At A Moment of Transformation
When I stood behind the counter in the days approaching the holidays, I was so honored to hear your comments about the value of my store in this community. A month earlier, in the dog days of October and November, I had seriously wondered whether the struggle was worth it. Lots of small businesses have given up, especially bookstores. How could I ever survive?
Most owners have invested heavily and put their own welfare at risk to continue in such tough times. Even with good community support, small stores have been an endangered species. I have heard that our holiday sale announced to some that we would be closing. In my mind, it was a way to mimic the large retailers and to salvage a year that was not as healthy as we had hoped. But in a small town, everything is open to interpretation.
Let me skip forward to the morning on which I am writing this blog. The inauguration will take place and I will be at the store, watching it on my trusty laptop. You can’t help being hopeful and optimistic. Even though things could get much worse, and likely will get somewhat worse, the worst can be survived. In that spirit, Cranesbill will go forward, with some changes and improvements, some experiments, and a lot of faith in our customers.
Last week, when the U.S.Air pilot landed so skillfully in the Hudson River, I thought of how much it takes to deal with the unexpected. We never expected the kind of economic downturn that ended last year. Michigan has had tougher times than many other places, and sometimes, when I have traveled elsewhere, I’ve felt that the rest of the country didn’t understand what we were going through. We were the people for whom the question of whether or not we were in a recession was more like a joke than a news story.
The miraculous series of events that saved lives was a good parable for what we as a community need to achieve. Continuing to support a downtown, a wider business community, and the cultural institutions that have developed and been supported over the years by the whole community is not equivalent to saving 155 lives, but it may require the same kind of skill and a series of best-case scenarios that emerged from the plane crash. I don’t know how it will be done, but I will do my best; thanks to all of you who have supported us no matter what our human failings. And may we all create that series of miracles that will help us continue our presence no matter how much tougher things get.
January 20, 2009
December 13, 2008
Christmas Spirit, Almost Surprising, But Always Welcome
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. The Christmas music says so. The store is plugging along, thanks to your generous support. There are peppermint candies and candy canes and lots of festive touches, and my own personal crusade to get my own cards and packages out with a little time to sleep, eat and do laundry added in. It would be perfect if I didn’t find myself giving in to the fear of 2009. It would be perfect, if the situation that we Michigan folks find ourselves in didn’t look like doom and gloom all around.
But even so, I feel like the luckiest person on the retail block. I get to listen to parents and grandparents describe little kids to me: some they know well and some not as well-known. I get to describe books to these givers of gifts and try to find that exact thing they are requesting. I get to absorb the good-heartedness and a little bit of hometown pride that goes with the buy local mentality. And boy, does it ever help. It’s easy to forget that you have a place in the community.
And I get to watch little kids come in with eyes as big as saucers looking over the merchandise and getting excited about the coming holiday. I even got to be the storyteller on the American Legion train for Hometown Holiday. I apologize to the parents who had to help me with the lyrics of some carols, but I really had fun. I promise, I will never sing the Twelve Days of Christmas again without props or cue cards to help me.
In my own childhood, Christmas dinner generally ended with molded ice cream in Santa, reindeer, wreath and tree shapes, provided by Iglers Rexall Drugs in “downtown” Glendale Ohio. Iglers was a drugstore that frequented as a boy. He could describe their “nectar” concoction many decades after last tasting one. He was happy to continue the yummy tradition with ice cream molds. (I usually tried to get Santa, I confess.) Iglers is long-gone, of course. But I loved that little ending to every Christmas meal.
Whatever your family’s tradition is, I hope it makes your season memorable. You don’t need a fancy decorating scheme or a lavish tree. You might want to take this opportunity to make some new traditions. Maybe a bird friendly outdoor tree or a fireside story reading session with young ones. It doesn’t have to cost that much.
I have been amazed at the generosity of the community in providing Christmas items for families in trouble. Two groups I belong to were waitlisted for adopted families because so many have offered to help; we finally got information this week and pledged to fill a list of needs and wants. That’s why Michigan survives; the whole community works together. Even in the coldest, darkest night, we can be counted on. And that for me is the real meaning of Christmas. So thanks for supporting Cranesbill and happiest of Christmas, Hannukah, or Kwanzaa to you all.
But even so, I feel like the luckiest person on the retail block. I get to listen to parents and grandparents describe little kids to me: some they know well and some not as well-known. I get to describe books to these givers of gifts and try to find that exact thing they are requesting. I get to absorb the good-heartedness and a little bit of hometown pride that goes with the buy local mentality. And boy, does it ever help. It’s easy to forget that you have a place in the community.
And I get to watch little kids come in with eyes as big as saucers looking over the merchandise and getting excited about the coming holiday. I even got to be the storyteller on the American Legion train for Hometown Holiday. I apologize to the parents who had to help me with the lyrics of some carols, but I really had fun. I promise, I will never sing the Twelve Days of Christmas again without props or cue cards to help me.
In my own childhood, Christmas dinner generally ended with molded ice cream in Santa, reindeer, wreath and tree shapes, provided by Iglers Rexall Drugs in “downtown” Glendale Ohio. Iglers was a drugstore that frequented as a boy. He could describe their “nectar” concoction many decades after last tasting one. He was happy to continue the yummy tradition with ice cream molds. (I usually tried to get Santa, I confess.) Iglers is long-gone, of course. But I loved that little ending to every Christmas meal.
Whatever your family’s tradition is, I hope it makes your season memorable. You don’t need a fancy decorating scheme or a lavish tree. You might want to take this opportunity to make some new traditions. Maybe a bird friendly outdoor tree or a fireside story reading session with young ones. It doesn’t have to cost that much.
I have been amazed at the generosity of the community in providing Christmas items for families in trouble. Two groups I belong to were waitlisted for adopted families because so many have offered to help; we finally got information this week and pledged to fill a list of needs and wants. That’s why Michigan survives; the whole community works together. Even in the coldest, darkest night, we can be counted on. And that for me is the real meaning of Christmas. So thanks for supporting Cranesbill and happiest of Christmas, Hannukah, or Kwanzaa to you all.
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