1/14/2019
From 1962 until 1984, I spent most of my time in the retail business, doing an assortment of things from selling men’s clothing in a specialty store (hard to find these days) to diamonds, jewelry and small appliances to carpet, floor coverings of all kinds, furniture, and finally food, restaurants from franchise to startups. From 1984 till 2011, I only preached. Then, sort of in a “backing” partnership, I was re-introduced into retail with alkaline water.
By 2011, much had changed about retail and the expectations of retail business. I read and was told by many so called experts that retail was going to be shut down by the internet, by “e-commerce” and the viral buildup of computer use that would soon be so strong and vital to every home so that retail could expect to diminish rapidly. This has turned out to be a very bad prophecy. In fact, there are still people murmuring this into the ears of large audiences. But, it isn’t so.
Early last year, I had an occasion to speak about retail in general at a local lunchtime “business” meeting. So, I studied the “stats” on how well retail was doing in the e-commerce driven climate. Since the beginning of online buying and all the braggadocio of how huge it was getting, there has never been a year when retail growth was negative. Every year there has been growth in numbers of stores, new retail outlets, and fewer vacancies in retail centers. Only one year, 2008, I believe, was it even close to being a wash. All years up to the latest figures available show retail marketing to be very healthy.
Among other things, this means that in a marketing atmosphere the retail community has learned how to adjust to the competition, how to make themselves as viable to their communities as they need to be for survival and profitability. Oh, and incidentally, other forms of commerce, including the e-commerce, legitimate MLM businesses and “large box” locations have all done well in the new millennia! (I guess the lesson to learn is an old saw about business is correct: “Nothing can stop a business(or product) which fits its time!”) (Also, as Jim Rohn used to say, “there’s people everywhere!”)
The SIMH today was one which my father would sing while working (now I’ve come to believe he sang some of his favorites for us who worked for him to hear.) He would break into song, almost like most of us would take a coffee break. The song was a very true application of bible teaching: “Come every soul by sin oppressed, find mercy with the Lord, and He will surely give you rest, by trusting in His word….Only Trust Him, Only Trust Him, only trust him now, He will save you, He will save you, He will save you now.”—written by John Stockton (not the basketball player) in 1874.
It’s Winter, so it’s cold and rainy (versus cold and snowy further north), so there is no point in belaboring it—just get through it, like a bad cold. Sounds like a good Monday to tune into the Bible class at 7PM Central; go to zoom.us/j/210/378/5748 and join us. It’s about the impact of Ephesians on the doctrine for today. Or catch it anytime after tomorrow morning on You Tube Channel, Brother Jerry Lockhart.
Thanks for reading, the Elder
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