I admit here to feeling a bit sorry for the retailers around town, so obviously struggling for market share.  I hate to think of anyone suffering, and the trickle down effect of that.
If you’ve done any shopping lately, depending on where you’re shopping, you might notice the shelves at some places appearing a little bare. 

Why is that?  It’s cuz the prices are crazy low, lower than I can ever remember seeing them, ever, anywhere.  The high end, mid line, and low end.  Across the board.  Prices slashed, and slashed again.  I’m not complaining about getting great deals.  Not at all.  I love a bargain as much, or more, than the next person.  And I’m not buying like a mad woman either, just picking up items I might normally shop for this time of year.  Reduced cashmere.  Rock bottom Christmas decorations.  Ordinary stuff. 

It’s the bare shelves that are bothering me a bit.  I’m hearing from the retailers, ‘the specialty, or finer’ retailers, who are saying, they are selling way below typical markup, only so they have revenue to buy spring inventory.  So ask yourself—seen much of that yet?  New inventory I mean.  Mostly, it’s just sales, and more sales, and part of me feels a little guilty, a little squirley, like I’m somehow taking advantage.  The same way I felt as a kid, when I discovered the bubblegum machine at the A & P wasn’t working right, the dial just spinning around and around, which meant free bubble gum galore.  For a while, I didn’t tell, I just kept up with the free gum, my sister and I loading our pockets while our mom loaded up the grocery cart.

Even though I’m paying now, it still feels like that.  Like I’m taking something that doesn’t feel quite right.  I hate seeing the stores go under.  Been to Stoney Point lately?  Lots of vacancy, right?  Have you heard the rumor that our beloved Nordstrom at Short Pump may ultimately become a Nordstrom Rack??  Say it ain’t so!!  Say us folks here in Richmond can live up to the expectations that the developers hoped for.  I’m not saying, hey, go big guns, pay full price.  No way!  But don’t not shop there because you may think it might be out of bounds price wise. 

Au contrair people.  Quality items on sale at Nordstrom can often equal full price on similar articles at Target.  No BS.  I know, because I shop both.  I’m not a shopping, or brand name snob at all.  Though I appreciate quality and value as much as the next person, I’m saying don’t rule these places out.

We want our local, and larger economy to thrive.  All of us.  It helps everyone.  If spending stalls, eventually, greater problems occur.  I understand these are tough times.  No one is immune.  Even the BIG businesses are having to reorganize, sharpen pencils, work ‘smarter’ as they say.  Well, I say we can all do our part.  Shop smart.  Look around a bit.  You might be surprised, and glad you did.  I know the retailers will.

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