I cannot help it, I am charmed by small shops. I love the idea of a shopkeeper who knows your name, your family, greets you when you come in, and knows what you want. I enjoy the thought of just going in the store to chat. Granted, you lose the anonymity of our stores today where you can enter virtually invisible, demand expert service [or complain to higher authorities], and treat the cashiers as if they don't really exist. In all seriousness though, relationships are messier than "business." You have to give things up. Merely consider the small town with no privacy, or even a family. Yet isn't life about relationship, as messy and uncomfortable as they sometimes are?
This being said, I was very happy to read that in India small shopkeepers are holding out against large retail stores. In fact, retail stores that were recently introduced into Indian markets have had to close down because customers are loyal to the shops they have frequented all their life. "Here the shopkeeper is the friendly confidante, counsellor and even family, for some. He understands the local tastes and customizes the products on offer." If I were ever to enter into business, this is how I would want to do it--to meet a need and to offer my friendship in the process.
I love vitality mixed with imperfection. Here "the sounds, the colours and the smells, along with the chaos, are an integral part of the shopping trip." Doesn't it sound like a beautiful and lively day out? I know, and am frequently reminded, that there is something to be said for organization, but I think there is also something to be said for organic spirit.
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