My heart is in two places: northern California and Ann Arbor. A few months ago, Rich had an opportunity to take a job in San Luis Obispo. This possibility filled us with joy - reunited with that distant piece of our hearts! - and sorrow - separated from the bits of ourselves rooted here in the Midwest.
Because there are no jobs in SLO for policy analysts cum botanical gardens managers, I began to research franchises. The franchise I was interested in was Plato's Closet, which resells gently used teen and twenty-something clothing, This is right up my alley, doing its bit to keep the economy going while deemphasizing new (non-sustainably, non-humanely produced) merchandise.
I can see why it's so hard for local businesses to compete with a franchise. Economies of scale combined with tried and true business practices. Most of the profits and the jobs held locally. Exponentially higher chances of running a profit. If you follow the formula, it's very difficult to fail.
The formula: aye, there's the rub. We like the quirky individualism of local businesses. We like the idea that all the profits come to our local communities. We like knowing and caring about the owner.
That's why I loved A2UP!, which brings the reuse business to arts & crafts. I'd met the young entrepreneur, Kati, and was totally charmed. I know that she quit her corporate job to open this new business, and that she's invested her money, her heart and her soul into it. She's made a beautiful space, and she can use all her intelligence and creativity to make a place that is more than just a resale shop: it's a community.
On the downside, she can't afford staff, and so has to keep her hours limited. I arrived yesterday at 1:30 because the web site said she was open from 11:30 to 5 on Sundays. The door was locked, though the sign said "open." The shop has no phone number, so I emailed and stood knocking for a while. Ultimately, I left - and left a message saying that the craft supplies were on my front porch for her if she wanted them. She sent a gracious and apologetic response and quickly came to take the supplies away.
All's well that ends well.
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