tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7475011835867593219.post9158693464807392491..comments2023-04-07T16:16:14.850+08:00Comments on chic hunters: Chic Discovery - Adrien Linfordchichuntershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10421455741281000228noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7475011835867593219.post-71077082834154009552009-07-24T12:27:40.221+08:002009-07-24T12:27:40.221+08:00As a former retailer in NYC, I too closed right be...As a former retailer in NYC, I too closed right befor AL. I can attest that it's not the economy that caused their stores closure. Starting in 2002, consumers in mass stopped supporting brick & mortar stores in favor of e-commerce. Our overhead costs like rent spiraled out of control and our customers dropped us in mass in favor for online discounts & free shipping. I know because many of my best customers that lived right across the street from the store stopped coming in as they preferred shopping online. I too prefer shopping online, I'm not ignorant enough to expect the stores to stick around when I'm not frequenting them. What do you think? That everybody but you shops in the store?? When I closed, everyone in the neighborhood was so shocked, yet I hadn't seen half of them in over 6 months. Prior to the internet, we saw the same customer 2-3 times a week.<br />The reality is that the economony just accelerated the inevitable. In a a year or so, the retail landscape will be so sterile and only the big box stores, banks and starbucks will line the streets. The consumers will then stand there scratching their heads, wonering what happened... meanwhile- their lack of loyalty brough on the collapse. There was a time when we would sell a family from generation to generation.<br /><br />And yes- Adrien Linford was a very special place. Noone will ever be able to re-create what the 2 partners had done over the years. As noone will ever be able to re-create what I had either. And this is the beginning. Get ready for the end...<br /><br />Have fun in Walmart and Target!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com