Green

[Bruce Nettleship]

In Texas, Green is what we play football on
and Fabric is what we buy from China. Good luck
with the Green thing

[Paula Tocker]

Bruce, you and I once had an interesting discussion about the whole green thing. You should share your thoughts with us - you had some interesting and valid points. After all, you've been in on the supply side of this business for.......well, how long has it been?

[Bruce Nettleship]

I started selling fabric in 1972. I traveled the Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas territory then and now. In the 70's the Independent Businesses were the driving force of the "small" towns. The town square was the focal point of the communities. Most of my business in the seventies was done at a family Department Store or Fabric Store. In the late seventies Wal-Mart began to grow
as they started to change the world. They used to put up a billboard on the outside of town that said "Home of a Future Wal-Mart. People forget that they grew to quite a large size before they ever went into a large city. They had several hundred stores before they opened their first store in a larger city - I think it was Little Rock, Arkansas. From the beginning there was something different about them. They created a new business model for chains (Distributions system, elimination of the stockroom, real estate leasing systems, shoplifting turned into a bonus program - all of this has been written about and is for a different discussion. Suffice it to say, Sam didn't just come out of Arkansas and get lucky, he changed the way Retail is played and "schooled" the boys in Chicago and Detroit) As Wal-Mart began to scare the businesses in the local communities they found it hard to believe Wal-Mart could change their world.
This incredibly efficient and aggressive Chain was targeting the small towns.
Of course we all know what happened, as Wal-Mart picked up steam they "closed" the small towns (by small I mean anything under 300,000 which includes some substantial sized towns - Wall-Mart's rule for the first decade was to go into towns under 300,000 - people forget that ) Wal-Mart today of course gets a lot of bad press for their efficiences. And to be sure, second generation tough, hard, and fair usually turns a little mean. When Wal-Mart is discussed there is usually a reference to them closing small towns. Which is to say, they shut down the local businesses. And that is certainly one way to look at it. But I'll tell you what I remember. For a decade I had the privledge of calling on Merchants who spent their lives building a business and contributing to the community. Those Merchants gave to the local Charities, bought ads in the High School Annual and Newspaper, allowed the kids to put their posters in the window and their fund raising candy on the counter. They supported the High School parade, the Fourth of July town fireworks, the Christmas pagaent. Their customers were people they went to school with and to Church with. Their kids played together and they drank coffee together at the Drug Store. When Wal-Mart came to town they left those Merchants so they could go to Wal-Mart and buy tablets 3/$1.00 verses .39.
Which is to say, they turned their back on their Community Merchants for pennies. I have never forgotten this and I have more than a few anecdotal stories that would break your heart. So when I hear people say that Wal-Mart closed a town, I know the truth. Wal-Mart never forced one person to buy from them. All buying is done by the consumer's choice. Give the consumer a chance to save a penny in the commercial world and they will - no matter who it hurts. So.... if your Green works it better be bigger, better, faster, cheaper. We will go green when the government regulations require it or when you can find a green product that the customer can save money on - then they will feel warm and fuzzy
I do not believe that people are not capable of great good. In fact they are.
I have come to believe that these same small town folks that abandoned their Merchants only to blame Wal-Mart later are the same folks who would make great sacrifices if they thought one of their neighbors was in trouble or needed help.
There is something about "Business" that changes things. Anyone that has ever worked in Retail knows that the nicest people can say the rudest things. (It pays to have a sense of humor) I think the consumer long ago swallowed the kool aid and believed the J.C. Penny axiom, "the customer is always right". Somewhere they began to think of the Businesses as the bad guy, the rich guy, the guy with the goods they want or need. I know I'm out of my league here and getting way too philosophical but there has to be a way to explain why good people would turn their backs on the Merchants that helped build their community. Why people would believe in green but buy what is best for their pocket book. Maybe Garza can explain that . He's from California and those guys seem to have most of the answers...
By the way, did I say I was paranoid delusional. Write if you can. Visiting days are Tuesdays from 9 to 3.
All my love

Paula Tocker said:

Bruce, you and I once had an interesting discussion about the whole green thing. You should share your thoughts with us - you had some interesting and valid points. After all, you've been in on the supply side of this business for.......well, how long has it been?

[Paula's Little Girl]

Bruce,
I am happy to announce that the next generation are begining to form a backlash against this kind of "build 'em, burn 'em" business model. As much as lower middle class America may love Walmart, people of my generation and now my son's generation are seeing the true colors. People shop at Walmart because it's cheap. Period. But now, people are begining to really understand that it's cheap. Cheaply made, cheap quality, cheaply marketed. My son's generation doesn't want to be from a box store.
Once again, Southern California is setting the trend. (Because we have all the answers , as you put it so well!)We want origional, we want different, we want quality. Walmart, Ikea, PacSun, mall stores, Costco.... I believe that people are begining to not want to be the same. And are realizing that cheaply made just means you have to buy TWO of everything.
A good point to make to anyone who is decorating their home or having a decorator do it for them. You are doing this because buying the drapes from JC Penny ISN'T the same, buying the duvet cover from Ikea ISN'T custom, buying the sofa from Costco ISN'T different and you're going to see that stuff in lower middle America. Spend 10% more, do the right thing and then brag, brag, brag. And sleep better knowing that you did the right thing.
I could go on and on about this change in mindset, but I won't. Just rest assured that it took Walmart 30 years to take over the world, but the backlash will only take 10 and they will be the next step on the retail food chain. More and more people want to buy local, more and more people are loving the local quirky stores, more and more people want something different.

[Paula Tocker]

In Paula's world (where everything is light, bright, clean and shiny) great style and quality never go out of fashion. So, what are consumers looking for and what will they be willing to pay for? During these tumultuos economic times, which of our vendors and competitors will survive?

According to the International Herald Tribune, during the first quarter that ended April 30, Wal-Mart's profit increased 6.9 percent to $3.02 billion, or 76 cents a share, from $2.83 billion, or 68 cents, a year ago. Hmmm... interesting isn't it?

In news closer that really hits home, Douglas Furniture of California, a furniture producer that traces its history back to 1900, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last month. The company’s showroom at the World Market Center during the Las Vegas Market was locked and a news item about the filing was taped to the door.

It is no secret that eco-friendly furnishings are more costly. We all know what the features of the green movement are, but will the consumer pay for the benefits?



I would be interested to hear from those of you who are involved with the higher end of the market.

[sharon minchuk]

I don't think there has to be a forced choice between cheap and unique anymore. For example: Ikea produces inexpensive but decent product, just add some inspiration and you can have the best of both worlds. Granted the pieces may not last to become antiques but how much of today's product really is? Check out any of a number of Ikea Hacking sites to really see the creativity; here's one to start you off: http://ikeahacker.blogspot.com/

There are many other options that take the inexpensive and transform it (actually isn't that what we all do?) into something of function, beauty, or desire. All it takes is a little inspiration and effort.