Too Late They Learn

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "It's not all bad":

The problem with the perception of retailers that have come and gone is
looking at them in an isolated way.

Evelyn lists Aurora Home Hardware, True Value, Canadian Tire as examples
of "local" businesses that have learned to survive. But, what she fails to
see or acknowledge, all of those examples are franchises of much
larger "corporate" operations. The local retailer is able to leverage the
buying power of the corporate entity. As a tradeoff, they sacrifice their
ability to set prices and policies. At some point, a corporate manager
reviews the viability of an outlet and if it is not profitable, they will
cut it loose in a heartbeat.

Looking at the Aurora downtown there are very few independant retail
operations. They tend to come and go with regularity as the owners try new
opportunities.

As far as the suggestion that councillors should have retail experience,
that is not a realistic expectation. If a councillor has common sense and
is willing to listen to the electorate (including the small business 
operation), they can be much more effective. But, when you have councillors 
that claim that they know better than anyone else, you have a recipe for
disaster.


Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 21 August 2014 08:46


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Home Hardware   IGA,IDA are all Associations  of independent  business operators.

An  advantage of being a  Councillor is the opportunity to learn something about the lives of  people 
And business in the community. 

The late Mayor John West was partner with the  Aurora group that established Home  Hardware  in Oak Ridges.  John was generous in sharing his experience

The owners of Aurora Home Hardware and customers of many years would be surprised to learn that they are not thought of as owners and responsible for the success of their business  with the same
friendly faces to greet customers looking for advice.

The same can be said I'm sure of Mac Fleming's which became much more than a paint and wallpaper store over the years and took over the store abutting.  Caruso's.continuing business over a hundred years is a testament to commitment.

No, I have not spoken to any of the owners. I think it can be assumed if a store opens it's doors every  day, it is still in business  Along with  all the other signs of course.

I do not pretend to know all it takes to  operate a retail store,or publish a newspaper, manage a police department ,operate a hospital, provide recreation programs ,operating a theatre or any of the myriad
activities that contribute to people's lives in a community like ours.

But I can tell you this .......a Mayor or Councillor who doesn't learn something of  lives of people they serve , after four years in office, is a person who  hasn't much interest in  anyone but himself.

Elected office is nothing  else but privilege and status to that person.

Like Michael Ignatieff  ....until the night before the election....when he knew he had lost and understood why.