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Discover Mid-America — April 2008
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Bucking the economic blues
by Bruce Rodgers, Editor/Publisher
Yeah, the economic news is scary, especially for retailers, of which includes antique shops and malls. Or not.
It may be counterintuitive, but I’ve been hearing some upbeat comments. In a conversation with Sue Mannebach of Annie Sue’s in Lee’s Summit, MO, she said she thought the “antique business was swinging back.”
The new owner of Washburn View Antique Mall in Topeka, Marie Landry (mentioned in this issue in Mid-America News), was near giddy in relating to me her recent growth in sales and the excitement of being “an antique mall owner.”
Sandee Millet, owner of Greenwood Mercantile and Millet & Co. in Greenwood, MO, is so positive about the future she’s organizing a new outdoor show for Greenwood and took over the former late winter show Pioneer Spirit originally created by Veronica Miller.
And in Wichita…when DMA art director Ron Johnson went to Paramount Antique Mall for a photo shoot for our Destinations 2008 cover feature, he later commented to me how friendly and positive everyone was at the mall.
Granted, the Paramount folks knew they had again scored in our Destinations polling, taking two top and two runner-up spots. But it seems the mall does that because they are always positive.
Paramount manager Diane Vaughan does a great job marketing the mall, both formally in advertising venues and informally in how she and her staff treat customers and dealers. It’s the same kind of approach practiced by all the mall owners I’ve previously mentioned.
Such interactions mean that when customers are notified about such a marketing tool as our annual Destinations polling, they respond by filling out the survey and sending it in.
The shop and malls mentioned in this issue of Destinations 2008 all have one thing in common. They relate to their customers and dealers in a positive way, and in return those folks help market the business — with us, it’s Destinations but mainly it’s good ‘ole word-of-mouth.
Merchandise, a variety of quality items, a shifting inventory and good prices help attract customers. But if an antique business owner relies only on that, then I bet he or she is crying the economic blues. What really bring people back time and again is the atmosphere, the service and the feeling of being treated fairly and friendly.
The shops mentioned in our Destinations cover feature know how to do that, and do it time after time. That’s why readers will see some repeats from last year.
As a publisher, I know there are antique mall shop owners and managers who approach their business the same positive way. But for whatever reason, they don’t participate in our Destinations survey.
Too bad. It’s just marketing and also it’s an indication of just how loyal your customers are and how good the management works at keeping and drawing customers.
Good numbers keep a business alive; other things grow a business for the future.
Bruce Rodgers can be contacted at publisher@discoverypub.com.
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