t already so busy with our own business – I know it definitely could be a success in this town.  Going for a facial is $80 – going to highlight your hair here is another $80 – to do special face treatment – it’s more money – and with this economy – not everyone can afford it.   Skin care specialist over the counter – is a great idea – now to find good help for that idea.

So the witch hunt begins – to promote downtown shopping -  by looking for 13 witches in the various stores of downtown.   This is planned in hope that people would come shop downtown and to know what these stores carry.  But I noticed not much is being advertised by the people planning the event.  But for those who are aware of this event – happy witch hunting and I hope you win.  I heard that one  can find lots of  good buys during these witch hunt and get some discount office furniture as well.  I can’t wait to find time do some witch hunting with my kid and maybe I can get lucky and buy some discounted goods as well.  Good luck everyone!

It’s fashion week downtown this week – the picture above – is from the neighbor’s store – now had i known they sold handbags – i would definitely have gone over before they closed today – and took a look at it.  You see I have been looking out for a nice handbag – but couldn’t find any for the longest time.  In fact, I went to Etsy – and had one handmade last week.  Now these bags are only $35 – so I would have definitely jumped over or flew over to at least take a look.    Yes! downtown shops should have a place to advertise themselves – the local yardsale has more members than the downtown group.

For those who thinks that we opened at 11am – is kinda late – I’ll have to tell you – that our day starts as early as 7.30am – and doesn’t end till at leat 1.30am.   Owning your own business – doesn’t even give us much time to do any kind of shopping – so after sending the kid to school – we have our breakfast – cook lunch for her – send it back to school for her lunch and then quickly go shopping for stuff we absolutely need – like a washer and dryer this morning and some cabin beds for the nephews and nieces who are coming over for the Christmas break.  Then we have to rush back to work – and we stay till at least 8.30pm – go home – put the kid to bed – do our housework and then do more work for the business before retiring to bed.  Now if only we can find some cabin beds online – that would be perfect – there isn’t any cabin beds in town.  And why cabin beds?  because during the winter – the static around the house – is just too back for the kids – so a log bed or a wooden one – is the only way to go.  We have been eyeing on a log bunk bed for a long time now – so yes!  shopping before work – and a very quick one is a must – especially when you spend so much time at work like we do.

We are open everyday for 6 days a week and since we are always in the store – it’s hard to make home cooked meals – so we just eat anything we can get a hold of and the spouse – the boss – well – lets just say he loves his junk food a lot!   But who doesn’t right?  If I could I would be eating tidbits everyday or fried food – so I came up with this ingenuous idea – to get some appétit control – that way – maybe we could stop munching on junk food.   Plus it’s so easy to do it – because we are always sitting down and facing the computer.  Well, any desk jobs has this problem – and if you own your own business – you get to do anything you want – eat all the time – if you want to.   So let me check out which appetite suppressant work for us – and I’ll let you know – don’t want to be overweight or obese right?

A customer came in looking for some steiner binoculars for her outdoorsy boss – who loves to go bird watching and hunting of ducks.  And since duck season is just round the corner – she wonder if we had any to sell – or could order some for her.    No, we don’t carry any – but we found some good binoculars for her to choose from and steered her to the right direction and this place does price matching with no tax and free shipping – not bad at all.  Another happy customer – sure we didn’t make any money – but we aim to please whenever we can.

Yes! it’s that time of the year again – time to think of getting gifts for our customers – the loyal ones who have been with us and supported us all these years.  Do all businesses do that? or is it just us?  this year we are looking for a more personalized gift – for individual customer.  Since we are a game store that sells hockey cards, magic cards etc – we thought some personalized footballs for their kids would be a great way to advertise our business.  But I’m guessing that any personalized gift with our logo or our store’s info – would be a good investment/advertisement – what do you think?

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?

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.

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 closed the store for the first time – to head up to the city – because I had an eye doctor appointment and to look for  stainless steel drums.  I feel better closing up then to get in a part time employee to help for the day – because then you know that you don’t have to worry about anything. You have to make sure that the person you hire will not need  Cocaine Rehab, or have some other personal problems. After all when you have a good security system it is better to not chance it!
The store is secured with a new security company and we had put in more sensors even in the basement and on the windows in front and at the back of the store.

Of couse, I’m sure the spouse wasn’t really, really too keen on closing the store – but when you can’t find the right help – what can you do eh?  and the person we wanna hire – well, he just ain’t barging at all – hahah!!  you know who you are bugger     Anyhow – if i had it my way – i would stay another day – but this summer – with good rates from help from a customer – who works for Westin – we are staying longer – for sure.

Yes, we have one of those every other day – the ones that thinks that they are doing you a favor when they sell stuff to you.  The ones that needs the money – but still thinks that you owe them an explanation as to how much you price the game that they are trying to sell to you.  Yes ! one of those – we had this morning – bringing in a box of xbox games – not xbox 360 eh – the old xbox games and an old xbox and wants them for $170 *slap forehead*.  When the boss offered him $80 – he told us that we could easily get $10 a piece for the games!  hahaha!! YA RIGHT!!  we sell our xbox games for only $5 a piece and even then – it will take forever to sell – because no one has an xbox no more!!!  Not only do they want to sell your their stuff and thinks you owe it to them to give them the price they want – they also wants to run your business – hahahah!!  I think I will sell electric cigarettes from now on – instead of video games – less hassle.

Nope we don’t have marc jacobs handbags in our store but we sure have loads of rock band guitars on sale at this moment.  In fact overloaded and we don’t know where to put them – so we currently have them stacked on the empty shelves that we have.  There are at least 3 dozens on sale at the moment – so like any smart business fella – we go on sale for the guitars.  So if you want cheap Rock Band Guitars – drop by at our store – and hey if you are in Canada .. we’ll even ship it out to you.

So the Premier was in town today – and guess what – he was welcomed by the crowd chanting – “Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho – Dexter gotta go! Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho, Dexter gotta go”  Some had their  terry romper on and was standing as a by-stander and just watching.   About a dozen of the town ppl were at the town hall picketing – the numbers were sad!  for those who were there ranting and giving all sorts ofmouthy speech on Facebook were just empty vessels. When the real deal to talk to the Mayor presented itself – there were no spokesperson.   I was late and i didn’t get to see the Premier – but had i seen him – i did have a few questions prepared for him.  Shortly after the doors were closed – the group lead by former Mayor Crosby dispersed.  It was a very sad day for me – i had expected a better turn out – when they were fighting for the Yar’c they had more turned out than this.  I see that the Yar’c is far more important to the people of this town than the ending of tourism.  How sad is that..?

We just had a hair cut today and we usually have it done by someone who does it at her home but since she was not available all the time, we decided to support our own downtown businesses instead.  As it is – with the current situation in town, we can always try and get to support all downtown businesses if possible – if i can get my weight loss supplements from downtown I would too.  Unfortunately, not the entire town thinks this way – most ppl prefer to shop at big names – they don’t want to help keep the locals in business it seems – they prefer to give their money to the big boys – sad.

Come August 20th, the store will be celebrating its 10th anniversary.  To say that we are not tired of running our own business would be a lie.  But then, if you work for someone.. you still pretty much have to take all sorts of nonsense from your co-worker.. or your bosses.  Yes.. some are really no so nice.. i wished they would go get some acne treatments for the pain they are causing others.  But running your own business.. you also get a different kinda headache.  So there is really a no win-win situataion. So the solution is to be happy and don’t sweat the small stuff.

Yes.. even with wood flooring with such bad winter.. it can be hard on the floor.  Every customer/s walk in with wet boots.. and shakes off .. their snow and wetness right in our store.. irregardless whether we have thick carpets or not right where the door is.   We mopped as much as possible.. but the man don’t seems deter or disturbed by the wet floor .. or how the customer/s is damaging the floors and carpets.  It is no point even trying to educate them. .for they just keep doing it.

We have been getting in lots of digital cameras but not enough sd card for our customers.  Everyone who was interested in buying a digital camera.. wanted one with an sd card.  Why can’t they buy the camera from us… and go elsewhere for the sd card i asked PB.. in which he replied.. they probably don’t want to spend so much money .. for the sd card .. afterall, a previously used digital camera is half of what  you would pay for new here. The other thing that is most wanted here is a Wii .. so if anyone got a Wii.. let me know.

We have been shoveling the snow where the doctor’s use as doorway for their prayer’s place.. because the entrance is just next to our store.  And like any good neighbour, knowing that they are not always there.. we shovel for them.  A few days ago, I had left message for our family doctor .. about the snow situation. .and that it would be nice to leave some salt for us to salt it for them.  A few days later.. no response.. !!!  Oh well.. guess who isn’t gonna shovel for them no more..  ???  no prizes for guessing correct.  Where is their social responsibilities eh…?? a bunch of doctors.. and no manners..!!