Found has been Lost

[ron_newman]

Found, the used clothing consignment shop at 255 Elm Street, has closed. Someone identifying himself as the owner was standing outside a few minutes ago, and he told me that the landlord is "a greedy jerk who jacked up the rent, and is not a good person." He also said the shop had suffered from shoplifting. He hopes to find a new location where he can reopen it.

Comments

[teko.livejournal.com]

To my mind, their prices were only part of the issue. I can't imagine the margins on consignment clothes are super profitable; to constantly have such a sparse, focused selection at high prices in a huge, expensive space is a real killer. And their prices were only 'high' in comparison to the rock-bottom prices at the better-stocked Goodwill right down the street. I don't want gentrification, I want someone with a great, unique idea for a store to have an honest shot at running it in that space. But at its size and price ($16k!!), I'm not sure what I'd suggest.

[twilighttremolo.livejournal.com]

Their prices were high. For example, I saw more $50 blouses than $25 blouses, and this was a second-hand store. At the income level I had for the first several years I lived in the Davis area (not long ago) I wasn't able pay more than $40 for a brand-new blouse, and I know I was not alone.

I didn't know about the rent they were paying, I assumed we were taking the owners on their word about the reason they were closing, which I don't always do. As far as gentrification, it's true the area is being gentrified, but talking about it is one of the steps to doing something about it -- although it won't work if it's the only step.