but it is also expensive and a touch snobby. The prices at the other clothing boutiques in town make Chico's look like Walmart <g>. Even when I was making decent money, the only places I really frequented in, uh, "Hallmark-y" were food and drink places and the adorable little bookstore. I enjoy walking around most of the little boutiques but I often couldn't afford even items on the sales rack (that's even more true now).
Nothing like shopping in a comfy chair at home with a cup of coffee and then having everything delivered instead of lugging it. I do not miss the days when I went physically from store to store looking for specific items. The thrill of the hunt is much easier online. I also find it much more pleasant to browse for ideas online than in person. It sounds like your customers really enjoy the in-person shopping experience you provide. I’m glad the days of people shopping in stores at midnight on Thanksgiving like shopping is a blood sport seems to mostly be over. Most stores are closed on Thanksgiving now and don’t re-open until Friday morning. How awful it must have been for retail workers to have to go in to work on midnight after Thanksgiving dinner.
I have mixed feelings about the decline in "traditional" BF shopping. On the one hand, I was never one to do so; my only times being up early for BF were the year bff and I hit Aurora Farms Outlet stores so I could get gifts at the Coach outlet and the Longaberger basket outlet (they opened at 12:01 AM BF; bff was working nights and already used to being up all night long, and I'm naturally a night owl) and the year I was at World Market at 6:45 AM to take advantage of their offer of a $5 gift card for the first 100 people in the store (they opened at 7:00 AM...I was number #99 in the store). In both instances, I started off kind of enjoying myself--I especially liked chatting with the people in line with me at WM--but then the thrill wore off. Like you, I hate how BF can lead to bloodshed, and I hate the stores that try to beat the BF rush by being open on Thanksgiving...even though there were a couple times when Bro's kids were little that Mom, Dad and I went to his house for a late TG lunch and then went to the Super Kmart on the way home. Mom really enjoyed that...anyways, I *do* feel bad for the folks who genuinely enjoy the rush of BF crowds and love shopping early with family and/or friends and then celebrating their deals over a nice brunch or lunch afterwards.
