Here’s a quick story with a happy ending. I needed to buy new eyeglasses. Now normally, where do we go? We go to LensCrafter or Walmart or Costco because they’re cheap, right? No exactly…
In many markets, the small “mom and pop” outlet has been decimated by large/discount/big box alternatives. Booksellers, eye glass boutiques, and hardware are just some of the markets that have drastically changed in the past 20 years. What I realized is that the younger generation instinctively ignores the mom and pop and hit the LensCrafter in the mall. We’re so programed to shop big box that I might have skipped the optician two blocks away from me. But not this time. Now that I’m becoming an evangelist for small business, I decided to give my local optician a try. What did I discover?
First, I immediately felt I could trust Donald, my local optician. He wasn’t a “retail associate” that comes in goes. He’s been on Market Street for 16 years. Second, I pleasantly found prices comparable to the big corporate shops. Fourth, his selection, while smaller than Walmart’s had enough for me to choose from. I don’t need 3,000 pairs of eyeglasses to choose from. I just need a decent selection. Donald at Allwood Optical had an updated selected, even for a local shop. Third, even if he was more expensive, I would feel good about patronizing a local establishment because in the future, he may patronize mine.
