Friday, July 5, 2013

The smell of gunpowder in the morning.

We had one employee available for the 4th of July and I kept telling Linda to ask him to work for her and she didn't do it -- so I did.  Then I felt guilty, so I went to work with Linda for a couple of hours.  I like roaming her store filing books.  I love books and it's very relaxing.  But not a whole lot of people came in.

I think next year we'll know it isn't worth being open for her, but is very much worth being open for me.

We've had a pretty good summer so far at Pegasus -- knock wood.  I'm more and more feeling like having the young guys as my representatives --the faces of Pegasus -- not only isn't hurting, but is probably even helping.  I can work the behind the scenes stuff.  I still need a day or two with the public -- both to keep me socialized and for me to get a sense of what's going on.

Both Cameron and Jasper implied that the Bite of Bend set-up wasn't ideal.  I didn't inquire further, because it would just get me upset for no purpose. I can't change what the downtowners do.  I can say that sales were mediocre at best -- surrounded by days that were better.

I think -- I hope -- that August won't have many events.  The bike race is one of the worst for us -- doesn't bring in sales at all, that I can see.  The car rally is even worse.

Whereas the 4th of July parade is perfect -- a fun event that gets people downtown on a day they might not usually be there, and then OPENS the streets for the rest of the day.  Of course, that wasn't designed by the geniuses who organize most of the modern events -- which is probably why it works so well.

Like I said, I've given up.

I mean, it seems like every time I pick up the Bulletin there's another foot race somewhere in town where people show up like lemming to run for some reason or another.  Baffling.

Meanwhile, this town can't support a single independent bookstore?  Baffling.


4 comments:

Duncan McGeary said...

My new favorite word.

I'm baffled.

Duncan McGeary said...

I'll keep saying it. Events that don't close the streets are helpful.

Hell, we even benefit from when the Old Mill has events.

Closing the streets on peak weekends when we'd have tourist traffic irregardless, is just stupid.

If you must have street closures, then have them in May or September when the weather is decent but we don't have the automatic tourist flow.

Don't be distracting the customers AWAY from what you do.

Baffling.

Duncan McGeary said...

Ultimately, these events aren't about the retail.

The retailers are just dupes.

Luci & Loree said...

It would be sad to not have Linda's store there, I have used it so much to recycle my read books, but not to keep ones.... I like knowing someone else may get use out of them...