Small Business Going out of Business in ST Mary's County?

[Kyle]

Small buisness protect competition and consumer choice.Chain stores destroy as many jobs and much tax revenue as they create. Local stores contribute far more to the economy.Local business are rooted; Chain stores will abandon a location if profit margins fail to meet expectations. The US is now home to more than 350 vacated Walmart stores. The next time you want that Big Mac think about that mom and pop store down the street. Fact I know of 8 small buisness that are going to go out of business in St Mary's in months to come. Most chain stores has the backing of NYSE were money is not an issue. small business do not.

Where do you buy your gasoline, groceries and clothes?

 

[smilin]

Any way you look at it the small guy is at a disadvantage. Economy of scale, consistency and financing sources are just the tip of the big guy's advantage.
If consumers want it, people vote with their money.

 

[tipsymcgee]

Speaking more to the small store/restaurant/customer service business, here's some of the problem. My family runs two different types of business in the tri-county area, one pretty successful and one moderately successful.

With all these chains, you can't get good reliable help to go work for a small mom&pop place when they can go work with their friends at target or wa-wa or some other chain. The turnover is immense in minimum wage labor, but those big stores just have better and easier access to it.

You take Linda's in Leonardtown for example. An established business already up and running nearby, so they know what they're doing. I would be willing to bet good help was part of their problem. It couldn't have been started at a better time as there are no breakfast joints in or around L'Town. With not enough help, you get busy after church lets out or something and all of a sudden it's taking 40 minutes to get breakfast orders out. Maybe they just overextended and paid too much to get in there, but I bet that was part of it.

Another thing I've never understood with new ventures of bars and restaurants is they go all out from the get-go, full menu, full bar. It's easier and looks better when you add as you go, expand hours as you go, rather than getting in and working yourself to death and then cutting the menu back or cutting hours back. You start with a basic menu, you can add as many specials as you want if the help and ability is there, or cut back to the regular menu when you're short-handed.

Just as many businesses fail because people overextend and work themselves too hard, and then it eats at your marriage, no time away, no time for anything but work. You can have the best idea and business plan, you can remodel a business and get it your way, but you have to have the help to sustain it and you have to get people to like you and work for you. Everybody else doesn't care about your dream, they may not care about quality, and that can unravel a business quickly if you have to rely on them.

Another aspect of a lot of country stores and bars and restaurants closing is the young generation of the family doesn't want to operate them. They'd rather do their thing and not take on maybe what they know is a really time-constraining job.

 

[BernieP]

If people would either A) pay their bills; or B) not open a dumb store that has no local market, they wouldn't go out of business.

pretty much what she said
Nothing can save a business that is either poorly concieved or poorly managed. The mega chain stores certainly have an advantage if all you are looking for is a cheap price. But I will go to Tru Value in Leonardtown before I go to bLowes. I might pay a little more but my time is worth something.
Mom and pop shops CAN compete with corporations, they just need to find and exploit what it is they do better and get their message out - that's part of managing the business.

On the other hand some of the problems with smaller stores is the local landlords - they'll cut a sweet deal with the corporate giant but stick it to the little guy simply because they can.

 

[chernmax]

Have all the Mom and Pops stores pool their money together and open an Olive Garden, they'll do just fine...

 

[raven]

Very well put.

Speaking more to the small store/restaurant/customer service business, here's some of the problem. My family runs two different types of business in the tri-county area, one pretty successful and one moderately successful.

With all these chains, you can't get good reliable help to go work for a small mom&pop place when they can go work with their friends at target or wa-wa or some other chain. The turnover is immense in minimum wage labor, but those big stores just have better and easier access to it.

You take Linda's in Leonardtown for example. An established business already up and running nearby, so they know what they're doing. I would be willing to bet good help was part of their problem. It couldn't have been started at a better time as there are no breakfast joints in or around L'Town. With not enough help, you get busy after church lets out or something and all of a sudden it's taking 40 minutes to get breakfast orders out. Maybe they just overextended and paid too much to get in there, but I bet that was part of it.

Another thing I've never understood with new ventures of bars and restaurants is they go all out from the get-go, full menu, full bar. It's easier and looks better when you add as you go, expand hours as you go, rather than getting in and working yourself to death and then cutting the menu back or cutting hours back. You start with a basic menu, you can add as many specials as you want if the help and ability is there, or cut back to the regular menu when you're short-handed.

Just as many businesses fail because people overextend and work themselves too hard, and then it eats at your marriage, no time away, no time for anything but work. You can have the best idea and business plan, you can remodel a business and get it your way, but you have to have the help to sustain it and you have to get people to like you and work for you. Everybody else doesn't care about your dream, they may not care about quality, and that can unravel a business quickly if you have to rely on them.

Another aspect of a lot of country stores and bars and restaurants closing is the young generation of the family doesn't want to operate them. They'd rather do their thing and not take on maybe what they know is a really time-constraining job.

Small business built America as it is today, and it looks as if it's begining to self distruct.I always wonder how the big chain CEO's can just sit in their big offices go play golf and pay their employees $6-$7 dollars per hour and be so successful? and the mom and pops are on the work site every day 60 to 80 hours a week and still struggle.

 

[morris63]

I agree about finding good help. My family has owned business for 40 years. You pay them well, but, they still do not want to do their job. You always have to be on them. Another thing I have noticed. I am sick and tired of seeing nail shops opening up every shopping center. After they open up, they bring the friends and family in to help run the place. A friend of mine was in one in Leonardtown a few months ago and an inspector came in and they were running out the back doors. The inspector wanted to see state licenses. Only two out of the six that were there were licensed. My friend had the opportunity outside to talk with the inspector. He was from Baltimore, MD. He told her that St. Mary's County doesn't have an inspector for hair or nail shops for the past two years. That day he gave 12 of the those business's citations. Women go into those places by the dozens every day. They don't even know your name. They talk about you in their own language. They ruin your nails by drilling on them and women still go back. I have since stopped going to those dirty places since I saw the news report last year about the fungus and not cleaning/sanitizing properly. The inspector told my friend that those nail shops make between 5-7K a week. I guess that is why you see them popping up everywhere.

My friend now goes to a lady in Leonardtown. She does everything by hand. She only uses gel. The gel the other corner nail shops would use was clear acrylic. They would charge her for gel, but, it was only clear acrylic. She was paying $9 more each time she went for gel fills, when it was only clear acrylic. They all misrepresent what you are getting. Where did all the american nail technicians go? They are far and few. My friend did tell me, that her american nail person is going to work for a new place opening up in November in Leonardtown at the new Breton Market Place. She said that they will have a full salan, spa and several nail and pedicure stations. She also said that when she gets a pedicure they examine your feet first before soaking them in the foot bath. I told my friend that as soon as they open up, I will be going there. I have had too many friends ruin their nails and some have gotten fungus from those other nail shops. Too scary for me. I will support the american nail business not only for cleanliness, but because we need more of them around here.

 

[SamSpade]

Vrai hit one one aspect of it - opening a store with no local market. You don't open a sushi bar in a town that thrives on ribs, steak and barbecue. If you have a niche market, it better suit the area. As far as I can tell, there ain't no shortage of bars or bait and tackle places, and those usually aren't franchises. It amuses me that you can open a bar next to ANOTHER bar, which is next to a liquor store, and both do well.

I was disappointed that this area lost at least two Indian cuisine restaurants, but I can understand why - they can't compete with more popular steak, seafood and Mexican food. You may WANT to open a hobby shop because it interests YOU, but if the local population isn't into skiing or kayaking, you're not going to do very well.

The kind of stuff I've seen go up reminds me of Ned Flander's "Leftorium" - his store for left-handed people. Quaint, amusing, but you're not going to go there and buy anything.

Which by the way, segues into something I've said this area could use, for years. An indoor shopping mall. There's no place to put it, really, and the anchor stores would likely have too much competition because the population isn't there. But an indoor mall has one thing about it - it allows for the support of unique niche type stores. Even simple ones, like candy stores. You won't DRIVE to a candy store (unless it's, like, Lindt's) but you WILL drop in and buy something if you're in a mall. I mean, let's face it, would you make an intentional trip to go to an Orange Julius, or Mrs. Field's? Malls allow tiny stores to thrive, even if they just sell sunglasses.

 

[awpitt]

Vrai hit one one aspect of it - opening a store with no local market. You don't open a sushi bar in a town that thrives on ribs, steak and barbecue. If you have a niche market, it better suit the area. As far as I can tell, there ain't no shortage of bars or bait and tackle places, and those usually aren't franchises. It amuses me that you can open a bar next to ANOTHER bar, which is next to a liquor store, and both do well.

I was disappointed that this area lost at least two Indian cuisine restaurants, but I can understand why - they can't compete with more popular steak, seafood and Mexican food. You may WANT to open a hobby shop because it interests YOU, but if the local population isn't into skiing or kayaking, you're not going to do very well.

The kind of stuff I've seen go up reminds me of Ned Flander's "Leftorium" - his store for left-handed people. Quaint, amusing, but you're not going to go there and buy anything.

Which by the way, segues into something I've said this area could use, for years. An indoor shopping mall. There's no place to put it, really, and the anchor stores would likely have too much competition because the population isn't there. But an indoor mall has one thing about it - it allows for the support of unique niche type stores. Even simple ones, like candy stores. You won't DRIVE to a candy store (unless it's, like, Lindt's) but you WILL drop in and buy something if you're in a mall. I mean, let's face it, would you make an intentional trip to go to an Orange Julius, or Mrs. Field's? Malls allow tiny stores to thrive, even if they just sell sunglasses.

Wildewood Shopping Center could be converted to an indoor type of mall. Just add to the structure starting from McKays all the way to in front of Belk. What is now that inner parking area could become the interior walk way inside the "mall". Parking wouldn't be an issue as the existing parking lots are already huge and are half empty most of the time.

 

[vraiblonde]

But an indoor mall has one thing about it - it allows for the support of unique niche type stores.

Yup. AND little village/downtown type setups do well for that sort of thing, too. When you go to Frederick, you park your car and walk around, buying all sorts of things you don't need at these cute little shops.

I didn't understand what that San Souci furniture gal was thinking, with her way overpriced decorator merchandise. Not very good demographic analysis, if you ask me.

 

[mkd20012001]

Have all the Mom and Pops stores pool their money together and open an Olive Garden, they'll do just fine...

That would be awesome!

 

[awpitt]

Yup. AND little village/downtown type setups do well for that sort of thing, too. When you go to Frederick, you park your car and walk around, buying all sorts of things you don't need at these cute little shops.

I didn't understand what that San Souci furniture gal was thinking, with her way overpriced decorator merchandise. Not very good demographic analysis, if you ask me.

Frederick has done some really nice things with its downtown area. Winchester actually created a "promenade" style area in its downtown section for pedestrian traffic only, really nice.

 

[raven]

Do you like to drink wine?

That would be awesome!

Olive garden is for wine ooooooooo's . Don't eat at the Olive Garden

 

[awpitt]

Small business built America as it is today, and it looks as if it's begining to self distruct.I always wonder how the big chain CEO's can just sit in their big offices go play golf and pay their employees $6-$7 dollars per hour and be so successful? and the mom and pops are on the work site every day 60 to 80 hours a week and still struggle.

It's easy for us to forget that Wal-Mart started out as a Mom & Pop store.

 

[chernmax]

Olive garden is for wine ooooooooo's . Don't eat at the Olive Garden

One tall Red for me then...

 

[pilot]

But an indoor mall has one thing about it - it allows for the support of unique niche type stores. Even simple ones, like candy stores. You won't DRIVE to a candy store (unless it's, like, Lindt's) but you WILL drop in and buy something if you're in a mall. I mean, let's face it, would you make an intentional trip to go to an Orange Julius, or Mrs. Field's? Malls allow tiny stores to thrive, even if they just sell sunglasses.

I see your point, but I have one question. Why is it that even the little places in the malls (e.g., Mrs. Field's) are still national chains?

When malls first became common (back in the late 70's/early 80's), they used to have a lot of local stores as well as chains. Now, they are almost exclusively chains.

 

[awpitt]

I see your point, but I have one question. Why is it that even the little places in the malls (e.g., Mrs. Field's) are still national chains?

When malls first became common (back in the late 70's/early 80's), they used to have a lot of local stores as well as chains. Now, they are almost exclusively chains.

It might be because when a developer is considering building a new mall, the "chains" are ussually the ones who will commit to leasing retail space earlier in the process.

 

[raven]

The Good Water store?

Anyone know what happen to the Good Water store in Lexington Park Md?

 

[BadGirl]

Anyone know what happen to the Good Water store in Lexington Park Md?

It went down the drain? :shrug:

 

[SEABREEZE 1957]

That would be awesome!

I ate a Cheesecake Factory last weekend in Chicago - It was awesome

I'd rather have that than an Olive Garden.....