Yesterday morning, as I was sitting in our office at home sipping coffee and going through my email, I ran across this blog post written by the indomitable Seth Godin. In it he asks several questions to a fictional entrepreneur and then expounds on those questions. He asks if they are aware of their cash flow; if they're building profit or equity; he asks if they would rather be a freelancer, an entrepreneur or a business owner (because there is a difference); if they're trying to build a team; he asks what type of risks are they willing to take; and finally, the most important question - why they're making the effort at all.
I put Scott and I in the role of the fictional entrepreneur, and asked these very hard questions. They may not seem like hard questions at first. But, as Seth points out, these questions often go unasked. They certainly weren't asked when we were given the opportunity to buy the stationery department at Webster's. After four years of operating this store, we've had plenty of time to refine what we're doing, and I'm very proud of that. In one of the most harrowing, tumultuous financial eras in history, we've been forced to confront the unthinkable and still power forward, because we know that what we have to offer is valuable.
In his post, Seth points out that an entrepreneur is "an artist of sorts, throwing herself into impossible situations and seeking out problems that require heart and guts to solve." Well, yeah....there's that. We've certainly had to be entrepreneurs in these strange times. We've had to plan, then re-plan, and then re-plan the re-plan, since things change so quickly here. We're not complaining, though. Rethinking your position is a good thing, no matter what type of economic climate you're experiencing. Like he says - it requires heart and guts to solve the equation that is your business.
He asks about team building. Are we worried about the bottom line so much that we forget that the most important aspect of local business is "trying to forge a culture, to train and connect and lead." Train. Connect. Lead. Those are the fundamentals, in our opinion, and ones we had long before this post of Seth Godin's came about. You can read our Mission Statement right here on our blog (or on our Facebook page - see the info page), where it's been for four years now. We believe that our entire business community can benefit from adopting a similar mission.
Seth goes on to ask the two most important questions....what type of risk are you willing to take and why. Why are we doing this at all? This is complicated to answer. It's an answer found deep down inside both of us, one that comes from deep convictions born of familial values. There is no "easy button", no fast way to rebuild trust in an institution that has been compromised, but we believe it's worth rebuilding. We wouldn't be here otherwise.
This week, I felt compelled to answer a query on NBC's Facebook page about how small businesses are faring in this economy and if we were hiring. I posted that we were struggling through the recession and simply trying to hold onto what's left of our crew. I received a direct message from a reporter at NBC, asking if I'd be willing to do a phone interview for possible inclusion in an article she was writing. Of course I was willing, and this is the article that came of it.
I answer Seth's last and most important question of why - why are you doing this at all - with this answer: because we love this community. We love what Webster's has stood for all these years (85 of them, actually), and we believe that we have an opportunity to do good things here in Altadena. We knew there would be sacrifices to make when we took over the ownership of this store. We've made them and we continue to make them because we know that in the end, this will be worth it. Are we trying to build a team? No, we're building a tribe - a tribe that has the interests of their community at heart. Join us, won't you?
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Sunday, October 23, 2011
An Open Letter To Our Crew Members
This was originally written by Cinda Baxter, the founder of The 3/50 Project, but she took the words right out of my mouth. I wished I had written this, but nevertheless, it's a beautiful letter and one that I distributed this evening to our crew members during our quarterly meeting. I think it says so much - and since I'm a store owner that believes in transparency, I'm sharing it with you. Perhaps, if you're an employer, you can use it or parts of it to give to your own employees. Perhaps you don't have any employees. In that case, give it a read anyway - I think you'll find that the underlying notes of thankfulness and praise uplifting:
Because to me, you are. You're the people I entrust my customers to, who are so near and dear to me. And you're the reason we continue to paddle forward in these strange, unpredictable waters. Which is why I appreciate you so much, even though sometimes, my focus on the bottom line masks that.
I know that on occasion, I harp about keeping things tidy, displays dusted, and holes filled....which might not be reflected by the catastrophe on my desk at any given time.
Housekeeping isn't exciting or fun, but customers notice. If they pick up an item dulled by dust, they assume it's bad merchandise that nobody wants. If there's a gaping hole on the shelf, it looks like we don't care, don't notice, or worse - can't afford to fill it. If things get cluttered, we look like a bargain bin, which definitely isn't our goal.
And yes, sometimes, my methods might seem perplexing. Why, for instance, does the list of four bodies scheduled for the Friday of Thanksgiving weekend have to include yours? Why not someone else? Simple. Each of you lovely souls has a unique personality and skill set. When I piece together schedules, those gifts are taken into consideration so the store has the balance it needs. Given all the big box and Internet competition around the holidays, it's more important than ever that we provide the perfect combination of people so customers get the best experience possible.
In the end, my quirks and requests point in the same direction: Keeping us upright, pleasant and profitable. If one of those elements wobbles, everything does....and customers find somewhere else to shop. Heaven knows, we don't want that, since it hurts everyone whose paycheck has our store name at the top.
Thanks for being the wonderful people I recognized during your interviews. Thanks for remembering that I, too, am only human. And thanks for your heartfelt desire to see the store thrive. For that, I am eternally grateful.
Your Employer
Have a great week ahead, friends, we'll talk next week!
Lori and Scott
AN OPEN LETTER TO OUR CREW MEMBERS
Dear Crew Members,
Let’s face it – the past three years have been rough (more accurately, they’ve been like a blind-folded ride on an out-of-control roller coaster with questionable brakes and really screechy music). You’ve probably seen my moods careen up and down a bit too, between customers, vendors, reps and inventory concerns (not to mention the nasty in-laws). Sorry about that. Some days, as the owner of a retail store, it’s hard not to blur a few lines.
This stuff is personal to me....which is why I want to share a few thoughts with you here. When the store first opened, things were more predictable. Sales had a natural ebb and flow at precise times of year, certain lines were practically bulletproof for us and customers enjoyed shopping. I slept six hours each night, and paid invoices without holding my breath (most of the time, anyway).
But things changed when the market crashed. Sale figures now ricochet like ping pong balls, vendors compete against us online and customers split hairs over 15 cents price differences. Sleep is a far away dream; I practically turn blue when balancing the checkbook.
So yes, I've also changed with the times, examining every decision like it's the biggest one on earth, watching every penny like it's the last one on earth and relying on you like you're the last employees on earth.
- I appreciate that you don't ask for an extra week of vacation afte rhaving taken two weeks this summer, aware that our customers need you.
- I appreciate that you're honest and trustworthy, not putting friends' purchases on your employee discount.
- I appreciate that when I occasionally flip out, you step back and give me space, confident that with a little time, the steam will stop billowing from my ears.
- And I appreciate the fact that through all the insanity known as "life in retail", you remain upbeat and positive, making our customers feel at home.
I know that on occasion, I harp about keeping things tidy, displays dusted, and holes filled....which might not be reflected by the catastrophe on my desk at any given time.
Housekeeping isn't exciting or fun, but customers notice. If they pick up an item dulled by dust, they assume it's bad merchandise that nobody wants. If there's a gaping hole on the shelf, it looks like we don't care, don't notice, or worse - can't afford to fill it. If things get cluttered, we look like a bargain bin, which definitely isn't our goal.
And yes, sometimes, my methods might seem perplexing. Why, for instance, does the list of four bodies scheduled for the Friday of Thanksgiving weekend have to include yours? Why not someone else? Simple. Each of you lovely souls has a unique personality and skill set. When I piece together schedules, those gifts are taken into consideration so the store has the balance it needs. Given all the big box and Internet competition around the holidays, it's more important than ever that we provide the perfect combination of people so customers get the best experience possible.
In the end, my quirks and requests point in the same direction: Keeping us upright, pleasant and profitable. If one of those elements wobbles, everything does....and customers find somewhere else to shop. Heaven knows, we don't want that, since it hurts everyone whose paycheck has our store name at the top.
Thanks for being the wonderful people I recognized during your interviews. Thanks for remembering that I, too, am only human. And thanks for your heartfelt desire to see the store thrive. For that, I am eternally grateful.
Your Employer
Have a great week ahead, friends, we'll talk next week!
Lori and Scott
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Affinity for Fall
Living in Southern California, some think, deprives you of the change of seasons so obvious in other, colder, states. Not so, I think. There's always signs of the passing of the months, subtle as they may be. Autumn has always been crowned with colorful leaves falling from our liquid amber tree in the front yard and signals the start of the holiday season for me.
When I was a child, I used to check on the leaves of this tree as I would check a hour glass, waiting for that first yellow leaf to appear on the lawn. Maybe it would happen in late August or early September. Most always, though, it would seem to take forever for the leaves to change. All the other trees up and down the block had pretty red and gold leaves hanging or floating down to their respective lawns - why didn't ours have any yet?
My mom would always say that because it was the biggest tree, and maybe one of the oldest, it took longer to turn. I didn't understand, some of those other trees looked pretty darn close in size to ours, and I was impatient. The sooner the leaves turned, the sooner Halloween would arrive - and I loved Halloween.
Halloween kicks off the beginning of the party season for most, but we started a little early here at WFS. Somehow, our Fancy Food Truck Fridays, which is held every 2nd Friday of the month, just happened to fall the very day before the 3rd Saturday of the month and that's when we have our wine pairing events. Even better, this month we planned to include a poetry reading with the wine tastings. It turned out to be one fantastically busy, fantabulously fun weekend and we enjoyed every minute of it!
The food truck event Friday evening went off with nary a hitch, after having received the needed permit from L.A, County on Monday. They cut it pretty close, but we still had a good sized crowd enjoying the offerings of the different trucks. I ordered from Baby's Badass Burgers this time around and I must say that their food is mighty delicious! It was wonderful to have our new event sponsor, Danny's Farm, back in Altadena, if only for one night a month. The animals were a hit with the younger crowd, but of course the goats have a big following in our town! Next month's Fancy Food Truck Friday will be on November 11th.
On Saturday, Linda Dove and Judith Terzi, local poets both, joined OddBallGrape.com's Anne Bannon and Michael Holland for an evening devoted to wine and poetry.....oh, and food! Wonderfully tasty treats were provided to us by Lauren of Amy's Patio Cafe and I'm kicking myself in the pants for not getting pictures of them! Lovely prosciutto-wrapped asparagus spears, the asparagus perfectly al dente and prosciutto lean and flavorful. Mushroom caps filled with cream cheese and sun-dried tomatoes made savory bites and the fresh mozzarella, grape tomato and basil kebabs were unbelievably good, but it was the decadent brownies and the filo cups filled with a sweet blueberry compote that completely stole the show!
This evening Scott and I are taking it easy. Well, better make that he's taking it easy, I'm writing a blog post. Dinner's waiting, so enjoy your week ahead and we'll talk again next week....
Lori & Scott
When I was a child, I used to check on the leaves of this tree as I would check a hour glass, waiting for that first yellow leaf to appear on the lawn. Maybe it would happen in late August or early September. Most always, though, it would seem to take forever for the leaves to change. All the other trees up and down the block had pretty red and gold leaves hanging or floating down to their respective lawns - why didn't ours have any yet?
My mom would always say that because it was the biggest tree, and maybe one of the oldest, it took longer to turn. I didn't understand, some of those other trees looked pretty darn close in size to ours, and I was impatient. The sooner the leaves turned, the sooner Halloween would arrive - and I loved Halloween.
Halloween kicks off the beginning of the party season for most, but we started a little early here at WFS. Somehow, our Fancy Food Truck Fridays, which is held every 2nd Friday of the month, just happened to fall the very day before the 3rd Saturday of the month and that's when we have our wine pairing events. Even better, this month we planned to include a poetry reading with the wine tastings. It turned out to be one fantastically busy, fantabulously fun weekend and we enjoyed every minute of it!
The food truck event Friday evening went off with nary a hitch, after having received the needed permit from L.A, County on Monday. They cut it pretty close, but we still had a good sized crowd enjoying the offerings of the different trucks. I ordered from Baby's Badass Burgers this time around and I must say that their food is mighty delicious! It was wonderful to have our new event sponsor, Danny's Farm, back in Altadena, if only for one night a month. The animals were a hit with the younger crowd, but of course the goats have a big following in our town! Next month's Fancy Food Truck Friday will be on November 11th.
On Saturday, Linda Dove and Judith Terzi, local poets both, joined OddBallGrape.com's Anne Bannon and Michael Holland for an evening devoted to wine and poetry.....oh, and food! Wonderfully tasty treats were provided to us by Lauren of Amy's Patio Cafe and I'm kicking myself in the pants for not getting pictures of them! Lovely prosciutto-wrapped asparagus spears, the asparagus perfectly al dente and prosciutto lean and flavorful. Mushroom caps filled with cream cheese and sun-dried tomatoes made savory bites and the fresh mozzarella, grape tomato and basil kebabs were unbelievably good, but it was the decadent brownies and the filo cups filled with a sweet blueberry compote that completely stole the show!
This evening Scott and I are taking it easy. Well, better make that he's taking it easy, I'm writing a blog post. Dinner's waiting, so enjoy your week ahead and we'll talk again next week....
Lori & Scott
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Scaring Up Some October Fun!
Just the other day, when it turned cold and rainy, we were worried we wouldn't have our expected Indian Summer here in Altadena. Loosen those scarves and remove your blazers, friends, because it's supposed to be in the upper 90s this week!
While we enjoy summer in fall, The Shops At Webster's will be (hopefully) hosting our 9th Fancy Food Truck Friday. I say hopefully, because as of this date, we haven't yet received our new permit from L.A. County.....talk about it coming down to the wire! We're all proceeding as if we'll have it in hand prior to the event and are all very excited to bring you this fun evening of community fellowship and good eating! Join us to welcome our new event sponsor, Danny's Farm and don't forget to bring the kids - Danny's Farm is bringing their fabulous new truck and mobile petting zoo! Do check our Facebook page here for up-to-date information first, though, or give us a call at 626-797-1135.
The very next day, WFS is hosting our monthly wine tasting with Anne Bannon and Mike Holland of OddBallGrape.com, this time with a wonderful, new twist. We're combining this tasting with a poetry reading by two of our area's beloved poets, Linda Dove and Judith Terzi! We'd be honored if you'd join us for all this fabulousness - please do make reservations on our event page on Facebook Event Page so we'll know how much wine and food to bring in. Don't have a Facebook account? No worries, simply give us a call or email info@webstersfinestationers.com and let us know you're coming!
These two events are scheduled back-to-back to commemorate two very occasions very special to us here at WFS. Scott's birthday is on October 13th (c'mon, join with me....happy birthday, Scott!) and October is also our store's anniversary! We've been open for four years now - amazing how time flies, isn't it? We decided awhile back to schedule these two community-building events together so we can celebrate with you all, and we certainly hope to see you at one (or both) of them! Fancy Food Truck Friday starts at 5:00 pm - we'll be in a Halloween mood, so come prepared to enjoy some spooky fun and some of Scott's delicious birthday cake. Wines For A Passionate Evening Of Poetry starts at 4:00 pm, and we'll be serving finger foods from Amy's Patio Cafe!
Coinciding with our 4th anniversary, WFS was profiled in Independent We Stand's Merchant Success Stories. The article is here and we'd love you to take a moment and give it a read.
Have a great week ahead, my friends, and we look forward to seeing you this weekend!
Lori & Scott
While we enjoy summer in fall, The Shops At Webster's will be (hopefully) hosting our 9th Fancy Food Truck Friday. I say hopefully, because as of this date, we haven't yet received our new permit from L.A. County.....talk about it coming down to the wire! We're all proceeding as if we'll have it in hand prior to the event and are all very excited to bring you this fun evening of community fellowship and good eating! Join us to welcome our new event sponsor, Danny's Farm and don't forget to bring the kids - Danny's Farm is bringing their fabulous new truck and mobile petting zoo! Do check our Facebook page here for up-to-date information first, though, or give us a call at 626-797-1135.
The very next day, WFS is hosting our monthly wine tasting with Anne Bannon and Mike Holland of OddBallGrape.com, this time with a wonderful, new twist. We're combining this tasting with a poetry reading by two of our area's beloved poets, Linda Dove and Judith Terzi! We'd be honored if you'd join us for all this fabulousness - please do make reservations on our event page on Facebook Event Page so we'll know how much wine and food to bring in. Don't have a Facebook account? No worries, simply give us a call or email info@webstersfinestationers.com and let us know you're coming!
These two events are scheduled back-to-back to commemorate two very occasions very special to us here at WFS. Scott's birthday is on October 13th (c'mon, join with me....happy birthday, Scott!) and October is also our store's anniversary! We've been open for four years now - amazing how time flies, isn't it? We decided awhile back to schedule these two community-building events together so we can celebrate with you all, and we certainly hope to see you at one (or both) of them! Fancy Food Truck Friday starts at 5:00 pm - we'll be in a Halloween mood, so come prepared to enjoy some spooky fun and some of Scott's delicious birthday cake. Wines For A Passionate Evening Of Poetry starts at 4:00 pm, and we'll be serving finger foods from Amy's Patio Cafe!
Coinciding with our 4th anniversary, WFS was profiled in Independent We Stand's Merchant Success Stories. The article is here and we'd love you to take a moment and give it a read.
Have a great week ahead, my friends, and we look forward to seeing you this weekend!
Lori & Scott
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Hello, 4th Quarter!
The year certainly has flown by, hasn't it? I can't believe it's already October, but that said, we're looking forward to the hustle and bustle of the next three months! (In the retail world, the 12 months are divided up into 4 quarters, the last three of which are the 4th quarter.)
This month holds the promise of much excitement, with our Fancy Food Truck Friday slated for Oct. 14th and our wine tasting/poetry reading on the 15th! In collaboration with local artist Patrick Gothard, we've hung his Day Of The Dead series of oil paintings in the store. An exuberant explosion of graphic color, these skeleton-inspired paintings are something to see - and we hope you'll come by and do just that! We have plans to be working with several more area artists over the coming months, adding to the number of local artists we already represent.
Remember to "like" our Facebook page, where you can keep up with what's happening with us, join in some interesting conversations and learn about events and specials! As always, have a great week ahead and we hope to see you soon!
Lori & Scott
This month holds the promise of much excitement, with our Fancy Food Truck Friday slated for Oct. 14th and our wine tasting/poetry reading on the 15th! In collaboration with local artist Patrick Gothard, we've hung his Day Of The Dead series of oil paintings in the store. An exuberant explosion of graphic color, these skeleton-inspired paintings are something to see - and we hope you'll come by and do just that! We have plans to be working with several more area artists over the coming months, adding to the number of local artists we already represent.
Remember to "like" our Facebook page, where you can keep up with what's happening with us, join in some interesting conversations and learn about events and specials! As always, have a great week ahead and we hope to see you soon!
Lori & Scott
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Community Is Our Business
If you look at Altadena, CA,on a street view map, you'd see that we're a very spread out community. There are actually four different "main drags" in Altadena - starting from the West, we've got Lincoln and Fair Oaks, Lake Avenue in the center and Allen to the East. This sprawl of neighborhoods and commerce centers make it a challenge for law enforcement, but we're very lucky to have our Los Angeles County Sheriffs, who do such an admirable job of keeping us safe.
I was honored to attend the Grand Opening of the Altadena Sheriffs Station on Saturday, accompanied by Rose West of Curves on Mariposa representing Altadena's Chamber of Commerce. Struck by that fact that violent crime here has taken a notable downturn, I feel very grateful that our Sheriffs now have a new, upgraded station to conduct their business in. The building's design is a nostalgic nod to the era the original Station was built in, and it carries that theme faithfully throughout from the vintage lettering on the glass insets on the interior doors to the old jail, now used for storage. The completion of the Station's renovation gives me hope that this is the start to the much-needed renovation of the North Lake Business District.
Just like the Sheriffs make our community their business, all of us at Webster's FS make Altadena our business as well. We don't just sell products at our store, you see. We give our all to be of service to our fellow residents and guests at all times. Many customers feel comfortable calling in to ask questions about happenings in the community, and we think that's a great thing! I'd like to encourage people to tell their friends to feel free to contact us if they'd like - not everyone has a computer or internet access, and we don't mind helping people find what they're looking for.
Happy fall, everyone - have a great week ahead! Next week we'll talk about the next Fancy Food Truck Friday and our own Wines For A Passionate Evening of Poetry coming up on October 15th.....
Lori & Scott
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| Photo Credit: Tim Rutt |
I was honored to attend the Grand Opening of the Altadena Sheriffs Station on Saturday, accompanied by Rose West of Curves on Mariposa representing Altadena's Chamber of Commerce. Struck by that fact that violent crime here has taken a notable downturn, I feel very grateful that our Sheriffs now have a new, upgraded station to conduct their business in. The building's design is a nostalgic nod to the era the original Station was built in, and it carries that theme faithfully throughout from the vintage lettering on the glass insets on the interior doors to the old jail, now used for storage. The completion of the Station's renovation gives me hope that this is the start to the much-needed renovation of the North Lake Business District.
Just like the Sheriffs make our community their business, all of us at Webster's FS make Altadena our business as well. We don't just sell products at our store, you see. We give our all to be of service to our fellow residents and guests at all times. Many customers feel comfortable calling in to ask questions about happenings in the community, and we think that's a great thing! I'd like to encourage people to tell their friends to feel free to contact us if they'd like - not everyone has a computer or internet access, and we don't mind helping people find what they're looking for.
Happy fall, everyone - have a great week ahead! Next week we'll talk about the next Fancy Food Truck Friday and our own Wines For A Passionate Evening of Poetry coming up on October 15th.....
Lori & Scott
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Distinguishable Difference?
We're embarking on an adventure this week at WFS. We'll be reading the book entitled "Different" by Youngme Moon. When I saw "we", of course I mean me, but I will be discussing it with Scott and our crew when I finish reading it. I became fascinated by watching this video, found on a Google + post by Mari Smith, and I can't stop thinking about the book. I'm thinking about all the ways that WFS truly is a different sort of retail store, and that many of our ideas, such as what I term "cooperative commerce", are innovative.
I'm excited to read "Different". I'll leave you here with a little taste of the book, and when I finish it, I'll report back to you on how much I liked it. I'll also be pointing out what I learned from it, and how I think our store can benefit from the information. Or maybe, it'll be how our community can benefit.....we'll see.
-----------------------------------------"Different" by Youngme Moon--------------------------------------------------
"There is perhaps no better way to get a glimpse into the mass consumption values of a culture than to visit the place where the inhabitants of that culture purchase the stuff of daily living—soap, food, shoes. If aliens were to visit a grocery store or a drugstore in this country, they would have to conclude that we are a people hooked on the pleasures of picking needles out of haystacks—of selecting a cereal among an ocean of cereal boxes, of selecting a bar of soap among an ocean of soap bars. And in many ways, they would be right. We take for granted how frequently we thrust ourselves into the position of having to make purchase decisions in the face of overflowing product profusion."
"The metaphor should be obvious. The central premise in part 1 of this book is that in so many consumer categories, differentiation has become hard to come by because we have fallen into a pulse of competition that in and of itself has become an impediment to its emergence. In part 1, I also contend that businesses that find themselves locked into this particular pattern of competitive engagement have become masters at producing product categories filled with heterogeneous homogeneity, or dissimilar clones if you will. Which is to say that they have become masters of a particular form of imitation. Not differentiation, but imitation. Yet because this particular form of imitation is cloaked in the vernacular of differentiation, the myth of competitive separation lives on in the minds of the managers running these firms. Meanwhile, the emperor has no clothes and most consumers know it."
"....As a percentage, the number of companies who are truly able to achieve competitive separation in their respective categories—to break through the noisy clutter, to create genuine emotional resonance with consumers—is depressingly small, and yet these outliers have much to teach us about the limitations of some of our most deeply held business assumptions. So while part 1 of this book may read like a critique, part 2 will read very much like a celebration, of these iconoclasts and their ways of doing business."
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Oh man....I'm really looking forward to this!
Have a fantastic week, my friends!
Lori & Scott
Sunday, September 11, 2011
SB 469 - Good For Your Community?
Tucked in the back op-ed section of the August 29th edition of the Los Angeles Business Journal, economic development consultant Robert J. Rodino wrote an interesting piece entitled "Gains From Wal-Mart Style Stores Not So Super". In it, he discusses State Measure SB 469, a proposal that would require California cities to conduct economic impact studies before approving large, super-center type stores, and the criticism it's getting.
The argument that this measure would inhibit economic growth here in California's communities stems from a misunderstanding of the dynamics of the retail business. Rodino says, "The impact of Wal-Mart style superstores on the businesses in local communities is often just the opposite of what superstore advocates claim". This is something that the Americal Independent Business Alliance has been talking about for years now. During studies conducted in 2003, and updated in 2010 for the city of San Diego, Mr. Rodino documents the dynamic he coins "retail cannibalization" - the tendency large superstores have for sucking the life out of a community.
"Consumer retail expenditures are dependent on consumer income", Rodino states. "Developing a Wall-Mart style superstore in a mature urban market does not alter consumer incomes and does not alter their expenditures. Superstore gains in sales largely come from the surrounding retailers' losses. While a portion of sales can be made up from consumers coming into a trade area, i.e., into the city of Los Angeles from outside the city, this is rarely sufficient to satisfy superstore annual sales volume. Regionally, there would be little or no net new retail sales growth, since retailers outside the trade area would correspondingly lose sales volumes".
He goes on to cite other instances of the devastation a large superstore could cause. He advises that advocates for business need to be asked what businesses are they advocating for - giant corporations or local small businesses? He says, "Nationally we accept the idea that small businesses are job creators. Why does this change for local retailers in Southern California?"
Why do we see that disparity here in SoCal? I'm no politician, so it's a mystery to me. Local, independent businesses have been proven to be the drivers of job creation, innovation and the lion's share of economic development in cities and towns across the county. I can only imagine the economic stimulus these overreaching corporations get from our local, state and national government, without making good on their promises to stimulate the local economy. But there it is, happening around us every day. Read up on SB 469, and please vote to keep your communities unique and vibrant - choose small business over big box business!
This has been a public service message from Webster's Fine Stationers - thank you for reading!
Have a wonderful week ahead, my friends!
Lori & Scott
The argument that this measure would inhibit economic growth here in California's communities stems from a misunderstanding of the dynamics of the retail business. Rodino says, "The impact of Wal-Mart style superstores on the businesses in local communities is often just the opposite of what superstore advocates claim". This is something that the Americal Independent Business Alliance has been talking about for years now. During studies conducted in 2003, and updated in 2010 for the city of San Diego, Mr. Rodino documents the dynamic he coins "retail cannibalization" - the tendency large superstores have for sucking the life out of a community.
"Consumer retail expenditures are dependent on consumer income", Rodino states. "Developing a Wall-Mart style superstore in a mature urban market does not alter consumer incomes and does not alter their expenditures. Superstore gains in sales largely come from the surrounding retailers' losses. While a portion of sales can be made up from consumers coming into a trade area, i.e., into the city of Los Angeles from outside the city, this is rarely sufficient to satisfy superstore annual sales volume. Regionally, there would be little or no net new retail sales growth, since retailers outside the trade area would correspondingly lose sales volumes".
He goes on to cite other instances of the devastation a large superstore could cause. He advises that advocates for business need to be asked what businesses are they advocating for - giant corporations or local small businesses? He says, "Nationally we accept the idea that small businesses are job creators. Why does this change for local retailers in Southern California?"
Why do we see that disparity here in SoCal? I'm no politician, so it's a mystery to me. Local, independent businesses have been proven to be the drivers of job creation, innovation and the lion's share of economic development in cities and towns across the county. I can only imagine the economic stimulus these overreaching corporations get from our local, state and national government, without making good on their promises to stimulate the local economy. But there it is, happening around us every day. Read up on SB 469, and please vote to keep your communities unique and vibrant - choose small business over big box business!
This has been a public service message from Webster's Fine Stationers - thank you for reading!
Have a wonderful week ahead, my friends!
Lori & Scott
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Because Communities Matter
Each one of our communities across our nation face a huge challenge today. That challenge is keeping our neighborhoods - the place we live - unique and vibrant. There are too many places in the United States that could be moved from one area to another and no one would be able to tell the difference. The same brands, the same styles, the same everything all across the county! Thank goodness that not everyone is content with that.
I'm glad that Altadena is one of those rare places that doesn't want to be a cookie-cutter community. I'm glad that we've kept our independent businesses alive (for the most part), and I'm certainly glad for Altadena's independent spirit! I know that there are towns just like Altadena who are proud of their uniqueness as well, so anyone reading from out of town, I'm sure, can identify with one, hopefully their own. That's great! We need to continue to support those businesses who have woven their threads into the fabric your communities.
The Shops At Webster's are such businesses. Webster's has been part of the Altadena landscape since the 1920s and has seen generation after generation of Altadenans come and go. We're honored, all of us, to be a part of that history. We're also thrilled that we can be part of history in the making. With the renovation planned by the pharmacy and the innovation promised by its new owners, you need look for no further signal that the family's old place will continue operation well into its 100 year anniversary! Scott and I are excited about it all and especially by our contribution to the mix.
As summer winds down into a new fall season, all of the Webster stores are planning some tremendous fun for you and yours! Make sure you keep your eyes out for email communications from us and follow our Facebook page or you might miss out on vital information about cool new food trucks at our Fancy Food Truck Friday events; our very popular wine pairing events; book signings and readings and other community-centered happenings.
We hope to see you soon, and wish everyone a great week ahead!
Lori & Scott
Sunday, August 21, 2011
On Our Horizon, Weak Knees And All
This past week saw another of our monthly wine pairing events, and it even generated a story in the Pasadena Weekly! The Weekly interviewed our intrepid wine bloggers, Anne Bannon and Michael Holland, and outlined our wine pairings at the store. Here's the link, if you'd like to check it out: http://pasadenaweekly.com/cms/story/detail/?id=10437. Hat tip to the Weekly for the article! If you're in the area on September 17th, we'll be hosting a special wine event tied into the back to school season - Wine 101, a Wine Primer For Novices. We'll be tasting and discussing the four major groups of wine - Bubblies (brute Champagne), Whites (Chardonnay) Blushes (Rose) and Reds (Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvingon). Come to learn the basics of these four groups of wine, come to enjoy the local foods to be paired with them, most of all come to enjoy a great time with good friends!
Webster's Community Pharmacy, Webster's Stationery and Webster's Liquor are planning our next Fancy Food Truck Friday on September 9th. Not all the details are put together yet, but we've gotten notice from Cathy Gott of Danny's Farm that they'd like to join the festivities. Wouldn't that be fun, with their new trailer and animals! We're not sure as of yet whether the County will allow this or not, so stay tuned to our Facebook page for more information throughout the days leading up to the next food truck event!
Friday afternoon I attended a celebration of our women in the Altadena Town Council at Monica Hubbord's and let me tell you, this was such a wonderful event to have been invited to! Thank you, Monica, for all that you do to support our community, you're truly one in a million!
On a more somber note, we know these days are very challenging, especially for the more vulnerable members of our society. Organizations like Friends In Deed , Union Rescue Mission and Union Station Pasadena are working valiantly to help feed and house these people, while sometimes the adversity seems to overwhelm them. I came across Union Rescue Mission's Rev. Andy Bales' recent blogpost and have to link it here. This has provided me with such inspiration that I really hope it gives you some "strength in your knees" as well. Watch for upcoming fund raisers for these groups in the future!
We'd like to leave you with a bit of scripture found in Rev. Bales' post:
"Hebrews 12:12-13 (ESV)
12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees,
13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed."
Have a wonderful week ahead, friends!
Lori & Scott
Webster's Community Pharmacy, Webster's Stationery and Webster's Liquor are planning our next Fancy Food Truck Friday on September 9th. Not all the details are put together yet, but we've gotten notice from Cathy Gott of Danny's Farm that they'd like to join the festivities. Wouldn't that be fun, with their new trailer and animals! We're not sure as of yet whether the County will allow this or not, so stay tuned to our Facebook page for more information throughout the days leading up to the next food truck event!
Friday afternoon I attended a celebration of our women in the Altadena Town Council at Monica Hubbord's and let me tell you, this was such a wonderful event to have been invited to! Thank you, Monica, for all that you do to support our community, you're truly one in a million!
On a more somber note, we know these days are very challenging, especially for the more vulnerable members of our society. Organizations like Friends In Deed , Union Rescue Mission and Union Station Pasadena are working valiantly to help feed and house these people, while sometimes the adversity seems to overwhelm them. I came across Union Rescue Mission's Rev. Andy Bales' recent blogpost and have to link it here. This has provided me with such inspiration that I really hope it gives you some "strength in your knees" as well. Watch for upcoming fund raisers for these groups in the future!
We'd like to leave you with a bit of scripture found in Rev. Bales' post:
"Hebrews 12:12-13 (ESV)
12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees,
13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed."
Have a wonderful week ahead, friends!
Lori & Scott
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Bully, Bully, or, Coercer In The Rye
Friday night's Fancy Food Truck Friday was just fabulous in every way - the weather cooperated (it wasn't a thousand degrees), Paco the Chihuahua made an appearance and the news crews followed! The Arroyo Food Co-op were had a table there, passing out information to our attendees and so was local resident Tamir Yardenne. Tamir is a multi-talented young man and his latest endeavor centers around the no-bullying movement. His latest short film, Silencio, features Altadena actor and activist, , and is a powerful statement against bullying.
As Scott and I were having coffee this morning, we discussed bullying and the oppression that accompanies it. Scott, dyslexic and ADHD from birth, knows all about that subject. As he tell it, he's been bullied all his life, mostly by his own family members. When I first got to know Scott and spoke with him about his troubles, I took it all with a grain of salt. But having been married to him for 14 years, I can attest to it now - I've seen and experienced it myself. Bullying is never a good thing, but when it comes from within your own family, what can you do?
What you can do is to get help, from friends or professionals. Bring it into the light and don't suffer in silence. There's no reason to be bullied for being thought of as "different". We've been able to rise above it, to deal with the effects of it and so can other people, by taking positive action. There is much more support out in the world now, thanks to people like Tamir, that can help break the bonds of bullying.
I've rewritten this blog post several times since Sunday evening and ended up with this final post. I want to apologize if any of the former content made anyone uncomfortable, as that was not my intention. We'll be back next week with our regularly scheduled posts.
Lori & Scott
As Scott and I were having coffee this morning, we discussed bullying and the oppression that accompanies it. Scott, dyslexic and ADHD from birth, knows all about that subject. As he tell it, he's been bullied all his life, mostly by his own family members. When I first got to know Scott and spoke with him about his troubles, I took it all with a grain of salt. But having been married to him for 14 years, I can attest to it now - I've seen and experienced it myself. Bullying is never a good thing, but when it comes from within your own family, what can you do?
What you can do is to get help, from friends or professionals. Bring it into the light and don't suffer in silence. There's no reason to be bullied for being thought of as "different". We've been able to rise above it, to deal with the effects of it and so can other people, by taking positive action. There is much more support out in the world now, thanks to people like Tamir, that can help break the bonds of bullying.
I've rewritten this blog post several times since Sunday evening and ended up with this final post. I want to apologize if any of the former content made anyone uncomfortable, as that was not my intention. We'll be back next week with our regularly scheduled posts.
Lori & Scott
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Que Sera Sera
I've asked these questions for several years now, with mixed responses from people I've talked to here and while working in the store. Back then, most of you were and continue to be enthusiastic about changes; and some not so much. Over the course of these years, however, I notice people's attitudes changing. More and more, our community is coming together and change is happening - I can hear it, I can see it and and I can feel it!
The feeling isn't just coming from the anticipation of coming attractions, although that certainly has a part in it - it's the palpable heart beating though our community. Our town is rich in gifted individuals who are exerting all their efforts into resuscitating Altadena's soul. Take Altadenablog's Tim Rutt, whose grassroots news blog has partnered with the new Pasadena Sun, giving him the opportunity to reach far more people than ever before and give us coverage we haven't experienced in a long time. Take the awesomeness that is the Altadena Urban Farmer's Market and their truly unique take on the market concept (even the L.A. Weekly thinks so!). They're on hiatus right now, but believe me, they'll be back and better than ever! If that's not enough for you, consider the hugely popular Bulgarini Gelato. Mentioned in the Los Angeles Times Magazine as one of Los Angeles' iconic eateries, this recent article tells you all you need to know - Altadena is drawing people from outside our borders to visit. Add that to the draw of our incredible hiking trails, and you've got a destination area waiting to happen!
Compound all this with the planned renovation in Webster's Community Pharmacy. The new owners, Mike and Meredith Miller will be reinventing the old pharmacy soon and we know it'll be wonderful! Our store is ready for a rebranding as well. As new(ish) owners, we've been constrained for some time by circumstances not under our control, but that's changing and changing soon. We plan to be right there with you through all this, my friends, as we take our family store into the future. The moment is here, and it's undeniable.....the positive changes I told you about all those months ago are imminent. The groundswell has begun and it will sweep all of us up into it - and I for one, welcome it. As the old song says, "que sera, sera, whatever will be, will be"......I say bring it!
Have a lovely week ahead and we'll talk again next week,
Lori 'n Scott
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