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Another Small Business Closing It’s Doors

August 31, 2013

I’m feeling a little sad today. There is a lovely little shop local to me called Blubarrys. They sell dancewear and accessories and I have been buying Jessica’s ballet shoes, dresses and leotards there since she was 2 and first started dance. It’s a lovely little shop run by the nicest people. The service is excellent, the people who own it are lovely. I’ve always enjoyed my little trips there with my daughter and have always left feeling really happy. It’s a shop I rely on, as I want my daughters ballet and tap shoes to fit well and be checked on her feet by an expert. It has never even occurred to me to see if I could get the same products cheaper online.

Panorama

Image from Google Street View

However it seems I was alone in this. while driving past the other day my daughter noticed a sign in the window saying that all the stock was reduced for closing down. We doubled back round and popped in to ask. The owner explained that they were closing as people just weren’t using the shop anymore. Seeing how sad she seamed to be losing her business broke my heart. Imagine losing something you had worked so hard on for so many years!

And the shop is not alone, out of the ten or so shops on that stretch of road there are several closed and boarded up. It makes the area look run down.

You hear about small businesses having to close all the time, usually we talk about big companies coming in and taking over areas and putting smaller independents out of business, but in this case there are no other dance shops, just the internet where sellers having lower overheads and shoppers have the convenience of shopping from their sofas. the impact that I have from shopping online hasn’t ever really occurred to me before, but this has definitely got me thinking.

It’s not all down to the government and larger companies to help out small businesses it is our responsibility as consumers to think a little more about where we shop. It’s not just about supporting that one business, it’s about living in an area that isn’t full of boarded up shops. It’s also about getting personal service which you get so much more of when the business and products really matter to the person selling them.

I came home feeling deflated and sad because I wish there was something I could do, I don’t want this shop to close and I don’t want to buy Jess’s ballet shoes online. The only thing I can really take from this is to try harder to support local business from now on.

I would really love to hear people’s opinions and experiences on this one so please comment below.

  • Reply
    catwalkcreative
    August 31, 2013 at 8:54 am

    It really is heart-breaking to hear about any local business closing it’s doors. There are so many small businesses struggling to keep afloat. Landlords and local councils expect to receive extremely high rents and rates. This along with other overheads simply make it too expensive for a small business to survive.

    We’re extremely lucky in my local neighbourhood as we have lots of small eateries, bars and independent shops. I sincerely hope it stays that way. I agree completely that it is up to our local communities to supports local shops. No matter how cheap the rent is, if the customers aren’t there, they won’t survive. Personally, I always try and buy locally for things such as birthday/Christmas gifts etc. It makes me feel good to know that I’m supporting a local business.

    We used to have a family run butchers and veg shop down the road but that closed a few years ago. People just use the supermarkets for convenience now. However, there is still a very popular fishmonger and also a butchers just a mile away which we use quite often. They seem to be doing very well indeed and have lots of loyal customers.

    We should support our local businesses.

  • Reply
    mrsfoxfinery
    August 31, 2013 at 10:26 am

    I know what you mean it really is so sad. When we moved house we tried to use a lot of local businesses. One of them sold us and fitted our amazing fireplace, he did a great job and was so passionate about what he did. It was clear when we saw him that his business was having trouble making money and sadly only a short time later it closed it’s doors. I now walk past it every morning and it’s a gym but the fireplace beauty is no more.

    My only hope is that the work he undertook for us and our beautiful fireplace will out live all of us. x

  • Reply
    booketta
    August 31, 2013 at 4:12 pm

    Very sad when independent businesses suffer in the recession. I have also seen a local dance shop disappear a few years ago, I too had bought most of my daughter’s ballet gear there.

  • Reply
    Shybiker
    August 31, 2013 at 5:27 pm

    This is a sad story — but not an uncommon one. Consumers fail to recognize the value they get from local stores when they go online to buy products at the lowest price. I’ve seen motorcycle shops, scrapbooking stores and many other wonderful places go under ’cause with their costs they can’t compete with the Internet. We, as consumers, can support them but most people are too myopic or selfish to do that. Good post.

  • Reply
    Jessica Cangiano
    September 3, 2013 at 6:40 am

    This really does put a lump in one’s throat. It’s such a tragedy to see small business after small business shutter their doors in recent years. We seem to lose another one every couple of months around these parts. It’s to the point where I’m actually flat out impressed when one can hold on in the face of big box giants and the cut throat world of online shopping.

    ♥ Jessica

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