I was thinking about this yesterday as I left my hair appointment. I would really hate to see my salon go out of business but they are seriously at risk. Damn, it would suck as they do good hair, use ITALY color which I consider to be the best in the world for the darker shades and they don't charge an exorbitant amount. 

 I also don't want to lose the Asian super supermarket, Har-Mart. The variety of produce they offer is unparalleled and again their prices are very fair.

Last is Vid's karate studio.  I suppose I would move him to another studio if they closed but it just would not be the same.

I hate that I can no longer find heavy duty brown thread in this city of close to a million, or  a man's flannel robe but I really don't want to see these three businesses go down and I hope some feel similarly about my small business, this blog.

Is there a business in your town you would just hate to lose? Who and why?

There is a rock and crystal shop in the touristy section of the "city" I live in. Its small business and labor of love of a man who tends it even with debilitating physical illness.  My ex and I would spend 3-4 hours in that shop every weekend talking with the owners about crystals, looking at the crystals. My ex even worked there on a volunteer basis just helpin the owner by cleaning the glass cases and dusting the crystals and moving stuff around for the owner. What a job, huh? 

There is not a day goes by that I dont think of the owner and that shop and hope they are doing well.  But I havent been able to go visit even though its 5 miles away because of the emotional stuff that is associated with it all.  I am SO afraid, that by the time I get there it is closed.  But I pray every day for them and all their crystal friends. 

I reallly feel for all the small business owners.

I also mourned the loss of Mervyns.

The little grocery store in town. So convenient.

The brand new pharmacy in town, where the pharmacist reminds me of my Aunt and puts "TAKE ONE CAPSULE BY MOUTH TWO TIMES A DAY AFTER FOOD TILL ALL GONE. GET WELL SOON!" on the pill bottle.

My hair place I've been going to for 19 years.

My butcher already went out of business and the British Pub that was around for as long as I've been here (20 years) and had yummy fish & chips and mushy peas. :(

I love H-mart as well and my own child's martial arts school.  There are a few restaurants in town that I worry about.  A fairly new Cuban place, family run, great food, reasonably priced.  Then there's an amazing Indian restaurant around the corner.  We don't eat out all that often but I hope they thrive because I like knowing they're there and that I can get prepared food that isn't McDonalds or Red Lobster you know?

Good shoe stores! I think about this with all kinds of products, in terms of brands that I like that might disappear too. So when I find stuff that I like that I need all the time I buy in quantity, but I definitely have a shoe dilemma which I need to find a solution too. And females have this worse, because men can just buy one pair of each brown and black and call her good. I swear if I can find a style that I like that's super comfortable, I am going to buy twelve pairs! Elsa has that great picture of the little fellah that just got a pair of shoes, it's priceless.       

This is not so much a "business" but more a person working in a business. I would hate to see my hairdresser leave the city. He has been the only hairdresser I truly trusted! 

I would hate to see the bike shop I go to close down. Again, very trustworthy mechanics and sales people.

The coffee shop I work for had a rough summer. We're in a collage town and make most of our money when schools in. Things are picking up now, but its was sticky there for a bit.

Also, I would be depressed if the boba place went under.  I neeeeeed boba for happiness. 

The bonsai shop my husband worked for when we first moved closed down. They are the only bonsai store in a 300 mile radius of where we live. That was a bummer.

My main worry is the small farmers in our area. A lot of people can't afford to purchase from small farmers, since they have to charge more to make ends meet. I think they will do okay, as long as there are still enough higher-income people to fill in the gap.

My local independent video store already shut down one of their locations (they had two) that was closest to me. I walk everywhere since I don't need a car in the city, and their other location is quite a bit out of the way. I was sad to see them go (their rent nearly doubled!) because I had come to know all the employees and they were fun and friendly. I miss them!

I wouldn't want to see my salon go either, it's a short walk from my house (love that!) and all the girls there do a great (and inexpensive) cut.

-the italian coffee shop that's been run by the same family for 25+ years. i asked the husband a few weeks ago when prices were going to go up (they are ridiculously low--$2.50, tax included, for a huge hot chocolate with real chocolate whip cream). He said "I'll just eat the costs until I can't eat them anymore."

-the italian grocers. the prices are so low, I wonder what will happen if the old man who runs it kicks the bucket. I mean, bunches of fresh local basil the size of a head of lettuce for $1.29? Prosciutto for $2.29/100g? It's unheard of in this town. 

-the second-hand clothing store which funds a local women's shelter. the funds are needed and the clothes are actually very good and steam cleaned

My favorite Indian beauty salon (where you could get your eyebrows threaded for $4) closed shop recently. I dropped in, only to find the sign on the door...non-payment of rent for 5 months. I really miss the elderly lady who used to take care of me there.

The landlord is fairly screwed there too, kash. Out the rent and will probably have trouble re-renting...

where my city seem to be struggling is in the neighbourhoods further from downtown. downtown is all million dollar condos and fancy stores where you can buy shirts for $1000. the olympics are coming...

i noticed on my bike ride this morning the McDonalds that is 2 blocks from Olympic village has been closed...a big fence around it. next will be the strip of old car dealerships that are closed. i wonder what they will do to hide it from the world when it comes knocking? 

The farmer's market that's next to my son's Tae Kwon Do studio.  They just opened last month, and wow, do they have a great selection of stuff.  Top quality dairy, Italian pastry, and Italian groceries, for a very good price.  I've already gotten to know the owners, a very nice Italian man and his wife.  Having a store like this is very rare out where I live, which is dominated by the big box stores and grocery chains.  I hope they do well.

I read one of your threads the other day but had too much in my head to put my thoughts together but have decided at the back of my mind that I won't let you start talking about "premonitions" and all.  I just love this blog too much and the people in it.  I love the beatings I get from here (is that a capricorn thing?).  Have seen how this blog helped some people get through a tough day or night or just get through the next critical 24 hours.  It's the astrology 911, open 24-7. 

I'm racking my brains for some marketing stuff and would be coming up with some suggestions in a few days.  I hope everybody will be doing the same to keep this blog above water.  Brainstorming time coming up.

Thank you, persian_cat.