"George" > wrote in message
...
> JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
>> "George" > wrote in message
>> . ..
>>> JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
>>>> "Paul M. Cook" > wrote in message
>>>> news:Kwjui.1970$MT3.949@trnddc05...
>>>>> "JoeSpareBedroom" > wrote in message
>>>>> ...
>>>>>> "Mitch" <Mitch@...> wrote in message
>>>>>> ...
>>>>>>>> Hang on tight and prepare to lose your hardware store,
>>>>>>> Actually, I big, beautiful Ace Hardware opened last September.
>>>>>>> They are having their going-out-of-business-sale right now.
>>>>>> Jeez....must've been some talented business owners. I've got three
>>>>>> independent hardware stores within 5 minutes of Wal Mart, and they're
>>>>>> always busy. Have been for many years.
>>>>> The exception always invalidates the rule. The simple fact is
>>>>> Wal-Mart engages in predatory capitalism.
>>>> If you're saying that the 3 hardware stores are an exception, I have to
>>>> say you're wrong, although I agree with everything you said about WM.
>>>> Besides the 3 stores in my neighborhood, there are about a dozen in
>>>> other areas in this city (Rochester NY).
>>>>
>>>> There are certain things you go to a hardware store for, unless you're
>>>> stupid, which accounts for just over half the population of the USA. I
>>>> believe certain factors eventually encourage people to learn their
>>>> lesson and patronize small specialty stores.
>>>>
>>>> Part of the reason small stores vanish is that stupidity is hereditary.
>>>> There are people who, for some reason, have never seen the hardware
>>>> store they drive past five times a week. Or, they don't know what it
>>>> means when someone says "check your yellow pages and find a store".
>>>> Maybe their parents never showed them how to do that. Or, they have no
>>>> land line at home, so phone books were never delivered. Perhaps some
>>>> parents never teach their kids that time has value, and that there are
>>>> businesses which can help you learn to do things faster so you can get
>>>> back to reading a book or playing with the kids.
>>> The small places don't have the money to do the intense marketing to
>>> create mind share that the big box places have.
>>
>> I don't think I've ever seen "intense marketing" involving local hardware
>> stores. The ads they do run are infrequent and subtle, and I *believe*
>> some of the cost is shared with Ace or Tru Value. They keep their
>> business through good service and word-of-mouth. Knowledge, in other
>> words. Not hype.
> Reread what you wrote. You suggested reasons about small stores vanishing

I don't see that. Explain, please. The hardware stores I've mentioned have
been around for 20+ years. One has expanded. Is there a definition of
"vanishing" I'm not familiar with?