Small Business Saturday BS

[Matt]

How about "Refuse service to a pig Saturday"?

[Deleted User 14896]

There's a little noticed reason why many small businesses fail.

Back in the day when Grandma and Grandpa started Corner Market or Family Hardware, there was Mom, Pop, and a kid or two after school and on the weekends working there.

Three generations later, Mom, Pop, the kids, the kids spouses, and any grandkids over the age of 15, are all on the payroll.
In the same size store as what Grandma and Grandpa started 50 years ago.

Think about it.
How many times you go into a "mom and pop, been around as long as you can remember" shop, and someone's only job is to stay at the register, even if no one is checking out?

[Y M Ionhere]

There's a little noticed reason why many small businesses fail.

Back in the day when Grandma and Grandpa started Corner Market or Family Hardware, there was Mom, Pop, and a kid or two after school and on the weekends working there.

Three generations later, Mom, Pop, the kids, the kids spouses, and any grandkids over the age of 15, are all on the payroll.
In the same size store as what Grandma and Grandpa started 50 years ago.

Think about it.
How many times you go into a "mom and pop, been around as long as you can remember" shop, and someone's only job is to stay at the register, even if no one is checking out?

There are other problems.
Markups and overhead being 1. Its easier for deep-pocketed big name stores to get contracts and distribution deals. That results in better variety. And the mom and pop stores have more problem paying for the increasingly higher rent costs on their buildings. Big name stores often have their own off-brand thats just as good as name brand, but cheaper. One example being Kroger. Compare Kroger-brand cereal with General Mills or Post. Almost as good, and quite a bit cheaper. The larger stores can do that. Mom and Pop stores have fewer brands and to keep up with operating expenses, raise prices.
More examples: there is a family-owned grocery store at the end of my street. Its small, and has limited options. All the dairy is from a small company that isnt well known. Cereal is either cheap dollar-store brand or are regular brand, but priced higher than Kroger. Produce is a piddly little corner with only a few of each item. One register, often with a very grouchy, unhappy co-owner. And ive actually seen one of the owners AT Kroger, presumably picking up something he was going to mark up and resale. I usually drive the full mile to Kroger for higher quality and variety at slightly closer to wholesale prices. Gas stations are mom and pop, too. They go to stores like Kroger, buy a box of candy, then resell the individual pieces for profit. Its economically smart for the business, but NOT the consumer.
Also, Guitar Stores. Its cool to hate on Guitar Center, but they sell new, name-brand Gibsons and Fenders. Ive seen many a small guitar shops go out of business that sold mostly used or cheap-brand instruments. I hung out with musicians. They didnt bother with a lot of the independent stores unless they wanted cool vintage stuff. You cant stay in business selling just sheet music and cheap guitars when the rising costs of rents, utilities and mandatory insurance exceeds sales numbers and the whole family needs good profits to eat and pay their own home mortgage. So you have to scramble to make ends meet, resulting in overpriced merchandise sitting on shelves for 2 years that customers have already seen and dont want.
Then, there are hours and overhead for pay. Can a mom and pop store afford to stay open 24 hours? Can they afford to pay enough people to work a 24 hour schedule? Walmart and Meijer CAN. They can afford the workers and all that electricity. So you can buy items at 2 AM if thats what your schedule dictates. Gas stations only pull it off out of neccesity and they usually work 1 person each in 10-12 hour shifts.

[audiophile]

Isn't this also free speech? Small Business Saturday is voluntary.

YM makes a good point, if you rent a building you are in trouble.