save our shops

The SOS $40.00 A Month Plan

 

It’s happening all over the country.  Nearly very day our hearts break as we see another “OUT OF BUSINESS” sign on the door of our favorite businesses. A great restaurant, delightful bread store, or especially our favorite needlework shop ...here one day and gone the next.   I'm sure that you've asked your favorite needlework shop, your favorite little boutique, your favorite little coffee shop the question “So, how is your business? You won’t be closing too, will you?”

    Your independent shops are not PLANNING on going out of business, but it all depends on sales. Plain and simple. And, quite honestly, current sales are significantly below what is needed for long-term survival of neighborhood shops as it exists today.  The last thing  'we shops' want to do is break your heart (and our own), and we'll try to do anything to try to keep that from happening.

Why Shops DON'T Survive

  1. Consumers stop buying. No explanation needed.
  2. Profit margins fall below what is needed to re-stock - consumers wait for sales before they buy.

For example - from a cross stitch shop's point of view: 

A chart is sold at $10.00.   That first $5.00 is used by the shop to pay rent, taxes, salaries, utilities, and the remaining $5.00 is left to re-purchase another chart to put back into inventory.   If that chart is put on sale, the first $5.00 still has to pay rent/salaries/taxes, etc. and now there is not enough money left to reorder that chart .. because it still costs $5.00 to purchase it from the distributor.   Suddenly there is less to sell, customers get bored or already have it, and stop buying. (Not all “sales” create this condition, but most do, unless the item was greatly discounted to the LNS at the time the shop purchased it - and that is 'rare'.)

    The above is a very simplistic explanation, and there are things a small business owner can do to increase the profit margins 'somewhat', but the two items listed above are the major components to success or failure for retailers.

You CAN Save Your Favorite Small Business!

    A Minneapolis-based retail consultant recently explained that if even half of the employed population spent a mere $50 a month each, at any 3 independently-owned stores (instead of at the big box/chain stores), this economy would turn around in the blink of an eye!  AND .. those 3 businesses would be saved from closing.

   That breaks down to about $12.00 a week at each of your 3 favorite independently-owned retailers.

   Think about what you spend weekly on gourmet coffees, texting charges, or bottled water (I'll bet you just found where you could get some money for MORE stuffs!). At your local needlework shop, if every person on their Preferred Stitcher list spent even just $40 a month (or $10 a week), that shop would not only survive, it would prosper and be able to offer you more new & exciting products, great classes, and a wonderful place to come and play and forget that the outside world exists for a while!

   Support your local needlework shop (or not-so-local favorite needlework shop by:

  • referring your friends
  • by NOT using photocopied patterns from a friend
  • by taking a class or two now and then

It all adds up. Only $10 a week or $40 a month will keep your favorite needlework shop in business for your stitching passions!  

We at Stitches N Things would like to thank you for your continued support of the needlearts and our independent needlework shop!

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14288 N. Fenton Rd.
Fenton, MI 48430
Toll Free Order Line: 1-877-325-4060
Phone: 810-629-3333
Fax: 810-629-3313
Email: deb@stitchesnthings.com

www.stitchesnthings.com