Well we made it through the craziness of the weekend after Thanksgiving. Wow, is about all I can say. We had a terrific weekend and I really want to thank all of you who got up early and braved the cold Friday morning to get some good deals. We tried our darnedest to make things quick, easy and pleasant for you, hope we succeeded. For all of you who came in during the rest of the weekend we thank you too. Many of you were busy with Christmas lights and decorations and I hope we helped you get what you needed.
From some of the stories we’ve heard and read this weekend was a bit different from past years. I know several stores were open earlier than ever, some at 5am, some at midnight. Some stores were open on Thanksgiving. To that I say Harupmh! I don’t think any store needs to be open on a major holiday. Period. We should all take a day off. No stores, no museums, no restaurants, not anything open. Everyone deserves at least four days in a year where there is nothing happening. Four days where there is nothing to do, but spend time with friends and family.
When I was growing up, very few businesses were open on Sunday, yet alone holidays. It was always a nice day to relax and enjoy life. Slowly, the big stores realized they could be open on these days and gain extra sales. Then the little guys had to follow, or loose too much business to make up during the week. And that’s where we are today. We small stores have to keep pace with the big, corporate stores. If we don’t start staying open later, on weekends and holidays, we loose too much business to stay open. It’s sad but true, that nobody in retail will get certain days off just because we have to make the holiday dollar.
True, there are many other factors in this. Yes, society in general has changed. Yes, the convenience factor is quite nice for us all at times. Yes, there are many other professions that have to work on holidays. Yes, I have used a store that has been open on a holiday to get that one thing I forgot. But could we live with a little less convenience? Can we go a day without that one thing we forgot on a holiday? Can we survive if we can’t shop on major holidays? I think so.
I also don’t think any of this will change any time soon. Well some changes will happen. I predict that in one or two years big stores will have the day before Thanksgiving sales. Then will come the weekend before Thanksgiving sales. Anything the big guys can do to get you in their store first. Oh well, such is the nature of retail.
Don’t think of these things as complaints, they’re just observations. The Black Friday weekend is fun for us. It’s not what we do everyday. We don’t have the time to give each customer the personal attention we’re used to. We don’t have the time to get to know your project, or time for a friendly chat at the register. So if you came in and saw us then, remember we’re the good old hardware store, we just a got little wild for a weekend!