View Single Post
Old 09-03-2009, 08:14 AM
  #6  
vagabond
Administrator
 
vagabond's Avatar
 
Joined APC: May 2006
Position: C-172
Posts: 8,024
Default

Here is a perspective of the economy from a new small business owner (that would be me). My coffee shop is not open yet, but I have been dealing with vendors of every kind - coffee beans, food, Coke, bulk sugar, toilet paper. The salesmen all start out nice and helpful like, but when we get deeper into the details, the whole transaction is similar to a casino where the odds are stacked against the small business owner. One of them even told me to "go to Costco or Cash and Carry for [my] needs." They don't want my business!!

One specialty bakery in Bellingham wouldn't even return my phone calls. Another bakery said it required me to order each and every single day and the order has to be at least $30. Here's a simple example - let's assume each muffin is $1, so I have to buy 30 muffins from them each and every single day. If I sell only 10 muffins, I'm going to have to eat the other 20 or give it away to the neighbors or the food bank across the street. If this happens each and every single day, even the food bank is going to be sick of muffins!

Gone are the days when a vendor said "whatever you need, we'll FedEx it over to you." What I hear is they will put the stuff in a truck. And I wait an extra day or two.

What does all this mean? Heck if I know.

I've got another random thought. When the recession started, traffic on I-5 decreased noticeably. The news even said that a traffic company did some research and the reduction was around 8%. I can tell all gentle readers, right now and right here, that traffic is increasing. I'm leaving for Seattle again in a couple hours and I'll see for myself. News also said that new jobless claims are down from last month.

Depending on your industry or profession, I think this country is slowly climbing out of the abyss. The "New Normal" will be very interesting to observe.
vagabond is offline