A community is like a family, and we have been part of this family for generations.
Our people are your people. We live here. Pay taxes for the schools here. We support local charities and participate in civic clubs, churches, and youth sports groups. We have long-term, full-time people who have made a career with us and who are able to support their families.
When we spend our money, we spend it here in Chanute. When we give to a charity or support the local baseball team, we do it right here. We are committed to being a good steward of the people who work here and the people who do business with us.
What about these national retailers and big box stores?
The commitment of these businesses to employees and communities is almost non-existent. Their commitment to local communities can be visibly seen by the number of empty shells of previous stores you see in so many places. They come into town with the intention of putting local business people out of business. They pay low wages and prefer part-time employees. The number of their employees who earn enough money to support a family at the local level is incredibly low. Then, the moment a store doesn’t meet their “corporate objectives,” the people are laid off and the store is closed.
And what happens to the income of the local people they put out of business? It leaves. The highest paying jobs in their businesses are located wherever their corporate headquarters and/or regional offices are located.
You would think that in exchange for the loyalty of their new customers that they would be willing to give back to the local community. Truth is, these corporations are among the stingiest businesses you have ever seen. While they make a big splash about their charity, most of it goes to high profile causes that bring them publicity. Think the local youth sports teams and Boy Scouts qualify for their charity? How many representatives of their corporations do you see at local civic clubs and fundraisers?
And their prices. They have done nothing well if not convince you that their prices are the lowest. They are masters at this advertising game. They may have low prices for the certain products they advertise, but what about all the other items in their store?
Did you know that the overall margins (difference between a products cost and its selling price) at the big box retailers are sometimes more than 5 or 6 percentage points higher than your typical home town lumberyard and home center? How can this be if their prices are so low? Answer: The prices on a typical shopping list are typically higher than you would pay locally. The illusion of low prices is created by media blitzes and having low prices on high profile items. The low prices are also many times achieved by selling lower quality merchandise.
We are here and committed to serve you.
Day in and day out, in good times and difficult times. Chanute is our home and you are our friends. We are here for the long haul.
Come by and visit us today.
Our friendly and knowledgeable people look forward to serving you.
