My Trip to lil' Ol' Brookings
hat tip to my furniture store
Well I got my house bought yesterday, and I'm in the process of moving my stuff over there this weekend. The first day's moving entailed bringing clothes and personal items over for seven people (Mine are staying here since I'm still working in Pierre for the forseeable future).
I'm back in Pierre for the day to get dressers and cabinets, etc. But yesterday afternoon, I spent doing one of my most hated things - shopping. I'm terribly, terribly cheap. Which isn't always a bad thing - it causes me to come up with creative solutions, like the scrap lumber sign holder as noted below.
But I have to say I found a real gem of a store. Rude's Home Furnishings in Brookings.
I was dreading going to the big box furniture store that is in many communities in the state. You know the one. Where the salesmen follow you around like a zombie from a George Romero flick . Where you order your furniture, and get it 3 weeks later. And most things are made out of particle board (sorry, composite board).
I get really snobbish about this stuff, because I grew up with my mom who was an antique dealer/auctioneer. At one point she ran a "stripping business." No, not that kind. She would strip and refinish furniture. If something was looking dingy, you stripped the finish off, put a new one on, and it looked better than new. Decent furniture can literally last a couple hundred years of service. Just try that with particle board.
As much as I can avoid it, I refuse to buy crap made out of particle board. I'd rather buy a piece of antique furniture and re-do it, because I know it won't fall apart in a couple years.
And then I found Rude's.
Most all of their furniture is ACTUALLY SOLID WOOD. And it isn't any more expensive than the stuff at 'big box store.' I bought an oak armoire at the crazy days sale, a solid oak pub table and 8 oak chairs, a maple bunk bed set, and a whole bunch of other stuff. And it wasn't anything more than I would have spent at the other place. In fact I thought it was cheaper. I certainly will be going back as soon as I have more money.
So, here's this main street merchant who seems to be doing quite well against the big box. Why? Quality. Here's a guy who had his niche before big box came to town, and has kept going because he's giving customers what they want.
I'm one of those people who liked it when Super Wal-Mart came to Pierre. It dropped milk prices by at least 1/3, and many other groceries followed suit. It's what people in this area wanted.
I can understand the concern of merchants who hate it when a big box comes to their town. But isn't that competition? Isn't that the basis of our free enterprise system? These same people who would decry government telling their business what to do now want their local governments to zone Wal-Marts out in the name of protectionism.
To me, that's garbage. If the local merchants want to compete, be like Rude's. Offer a better product. Give good service. Why is that so tough?
Retail Store Darwinism has been going on for long before Wal-Mart came to town. First it was the Wells Fargo Man as sang about in the Music Man (ho ho, the wells fargo man is comin' down the street). Later, it was buying everything including houses through the Sears and Roebuck catalog. Then it was shopping malls. Now it's Super Wal-Mart. It's nothing new. It's been around as long as we've had free enterprise. In 20-30 years, soon there will be another concept, and Wal-Mart will go through times of corporate contraction in response to today's rapid expansion. So why the sudden panic?
The Republican in me says "Let free enterpise reign." It usually does better that way. The Wal-Marts and Lowe's of the world will come. And they may go. Don't get starry eyed at their coming, but don't try to keep them out. Just treat them like any other business.
And in 20-30 years, there will be another hot concept. Actually, it may be something that focuses on personal service and quality after the latest trend of big boxes. Maybe I should jump in on a new concept and make a billion dollars. Offer a good durable product and provide good service. I could die an insanely rich man.
The only problem is that PP-Mart would never fly. It sounds too much like a store for incontinence supplies.
I'm back in Pierre for the day to get dressers and cabinets, etc. But yesterday afternoon, I spent doing one of my most hated things - shopping. I'm terribly, terribly cheap. Which isn't always a bad thing - it causes me to come up with creative solutions, like the scrap lumber sign holder as noted below.
But I have to say I found a real gem of a store. Rude's Home Furnishings in Brookings.
I was dreading going to the big box furniture store that is in many communities in the state. You know the one. Where the salesmen follow you around like a zombie from a George Romero flick . Where you order your furniture, and get it 3 weeks later. And most things are made out of particle board (sorry, composite board).
I get really snobbish about this stuff, because I grew up with my mom who was an antique dealer/auctioneer. At one point she ran a "stripping business." No, not that kind. She would strip and refinish furniture. If something was looking dingy, you stripped the finish off, put a new one on, and it looked better than new. Decent furniture can literally last a couple hundred years of service. Just try that with particle board.
As much as I can avoid it, I refuse to buy crap made out of particle board. I'd rather buy a piece of antique furniture and re-do it, because I know it won't fall apart in a couple years.
And then I found Rude's.
Most all of their furniture is ACTUALLY SOLID WOOD. And it isn't any more expensive than the stuff at 'big box store.' I bought an oak armoire at the crazy days sale, a solid oak pub table and 8 oak chairs, a maple bunk bed set, and a whole bunch of other stuff. And it wasn't anything more than I would have spent at the other place. In fact I thought it was cheaper. I certainly will be going back as soon as I have more money.
So, here's this main street merchant who seems to be doing quite well against the big box. Why? Quality. Here's a guy who had his niche before big box came to town, and has kept going because he's giving customers what they want.
I'm one of those people who liked it when Super Wal-Mart came to Pierre. It dropped milk prices by at least 1/3, and many other groceries followed suit. It's what people in this area wanted.
I can understand the concern of merchants who hate it when a big box comes to their town. But isn't that competition? Isn't that the basis of our free enterprise system? These same people who would decry government telling their business what to do now want their local governments to zone Wal-Marts out in the name of protectionism.
To me, that's garbage. If the local merchants want to compete, be like Rude's. Offer a better product. Give good service. Why is that so tough?
Retail Store Darwinism has been going on for long before Wal-Mart came to town. First it was the Wells Fargo Man as sang about in the Music Man (ho ho, the wells fargo man is comin' down the street). Later, it was buying everything including houses through the Sears and Roebuck catalog. Then it was shopping malls. Now it's Super Wal-Mart. It's nothing new. It's been around as long as we've had free enterprise. In 20-30 years, soon there will be another concept, and Wal-Mart will go through times of corporate contraction in response to today's rapid expansion. So why the sudden panic?
The Republican in me says "Let free enterpise reign." It usually does better that way. The Wal-Marts and Lowe's of the world will come. And they may go. Don't get starry eyed at their coming, but don't try to keep them out. Just treat them like any other business.
And in 20-30 years, there will be another hot concept. Actually, it may be something that focuses on personal service and quality after the latest trend of big boxes. Maybe I should jump in on a new concept and make a billion dollars. Offer a good durable product and provide good service. I could die an insanely rich man.
The only problem is that PP-Mart would never fly. It sounds too much like a store for incontinence supplies.
Comments
Among those who are vociferously objecting are many whose business would be altered by a big box home center. However, there also are many persons who just object to the taxpayers of Brookings providing a subsidy to a quite wealthy out of state corporation.
And I agree, Rudes does a great job.
Without any taxpayers subsidy.