Date: Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:57:10 -0500
From: Jeff Lane
Subject: Re: Chatham Chatlist #3596
You know, sometimes people here can really disgust me. All I’ve heard over the last couple years is “hurrr hurrr buy local buy local hurr hurr hurr” and here come’s someone who just can’t stand those pesky local businesses “stealing business” from local businesses.
> I was wondering what the rules and regulations are for the local vendors setting up shop along 64
> in Pittsboro? It seems that every week their is a new person setting up shop at the old Ford
> parking lot. It really doesn’t seem fair to me that the coffee van can just park for a few hours and
> take away business from the General Store Cafe, The drive through coffee shop at
> 64 and 87 or even the coffee shop at the Brewery.
Did you stop and ask? Last I checked, they both were locals, both selling local products to local shoppers. Would you rather the lot just sit empty, a decrepit rusting building on an overgrown paved lot that no one wants to buy or lease? Or would you rather see local entrepreneurs starting their own businesses and maybe becoming successful.
> These people pay taxes, insurance support our community etc, yet someone can park for a few
> hours and steal away business from someone who is a permanent fixture in Pittsboro. The same
> is true for the hot dog lady, pie man and even the guy selling Christmas trees. And it is becoming
> an eyesore to see excess boxes/trash lying around that location. Everyone who owns a
> business has to adhere to certain rules, regulations, and pay taxes, are they? And please do not
> tell me that their is enough business for everyone, if they want to be in business, set up an
> permanent location and see how you would feel if someone came in an stole your business.
So what you’re saying is that a local business only counts if it rents out an overpriced brick and mortar location? So what, in your opinion qualifies as a worthy business here in Chatham County? By your own complaint and offense, we should all stop shopping at First Sunday, yes? After all, all those temporary stands along the streets just clog up the pretty sidewalks and steal business from the “legitamate” businesses of Pittsboro, right? Maybe we should stop encouraging those transient business thieves all together and just stop having First Sunday and the Street Fair.
> I hate to see how these “temporary” people can make a struggling business, suffer even more.
As someone else has mentioned, if a mobile espresso van is putting that much of a hurt on the GSC and that car-wash/coffee shop, then both of those businesses need to rethink some of their business plan. And lets be honest… the GSC is a great place. I love the food there… but I can’t afford to eat there. You may be able to, and bless you for your success if you can, but a lot of people can’t so a LOT of businesses are suffering. I can barely afford to get a coffee a week from the Meeks’ van, but I do when I can. And I stopped buying coffee from the little drive through a long time ago, because, let’s face it, their coffee is horrible. It’s always too strong, burnt, just not well made. Their Smoothies, on the other hand, are amazing. Especially the Mango. It’s hard to find a delicious smoothie made from real mango, instead of that processed fake mango garbage. But still, for a cup of coffee, I choose to spend my money at the LOCALLY OWNED and LOCALLY OPERATED Mobile Espresso van.
> Gene any chance you could do a little investigative work and put it in your paper?
Yes Gene, could you please? I think these new local businesses could use a helping hand and some exposure in local media sources outside the Chatlist. They provide a service or a product that people want, at decent prices.
Really Marie Miler, you epitomize the problem with our society today. Everyone searches and searches for any perceived slight just so you can rise up in impotent indignation, shaking your fists at the sky and yelling about the injustice of it all, without doing the slightest bit of leg work on your own beyond sabre rattling.
So I ask YOU, Marie Miler… instead of asking Gene to spend HIS time investigating these horrible temporary thieves of local business why don’t YOU go and educate YOURSELF. Take some responsibility and find your OWN facts before you start making unfounded and inflammatory remarks about people you have never met and businesses you’ve never patronized.
Jeff, who can’t understand how, in this economy, people are willing to try to tear down entrepreneurs who have somehow managed to start a business and make it at least somewhat successful.