Why "mom and pop" stores are as bad as big-box stores

[Le Taz Hot]

31. And my experiences are exactly the opposite.

I go into Big Box Stores (rarely) and no one knows who I am which is OK, that's not their job, except when it comes time to find something or ask a question then all of a sudden, there's not a clerk in sight. And when you finally DO find one, the guy they hired for the automotive department is having to work the gardening department and looks at you like you're from outter space when you ask him where to find the vermiculite.

Otoh, I can go to my LOCAL hardware store which has been there since 1847 (moved several times and obviously upgraded) and they DO know my name. But more importantly, there are electricians in the Electrical Department and plumbers in the Plumbing Department, etc. They've saved me from my home-improvement self countless times by advising me the RIGHT way to do things.

Same thing with the LOCAL stores (2) from where I buy my macrame supplies. They do know my name and I know theirs and they are experts in their field. If they don't have something, they order it for me. Yes, I pay a little more than at Michael's (Blech!) or JoAnn's (Blech Blech!) but I prefer supporting locally-owned businesses whenever I can.

If we want to get away from being corporately-owned, we have to get away from BUYING corporate whenever there is an alternative. Local economic improvement is what will bring us out of this economic downturn. We've already experienced the "too-big-to-fail" model and we all saw how well that works. Let's go the other direction for awhile and see what happens.