John's Blog

When I stop and think about things I've often taken for granted as always being around, the list gets quite long rather quickly. Good friends, clean air, unlimited natural resources, government that has the best interests of the people at it's heart, a full head of hair, and many other things seemed like they were a given and that they would always be there. Experience has taught me that this isn't always the case.

If you are thinking that this might be one of meaningful contemplative reflections on the nature of life, you are obviously at the wrong spot. No, this was just a rambling prelude to my lament of the passing of the five and ten stores. All the "big names" (F. W. Woolworth, G.C. Murphy, and McCrory's....must resist the temptation to go off on a tangent about Pia Zadora) all sort of fell by the wayside around the same time. Some remnants remain, such as corporate heir Foot Locker and the classic NYC's Woolworth Building, but that's about it. In today's world 99¢ Stores are the new Woolworth's, which may or may not be a bad thing.

Every time we are faced with major cultural changes at work (or even minor procedural ones), there is inevitably someone who reacts with shock and horror, since "it's always been that way" which makes me crazy. Change is something few of us embrace, and most fear even when the results can be positive. The ability to react, change, and grow is a necessary attribute, even-though it isn't always easy. The side of the road is littered with the carcasses of companies who failed to adapt and keep up with the times. I get customers who take great pleasure in telling me "this place isn't what it used to be". Usually I'm thinking to myself, "You're right; go shop at Gimbels!".