One of life's saddest things is the new store that is doomed

[Bignate603]

There's a store that just opened in our town that bills itself as a farmer's market. It's stocked with a poor selection of foods that are more about appearance than actual taste. On top of that for calling themselves a farmer's market their selection of produce is pitiful.

 

[Pepsi90919]

Your post reminds me of how much I love Applebees. The variety, the flavors, the atmosphere of sophisticated yet accessible dining... it's all so perfect.

perfect for me to poop on

 

[I Saw OJ]

I hate Applebees. The food's alright, but it's exactly the same as 6 other places within a 5 minute drive. It's cookie cutter American chain pub food. Nothing stands out.

Applebees secret ingredient is ranch dressing. Want a new burger? Put ranch on it. Change up any of their appetizers? Put ranch on them. Everything is drenched in ranch at that place.

 

[zerocool84]

I've always found True Value overpriced as well. They carry some small items HD and Lowes don't, but other than that I have little reason to go there.

Edit: Last summer a fairly large store near my parents' house went out business after not very long. It specialized in Halloween costumes! Who thought that would work?

Here in Los Angeles/Orange County area there are many stores that specialize only on Halloween costumes. They're not open year round though but never go anywhere cus they make their business for a couple of months.

 

[foghorn67]

A friend of mine tried to open a video game store in a then-brand new shopping center. The property management said it would be a "conflict with an exclusivity" deal with Target. They were afraid of pissing Target off. Or something like that. The storefront he was looking at had an expensive, high end confection shop. It went out of business fast. Then a womens fitness place called Curves opened up to take it's place. Dumb idea. It was a corner store that was all glass. What fat ass broad would like to work out in front of everyone walking by? That went out too. Now there is a Gamestop there. Seriously.

 

[iGas]

True dat. I had a Moen faucet that started leaking after 6 years, the white plastic had yellowed too, but I took it back and they swapped it with a brand new one.

Moen faucet carry a lifetime on the stopper cartridge, therefore most if not all plumbing supply stores will give you a new matching cartridge for the old cartridge.

 

[Drekce]

The stupidest one I see in a town up the road from me is a italian ice store. First off it's in a shopping center that no one ever goes into. second, how much italian ice do you need to sell to pay the rent. third, what kind of drug outfit they running out the back.

We have an Italian Ice store near us that is always packed. They hire only super hot high school and college girls, and actually make a very good product, which are probably the two main reasons they do so well.

 

[PingSpike]

I think Balt said it. What is that statistic? 50% of businesses fail in the first year? I'd argue thats actually a remarkable success rate when you figure most business are run by people, and most people are raging morons.

It is sad when an empty store goes out of business, but you get the sense most of these stores are opened with no business plan or market research whatsoever. I think the thought process behind a lot of these shops goes something like this: "I like making necklaces out of beads. So I will open a bead store (near where I live)." That's it. No research into local incomes or demographics of the area and whether they suggest the store will make it.

On the other hand, maybe I don't know what I'm talking about. I'd assume True Value does market research but that didn't stop them from opening a store over here next to a Lowes and offering prices higher then the mom and pop hardware store a half a mile down the road. I couldn't believe what a rip off that place was, the prices were worse then the hardware store near my house way the fuck out in the country and I think the selection was even worse. It certainly had less people it in.

 

[holden j caufield]

it sucks and I know people should chase their dreams but sometimes I have to question their sensibility. Me and everyone else can see this won't pan out but why can't they.

 

[geno]

Applebees is so bad, I call them.... ready for this? Wait for it ... wait for it...















Crapplebees.

 

[nageov3t]

there are 2 scrapbooking stores within a 5 block radius of my apartment.

scrapbooking.

seriously. I don't get it.

 

[cherrytwist]

What I really hate is when I find a good local restaurant that makes great food, only to see them go under in six months due to lack of business. Meanwhile, the Applebee's next door has a line going out the door... :|

We lost a nice family owned Italian place nearby after 17 years of business. They closed a few months ago. I only knew about it because a local journalist had been there recently for dinner and found a sign thanking their loyal customers and they would not be re-opening.

You could get a decent strip steak for around $13 and their pasta dishes were slightly cheaper. It's a damn shame.

 

[Abe Froman]

It is sad to see a privately owned family business fall victim to larger big box retailers, but there really isn't anything to protect them. They don't buy in large enough qty's to discount nearly as much, and they don't have the money to market themselves.

There should be a gov't program to back them.

 

[K1052]

We lost a nice family owned Italian place nearby after 17 years of business. They closed a few months ago. I only knew about it because a local journalist had been there recently for dinner and found a sign thanking their loyal customers and they would not be re-opening.

You could get a decent strip steak for around $13 and their pasta dishes were slightly cheaper. It's a damn shame.

A lot of restaurants both chain and independent have gone under in the last year as people tightened up their spending.

Fortunately I live somewhere that shitty chain restaurants that serve reheated food can't survive/compete (except down in the heart of the River North where they can prey on stupid tourists).

 

[IceBergSLiM]

sushi spot opened up on whalley avenue 2 years ago. Actually really decent sushi. The problem was location. No parking lot! No street parking, take isn't even an option here. Not a problem if you are getting alot of the right foot traffic however they were located next to a pop-eyes chicken on the border of the bad part of town. Gone in 6 months of course.

And just last month a thai place opened up there. Unless they really push their delivery business they are doomed as well.

 

[mcurphy]

I live in a small town with a population of ~2k. We had a small model train shop open up two years ago, and I was sure they would not last. I went in there a couple times and bought some toy trains for my son just out of sympathy for the store. Every time I drive by the store it looks empty, and really, in a small town, how many people are into model trains? Well the store is still around and last week they had a small write-up in the local paper about the store. Apparently they are doing well, and plan to stay around. I guess they do a lot of online sales, and have model train enthusiats from all around the area that stop in. Who would have thought?

 

[mugs]

A Pakistani guy opened a restaurant in my neighborhood a few years ago. He served American food. I went there a few times and the food was good, but he couldn't attract any customers. I told him he should serve Pakistani food, because you can get American food anywhere. He closed the restaurant and reopened it as a Pakistani restaurant. No one came.

Some time later while I was away on a trip some immigration papers were put into my mailbox by mistake, and the poor guy got deported.

 

[mugs]

I live in a small town with a population of ~2k. We had a small model train shop open up two years ago, and I was sure they would not last. I went in there a couple times and bought some toy trains for my son just out of sympathy for the store. Every time I drive by the store it looks empty, and really, in a small town, how many people are into model trains? Well the store is still around and last week they had a small write-up in the local paper about the store. Apparently they are doing well, and plan to stay around. I guess they do a lot of online sales, and have model train enthusiats from all around the area that stop in. Who would have thought?

I think one of the keys to having a niche store survive is to not have any competition for miles. I drive 20 miles to go to a store that sells nothing but hot sauce. It's the only place around here where I can get most of the sauces they go.

And the Internet sales are important too, as long as your customers don't get pissed that you sell stuff cheaper online (which you really have to)

 

[nageov3t]

It is sad to see a privately owned family business fall victim to larger big box retailers, but there really isn't anything to protect them. They don't buy in large enough qty's to discount nearly as much, and they don't have the money to market themselves.

There should be a gov't program to back them.

what value do they really add when they sell the same products at higher prices and often with worse customer service than you'd find in a big-box store?

convert their shops into apartments for walmart workers imo

 

[Riverhound777]

There is a store near my work that sells only lamp shades... its been there for a while. How the hell do they stay in business??

 

[Svnla]

A lot of people think that if they have the "entreprenue" and "can do" spirit, they can open a store or business and they will make it. They don't bother to do any researches on competition, potential of clients, cash flow/credit, and so on.

Sad fact = about 50% of all new small business WILL fail within five years or less. Source = http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/plan/getready/SERV_SBPLANNER_ISENTFORU.html

 

[foghorn67]

A Pakistani guy opened a restaurant in my neighborhood a few years ago. He served American food. I went there a few times and the food was good, but he couldn't attract any customers. I told him he should serve Pakistani food, because you can get American food anywhere. He closed the restaurant and reopened it as a Pakistani restaurant. No one came.

Some time later while I was away on a trip some immigration papers were put into my mailbox by mistake, and the poor guy got deported.

Friggin deja vu is killing me right now. I feel like the same thing happened to me.

 

[Abe Froman]

what value do they really add when they sell the same products at higher prices and often with worse customer service than you'd find in a big-box store?

convert their shops into apartments for walmart workers imo

Local businesses care about the local community. The money isn't leaving the area. When you shop at a Big Box, the money moves out of the area instead of being pumped back into the local economy. Also, when the big boxes close, everyone who works there is out of work, and by that time, they've put all the mom and pop stores out of business. Where do you go for those goods/services then? Where do people go to get new jobs?

When a Wal-mart closes in a small town, it often turns those town into ghost towns. No Jobs, no shopping, no money to open new stores.

 

[evident]

Local businesses care about the local community. The money isn't leaving the area. When you shop at a Big Box, the money moves out of the area instead of being pumped back into the local economy. Also, when the big boxes close, everyone who works there is out of work, and by that time, they've put all the mom and pop stores out of business. Where do you go for those goods/services then? Where do people go to get new jobs?

When a Wal-mart closes in a small town, it often turns those town into ghost towns. No Jobs, no shopping, no money to open new stores.

I dont know about anyone else, but i've never seen a wal-mart close and leave town.

 

[waggy]

Local businesses care about the local community. The money isn't leaving the area. When you shop at a Big Box, the money moves out of the area instead of being pumped back into the local economy. Also, when the big boxes close, everyone who works there is out of work, and by that time, they've put all the mom and pop stores out of business. Where do you go for those goods/services then? Where do people go to get new jobs?

When a Wal-mart closes in a small town, it often turns those town into ghost towns. No Jobs, no shopping, no money to open new stores.

it did the opposite here. When Wal mart supercenter came in sure it shut down 1 store but it opened a whole bunch of small stores in the strip mall that was built around walmart. not to mention it brought in a few new resturants and big stores (got lowes and home depot built like 3 years latteR)

It also forced the Target that was across the street to expand and get better.