Not to tease anyone, but I'm hearing a number of rumors about local businesses who are getting ready to quit. But, because they are rumors, I can't tell you.
A couple of confirmed. Fox's is closing, after 3 years. This opened with great fanfare, but then I didn't hear much.
And of course, Common Table. I was talking to someone involved, and he said that he thought if it was a "for profit" business, the owners would probably try to stick it out and turn it around, but because it was a non-profit business, there was no real margin for error.
Something I never thought about. Certainly, there were a number of years where any outside party who didn't have the motivation I had in keeping my business going, might have looked at my numbers and closed the doors. But I just bulled through the rough patches, daring them to lock my doors.
I was talking to someone at the store, and told them: "Notice. A business will always have a reason for going out of business that doesn't involve how well they are doing. Always. Just look for it."
For Fox, it was increased rent. For Common Table, it was further renovations to the building.
Well, of course they had other reasons for closing. But it think they are the symptoms, usually, not the cause. Not always, I suppose. But almost always. Very few of us get to the point where we want out of a thriving business and move on. Either we don't get that far, or if we're truly thriving, we can keep the business going by other means, or we'll keep on doing it.
'Quimby' was commenting on how impressively extensive my list of "Openings and Closings" has become. Now, people are seeing what I've always seen. That businesses come and go with great regularity, but very few are there for the long run. (Over 10 years, certainly over 20 years.) There was a point in my business where I wondered if ANYONE really succeeded.
Lots of churning cash. People benefit, somewhere, from all the creative destruction. But man, it's impressive to watch how creatively destructive it is.
Doing some traveling has made me think that Bend has a much higher turnover than other places. You can get that sense by how long businesses have been in business in other towns. If they think nothing of having been open for 15, 20, 30 years, then you know it's more normal there.
It's impressive how hopeful new entrepreneurs are, despite all the evidence.
A couple of confirmed. Fox's is closing, after 3 years. This opened with great fanfare, but then I didn't hear much.
And of course, Common Table. I was talking to someone involved, and he said that he thought if it was a "for profit" business, the owners would probably try to stick it out and turn it around, but because it was a non-profit business, there was no real margin for error.
Something I never thought about. Certainly, there were a number of years where any outside party who didn't have the motivation I had in keeping my business going, might have looked at my numbers and closed the doors. But I just bulled through the rough patches, daring them to lock my doors.
I was talking to someone at the store, and told them: "Notice. A business will always have a reason for going out of business that doesn't involve how well they are doing. Always. Just look for it."
For Fox, it was increased rent. For Common Table, it was further renovations to the building.
Well, of course they had other reasons for closing. But it think they are the symptoms, usually, not the cause. Not always, I suppose. But almost always. Very few of us get to the point where we want out of a thriving business and move on. Either we don't get that far, or if we're truly thriving, we can keep the business going by other means, or we'll keep on doing it.
'Quimby' was commenting on how impressively extensive my list of "Openings and Closings" has become. Now, people are seeing what I've always seen. That businesses come and go with great regularity, but very few are there for the long run. (Over 10 years, certainly over 20 years.) There was a point in my business where I wondered if ANYONE really succeeded.
Lots of churning cash. People benefit, somewhere, from all the creative destruction. But man, it's impressive to watch how creatively destructive it is.
Doing some traveling has made me think that Bend has a much higher turnover than other places. You can get that sense by how long businesses have been in business in other towns. If they think nothing of having been open for 15, 20, 30 years, then you know it's more normal there.
It's impressive how hopeful new entrepreneurs are, despite all the evidence.