My youngest daughter, Amelia, asked to make cookies tonight and I told her that we had a rough day today, so why not use our luscious Dream Dinner's
prepared Lemon & White Chocolate cookie dough? Wha-la -- in a few minutes, these delectable morsels were warm, gooey and filled our need for some comfort food.
Nikki and I had walked all around today at the LA Gift Show. We try to sniff out only the best gifts, cards and stuff that our discerning customers want. It's not easy - I assure you. But I am so thankful to employ the most talented buyer around -- Nikki Guza -- a class act to be sure. As my husband always says to us before we go on our buying episodes: "Just buy what sells". HHmmm.
Did you catch my
community commentary in the Glendale News Press Sat. 7/18/09.
COMMUNITY COMMENTARY:
Independent stores offer more
By Maureen Palacios
Published: Last Updated Friday, July 17, 2009 10:46 PM PDT
Perhaps it’s a good thing that the commercial for the “Buy Glendale” campaign is being reworked (“Agency criticizes commercial,” July 9). Even though, as a business owner, I would love extra advertising for my business, I hesitate to say that this campaign is actually going to do that. No one seems to “get” what buying local is all about.
Certainly, the Glendale News-Press does not, or apparently only feels that using a picture of the Glendale Galleria is typical of what the “Buy Glendale” means.
Moreover, if you checked back a few months ago, the same type of picture (big corporate chain, Galleria) was attached to the first News-Press article about the “Buy Glendale” campaign.
So, whom are we talking about when you say “Buy Glendale?”
Is the money going to promote Glendale businesses of all stripes — such as the big-box stores and corporate chains that happen to be in Glendale?
Those kinds of businesses usually have plenty of money for slick advertising campaigns, along with the promotional wattage of venues such as the Americana at Brand and Glendale Galleria.
Is the city’s campaign targeting these types of stores? Do they need to have money spent on them?
If the advertising money is going to be spent on promoting the various distinct shopping destinations around town — Montrose, Kenneth Village, Adams Square, to name a few — these types of small, independent businesses within those destinations usually do not have access to large corporate advertising juggernauts, so it would seem that the city’s money should be focused on those.
Does the city understand that shopping “local” — i.e. independently owned business — returns more money into the local economy than shopping at big chains or corporate retail giants?
Shopping local means shopping in stores where the owner is probably someone from your neighborhood, your school or religious organization. The owner spends money on accountants, bookkeepers, designers, insurance agents, printers, bankers, plumbers who live/work in the local area, hires local employees (and high school/college kids), donates and/or advertises in umpteen local high school sports club programs, music clubs, scouts programs, yearbooks, AYSO/Little League sponsors, etc.
The independently owned business owner keeps their merchandise unique, displays passion for their products and services and will usually go beyond the call of duty to provide an exceptional shopping experience.
Buying from a local indie business conserves energy and resources in the form of less fuel for transportation, less packaging, less infrastructure, less maintenance and more money available to beautify our community.
The local economy is enhanced monetarily by shopping LOCAL — for every $100 of money a customer spends in a locally owned, independent business $68 stays in the community.
Only $43 stays in the community when that same $100 is spent at a national chain, according to recent Chamber of Commerce study.
Why the disparity? Big box stores and national chains do not employ local accountants, bookkeepers, designers, insurance agents, etc. All that work is performed back at corporate headquarters and not locally.
What a sad day, indeed, to have the sale of Virgil’s on the front page of the News-Press and on the next page, talk about “Buy Glendale” with a corporate giant pictured.
What would our wonderful, small-town Montrose look like if Faye’s was bought by Victoria Secret, Tom’s Toys became Toys-R-Us, Montrose Bakery became Denny’s and my shop, Once Upon a Time, the oldest children’s bookstore in the nation, begat Barnes & Noble? Where would uniqueness, passion, service, independence, community and choice go? Do we all just become McStarNobles?
Instead of “Buy Glendale” I say, “Shop Local.”
MAUREEN PALACIOS is owner of Once Upon a Time Bookstore in Montrose.
