Remembering retailers, who make the holidays special
By Gordon Hecht, YSN Contributor
You probably heard that the Thanksgiving holiday is being celebrated in the U.S. this week.
A lot of people look forward to NFL football, the Macy’s parade, early Black Friday shopping and, of course, the traditional meal featuring Tom Turkey (or Tofurkey) as the main attraction. It’s a great day to enjoy family and friends and take a short breather before the Christmas rush.
The U.S. and Canada are two pioneer nations in declaring a national day of thanks. Legend has it that Pilgrims from England started the tradition way back in the 1600s to reflect on the New World challenges they surmounted. Although the tradition continued, no formal date was on the calendar until the mid-19th century.
Herculean Hurdles
For retailers, the 21st century has been especially challenging. Between the events of 9/11, the Great Recession, hurricanes, tornadoes and fires, and the effects of a worldwide pandemic — mixed in with big-box and online competition and a changing media market — the brave men and women of the brick-and-mortar world have had numerous obstacles to overcome since we hit the 2000s.
If you are reading this, it means we are both still fighting the good fight. BrandSource members have met the challenges and are winning. Every day is a victory and that’s a lot to be thankful for in our business life.
So as our national day of thanks approaches, I wish to give my thanks to our many retail store owners, who work long hours and weekends. Some of you have been able to provide jobs for your neighbors and others do it all, from selling and sweeping to delivering and repairing. Thank you all!
Unsung Stars
And let’s not forget the women and men who work our retail stores. More long hours, whether selling, delivering or cleaning the shop. Many are so dedicated that they treat the business like it’s their own and consider their co-workers family. Chances are good that a few of them will be sharing the holiday dinner together later this week.
And finally, my thanks to my family at home. They understand that retail is not a 9-to-5 job and grant us a bit of sway when we are at the store.
Speaking of store hours, this may be hard to do: lock up the shop door a little early on Wednesday. Shut off the laptop and skip the business calls until Friday. Your family and friends will thank you!
Holiday Cooking Hint: If you want to bake a truly remarkable and memorable pumpkin pie, tuck a few dime-size pieces of white chocolate into the filling before heating. About half a candy bar should do it. It’ll be extra creamy and just a little bit sweeter.
Gordon Hecht is a consultant to the home furnishings trade with over four decades in retail and manufacturing and more than 500 industry newsletters and articles under his belt. His award-winning experience includes tenured time with Ashley Furniture Industries and Serta Simmons Bedding, with progressive responsibility for large and small retailers. Contact him at gordon.hecht@aol.com.
