I run my business by myself, I have no help other than Tommy and Jim who deliver locally for me on Saturdays. Most days I will close the store briefly to run to the bank (1.5 miles away) or grab a sandwich for lunch, and sometimes I have to make a trip to my off-site storage facility (8.5 miles away) to get something out of it for the store, or run to Home Depot/Staples to get some store materials. I don't feel the economy is robust enough for me to hire an employee right now, so I make do being a 1-person operation.

Today I started work at 7:45 a.m. unpacking furniture and at 9:15 a.m. was done in the parking lot and had disposed of all the trash. I had to take two pieces to the storage facility and bring one back up. (The store posted hours are 9:30 a.m to 5:30 p.m). It takes me 15 minutes to get down there, 10 minutes on site, and 15 minutes to get back so that's 40 minutes, right? I spin the sign on the door to say I will return at 9:55 a.m. I actually got back at 9:45 a.m. and found a very nasty note shoved in the door from someone here at 9:30 and the store wasn't open, and they let me have a piece of their mind. No name, no contact phone to call. They didn't want to wait apparently but did take time to write out a 1 page manifesto on their feelings.

Small business (very small!) is like that. I'm here 6 days a week and come in even when I'm sick as long as I can still talk on the phone - and will make it here through the snow and rain storms even when I know there will be no locals coming in. If you know you're coming at a specific time and am driving a distance - let me know and I'll make SURE that I'm not out when you make the drive as I want to be open for you.

However, if you are the kind of person that can't tolerate a short closure during my store hours and like to leave raging nasty notes on the door, then save the trip and shop elsewhere - that works better for both you and I.