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Natchez needs to make stores user-friendly
Published Wednesday, August 27, 2008
I grew up behind the counter of a convenience store.
My dad owned his own business from the time I was 3 until I was 17. He primarily sold gas and quick food items, but did his fair share of Ole Miss souvenir sales.
He had two employees, if you count my mother, and he worked extreme hours.
He opened up most days before I got out of bed. The other employee closed up shop around 11 p.m. it seems. The store was open six days a week for many years, but, if memory serves, there was a stint where it opened on Sundays, too.
I spent afternoons after school and summers at the store, where my dad was behind the register and my mom was in the kitchen.
And I knew, if we wanted to make money, we had to be open.
My dad couldn’t run out to grab lunch, or even to pick me up from school unless his other employee could come in early.
Customers don’t bring their money to closed stores, that’s a basic rule of business.
Perhaps it’s my background in family business that makes me so easily agitated when I pull up to one of our downtown shops to see “Out to lunch, back in a bit” taped to the door.
Stores in the Miss-Lou have been unknowingly turning away my money for several weeks now.
I’m preparing for a wedding, and I’ve tried to do my shopping locally. I need gifts for the wedding party, ceremony details and the like. And I would prefer to spend my money in either Natchez or Vidalia.
But time after time, I’ve parked my car, turned it off, walked around to a shop and been greeted only by a “closed” sign. I, like many shoppers, need to do much of my shopping around lunchtime. That’s my lunch break, and I need to be at the office the rest of the day.
But, it seems shop owners in Natchez and Vidalia like to take lunch at the same time as the rest of us.
It’s difficult to run your own business. My father will tell you that. Often you can’t afford to hire extra help. And if you can afford them, you can’t find good workers.
But closed businesses don’t make money.
Customers will tire of driving up to closed shops and opt to take their money elsewhere if doors aren’t open.
It’s one thing for one shop owner to lose money while they are closed, but it’s another for our local residents and tourists to become frustrated with the “be right back” signs.
A collective frustration will have bad results for all of downtown, all of Natchez and the entire Miss-Lou economy.
Many local residents already do their shopping at large chain stores or out-of-town for convenience.
With high gas prices and economic woes, it’s time to bring those folks home again. But it will take creative marketing, clever ideas and a business partnership to do it.
Natchez has an active Downtown Development Association that has done great things in recent months. Maybe this group could spearhead a movement to make downtown shopping more user-friendly.
Brainstorming is the first task at hand, but maybe ultimately businesses could work together to avoid all unnecessary “back in a bit” signs.
Could one shop employee step inside their neighbor’s shop to watch things for a minute? Could NDDA help businesses recruit good employees and offer a free training program?
The ideas are endless but the need is urgent.
If our shops don’t want the money, shoppers will spend it elsewhere.
Julie Finley is the managing editor of The Natchez Democrat. She can be reached at 601-445-3551 or julie.finley@natchezdemocrat.com.
Comments
Posted by ntzmom (anonymous) on August 27, 2008 at 4:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
AMEN to this one.
It is so annoying to pull up, walk up and see that be right back sign.
Posted by ozzette (anonymous) on August 27, 2008 at 6:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
YES! I agree! This actually happened to me a couple of months ago, and I had parked and got out in the rain, only to be greeted with that sign...I was less than happy, and ended up ordering what I needed online the next day. Bring a lunch from home people!
Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on August 27, 2008 at 7:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I understand where you are coming from, but a family business is not always able to hire an employee to help out when they are gone.
So, let your fingers do the walking before you do the driving and you can save gas, too.
Posted by noneya (anonymous) on August 27, 2008 at 8:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Family business or not, if a shop is to remain open, they have to have REGULAR business hours...this includes being open on Saturdays to accomodate the general work force that work Mon.-Fri. and only have Saturdays to shop. I will drive to a nearby town to do my business (and have done so) if a shop owner cannot be open on Saturday. The particular business I am referring to is on Main ST.
Posted by Swapmeet (anonymous) on August 27, 2008 at 8:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Small businesses are not owned by share-holders. If they want to close for lunch, then that is their right. I seriously doubt that they haven't considered the consequences of closing for lunch. They have weighed the pros and cons and decided they'll go out for lunch. You can't tell people how to run their business.
Posted by callinitlikeitis (anonymous) on August 27, 2008 at 8:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
here's another problem: i'v gone into some downtown stores and felt as if i were on my own. the owners/employees are not hospitable. there must be GOOD OLE' SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY! please, greet customers when they walk in and show them some down to earth hospitality.
Posted by 2of4 (anonymous) on August 27, 2008 at 8:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Natchez has had the same problem for many years with shop owners not being opened on Saturdays and Sundays when tourist are in town, the closed for lunch is not one I have personally experienced but hopefully this shop owner never complains about locals not supporting his/her business. Lunch time to me would be 11:00-2:00 and a very important time of day to be open. Owning a business takes a great deal of sacrifice and dedication. Bringing a lunch would certainly help the business.
Posted by 3on23 (anonymous) on August 27, 2008 at 8:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The problem with this is it's all subjective. If my boss wanted to please each and every customer that MIGHT grace our doors, then I might as well move in. Fortunately we have never been open on Sundays and due to the slow business over the last several years we now swap Saturdays off. Thank goodness, I can now have 2 days off and be able to do something for a change.
You can't please everyone. Our business is not one that falls into the tourist category other than giving directions which we gladly do.
Posted by reader (anonymous) on August 27, 2008 at 9:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Julie-No truer words have ever been written in the Democrat. This is a HUGE problem in our area. Of course, I think they should be open on Saturdays at least until 2:00, and weekdays until 6:00. I went to one business on Main Street recently, and a sign said they were closed for a week...IN THE MIDDLE OF JULY. Crazy.
Posted by ladyrider (anonymous) on August 27, 2008 at 9:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I was in a local store lately and the employee and a customer were gossiping about a teacher and how concerned they were about her ability to teach this year because of her personal problems. They were even saying the names of her children. We left.
Posted by Natchez3 (anonymous) on August 27, 2008 at 9:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I for one have heard friends of mine that shop in Jackson and Baton Rouge. That is before the gas prices went up! Stores in Natchez here can not compete with larger towns in inventory and they can not do it if people do NOT shop often in the our stores. What has happen is downtown stores have been beating that habit of our locals shopping out of town for a very long time.
I am not saying that is right for the stores to have closed signs up at lunch and on Saturdays. But they are not the only ones to blame.
I for one shop "The First Friday" events once a month. A great many of the stores stay open until 8 pm. This a a great way to eat in the resturants and shop locally and not beat the lock to get back to work. So you see the stores are being more creative for "the general work force" Have you shopped on those nights? Most of the stores have discounts on First Friday and they offer refreshments. On Saturday they have sidewalk sales. Some of you must not go to town on Saturday. That has been going on since March or April. The more people that come to that event the more likely stores will do it more often.
So when everyone gets on board then you will see a more "alive" downtown. The next time you hear "shop in Natchez" realize that it is not just for the stores it is for YOU too. You have to shop often in Natchez for the stores to maintain reasonable hours.
Posted by guy2co (anonymous) on August 27, 2008 at 10:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe if we had a tax free weekend once a month it would encourage the stores to stay open on Saturdays.
Posted by Bobaloo (anonymous) on August 27, 2008 at 11:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
How bout the restaurants that sell out of stuff like plate lunches by 1:00 PM? or the places (most of em) that on weekends like Balloon Fest don't order accordingly and run out of menu items by Sat afternoon. Don't they know what the rest of the town does that more folks are coming to town, order accordingly?
a good dose of business planning and common sense would go a long way.
Better eat dinner by 8:00 PM or you will be at a fast food drive-up.
Posted by whiterabbit (anonymous) on August 27, 2008 at 12:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Since this happened "time after time," wouldn't it have made sense--as someone suggested above--just to pick up the phone and ask if the store was open?
Posted by MSABBY (anonymous) on August 27, 2008 at 1:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My Mother too ran her own business for years and she was always opened. She would just eat a sandwich behind the counter.
Also when my husband moved here he would suggest we go to a store at lunch time or on Sat afternoons. My comment would always be they are not open at lunch time or business close at 12 noon on Sat. So he would always say well lets go to the real world and go to Baton Rouge or Jackson.
Also the Mom and Pop business always complain of the BIG BAD WAL-MART taken there business away well you never see them closing at lunch or on Sat afternoons. They as a business know that is two of the busiest time.
So the next time you see that Out to Lunch or Be Right Back sign, just run to the local Wal-Mart or out of town .
Posted by olderthandirt (anonymous) on August 27, 2008 at 1:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Personally, I have not experienced the 'closed for lunch' problem...yet.However, I entered a store on Main Street last month to inquire about a range.The employee at the desk was on a cell phone and you could tell by the conversation it was a personal call.After looking around and glancing at her for 10 minutes I left. the Hosford's lost a sale because of that employee.She saw me and she ignored me.
Posted by lrunnels (anonymous) on August 27, 2008 at 3:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
to guy2co: "Maybe if we had a tax free weekend once a month it would encourage the stores to stay open on Saturdays."
If someone advertised that they were having a 7% off sale all weekend long, people generally would not move much. But if you say that you are having a "tax-free sale", then people are beside themselves! Whatever.
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on August 27, 2008 at 10:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What I'd really like is to hear more about Julie's wedding. Who is Julie going to marry? Where will the wedding be held? What type of wedding; small, large? What type of things was Julie looking for in town? Dress? Shoes? Flowers?
hmmm, I can imagine that soon Julie's phone will be ringing with offers from stores saying we will be open during lunch, lol. Julie could use a little assistance to help her out.
Posted by natchezsouthside (anonymous) on August 28, 2008 at 5:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Yes, I agree with Julie, but what is the worst folks?
Banks!
Why do they have one teller on at lunch time?????
Sure they want to eat lunch, but for Pete's sake eat AFTER the rush is over!!
There is no need for a midday line at a bank--unless of course the bank doesn't care about their customers.
Posted by kpage (anonymous) on August 28, 2008 at 7:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
My mother refuses to shop downtown Ntz. She says every place she walks into, they ignore her. So she's now ignored at the big chain store, where she EXPECTS to be ignored.
Posted by noneya (anonymous) on August 28, 2008 at 7:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Calling to find out that the store isn't open doesn't get the items I need bought....so you still have to go out of town.
Posted by steve_o (anonymous) on August 28, 2008 at 7:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Julie Finley is to soon be known as...
Mrs. Kevin Cooper.
Posted by whiterabbit (anonymous) on August 28, 2008 at 7:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If true, doesn't that smack of a conflict of interest on the Democrat's editorial board when a majority of the members are in such a close relationship?
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on August 28, 2008 at 8:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Congratulations Kevin and Julie. I think that's sweet; and economical too, think of all the gas you can save riding to work together.
Posted by natchezsouthside (anonymous) on August 28, 2008 at 9:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
And how about dissenting editorial opinions? Do others feel they can vote against Julie and not jeopardize their job?
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on August 28, 2008 at 9:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Are you really one of those secret shopper type persons secretly trying to find out how Julie and Kevin handle dissent?
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on August 28, 2008 at 10:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Having never met or seen either of them, I could hardly form an opinion as to how they might treat co-workers, or anyone else, who see things differently than they. But, I would think that since they both have their own minds, they too, would have to disagree on a few things at times.
Posted by natchezsouthside (anonymous) on August 28, 2008 at 10:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'd rather hear from employees at the ND.
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on August 28, 2008 at 5:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Good luck widdat, but it don't look like it's happening.
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