I'm trying to not do a lot of 'told you so's'....really, I'm trying.
But, damn if I didn't predict a lot of this. The latest is the thunderstruck article in the paper this morning about how "Convenience" is disappearing from retail.
What? You thought they'd cut their bonuses first?
Or the idea that Bend might actually have an out-migration. I saw this first hand in the '80's, but if you hadn't seen that, this prediction probably seemed pretty crazy.
It's actually the reverse side of people moving to Bend solely on the basis of it's amenities -- for the grass is greener idea. Seems to me, this is bound to create disillusionment, especially when the economy goes sour.
Moving around looking for the best place to live, is a lot like businesses moving around looking for the best place to sell. Sometimes it make sense, but if you see a business or restaurant constantly moving, there's something off.
There isn't a magic location, or a magic formula in business. Just hard work, and brains, and energy; but most of all, a need that isn't already being filled.
I talked to my main man, Roger, down in Grant's Pass yesterday. Magazine Exchange has been my sport card distributor since 1986, when he was the only guy to actually deliver what he promised. Did huge business with him for years, but have slowly tailed off.
He's one of those steady-freddy guys; I know that the answer to my question, 'how are card shops doing?' is going to always be answered, 'some are slow, some are busy.'
I sort of challenged him yesterday: "O.K. Roger. Name me the card shops in Oregon....."
He could only come up with two in Portland.
So that kind of confirmed what I've been feeling: cards in Oregon are all but dead.
So....like I always thought would happen, I was there at the beginning; when you could only find a few dusty packs at Safeway; and I'm here at the end, when you can only find a bunch of regurgitated, recycled crap at Shopko.
I stuck with cards out of sheer cussedness, because I wanted to see this day.
So I could, in fact, say "I told you so."
But, damn if I didn't predict a lot of this. The latest is the thunderstruck article in the paper this morning about how "Convenience" is disappearing from retail.
What? You thought they'd cut their bonuses first?
Or the idea that Bend might actually have an out-migration. I saw this first hand in the '80's, but if you hadn't seen that, this prediction probably seemed pretty crazy.
It's actually the reverse side of people moving to Bend solely on the basis of it's amenities -- for the grass is greener idea. Seems to me, this is bound to create disillusionment, especially when the economy goes sour.
Moving around looking for the best place to live, is a lot like businesses moving around looking for the best place to sell. Sometimes it make sense, but if you see a business or restaurant constantly moving, there's something off.
There isn't a magic location, or a magic formula in business. Just hard work, and brains, and energy; but most of all, a need that isn't already being filled.
I talked to my main man, Roger, down in Grant's Pass yesterday. Magazine Exchange has been my sport card distributor since 1986, when he was the only guy to actually deliver what he promised. Did huge business with him for years, but have slowly tailed off.
He's one of those steady-freddy guys; I know that the answer to my question, 'how are card shops doing?' is going to always be answered, 'some are slow, some are busy.'
I sort of challenged him yesterday: "O.K. Roger. Name me the card shops in Oregon....."
He could only come up with two in Portland.
So that kind of confirmed what I've been feeling: cards in Oregon are all but dead.
So....like I always thought would happen, I was there at the beginning; when you could only find a few dusty packs at Safeway; and I'm here at the end, when you can only find a bunch of regurgitated, recycled crap at Shopko.
I stuck with cards out of sheer cussedness, because I wanted to see this day.
So I could, in fact, say "I told you so."