Transparency is what makes small towns work, I think. You can't talk about your neighbor without her eventually finding out. You can't buy a new car or a new grill, or get a new husband, without the town talking about it. Lots of folks find this aspect of small towns intrusive, aggravating, and they'll go to exhaustive ends to prevent the natural ecosystem of the town from finding out what they're up to. They don't seem to understand that that just makes them all the more interesting. And all the more worthy of discussion.
Even young folks, who've grown up in small towns, graduated from local high schools, still seem to find it surprising when their actions become the topic of town-ish chatter. Why? To a great degree causing a bit of a local stir was the point, after all.
So here's a nugget to chew on: we think we have secured third year funding. Not from the bank that promised us our original line of credit, but we aren't holding any grudges. And it was not without the help of a generous benefactor who has come to our aid in the past. We owe lots to his willingness to step forward (again!).
But, folks, this is the last year we can hack this without turning a profit. We have literally taken a vow of poverty to run the store. It has been a labor of love: love for this community, for the ghosts of the Bell's, for the beautiful place that is Medusa.
There is little that we ask of you, but what we ask is critical. Keep shopping here. Spread the word to your friends. Be clear about what's at stake here. (I still struggle with the mentality shared by folks that say they are our friends, but simply can't bring themselves to actually purchase anything in our store. Being "supportive" means spending money; it's pretty simple.) Keep providing feedback - we want things to be better. Also don't be offended if we don't take all of your criticism to heart - there are lots of divergent views out there, after all.
Mostly, keep the faith. This year has been a struggle for lots of us, we understand. But we still believe that together we have created something really amazing here, and together we will build a beautiful future.
Even young folks, who've grown up in small towns, graduated from local high schools, still seem to find it surprising when their actions become the topic of town-ish chatter. Why? To a great degree causing a bit of a local stir was the point, after all.
So here's a nugget to chew on: we think we have secured third year funding. Not from the bank that promised us our original line of credit, but we aren't holding any grudges. And it was not without the help of a generous benefactor who has come to our aid in the past. We owe lots to his willingness to step forward (again!).
But, folks, this is the last year we can hack this without turning a profit. We have literally taken a vow of poverty to run the store. It has been a labor of love: love for this community, for the ghosts of the Bell's, for the beautiful place that is Medusa.
There is little that we ask of you, but what we ask is critical. Keep shopping here. Spread the word to your friends. Be clear about what's at stake here. (I still struggle with the mentality shared by folks that say they are our friends, but simply can't bring themselves to actually purchase anything in our store. Being "supportive" means spending money; it's pretty simple.) Keep providing feedback - we want things to be better. Also don't be offended if we don't take all of your criticism to heart - there are lots of divergent views out there, after all.
Mostly, keep the faith. This year has been a struggle for lots of us, we understand. But we still believe that together we have created something really amazing here, and together we will build a beautiful future.
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