My Soapbox....Independent Scrapbook Stores

I very rarely like to climb up on soap boxes regarding topics I find it squelches the creativity in blogs but thought I wanted to speak my mind and maybe even help out a few people in the process. In these times of economic unrest I am sorry to say we are loosing our independent scrapbook stores left and right...yes they are going the way of the dinosaurs....DVDs.....and old fashioned film cameras. Why are they dying off? Simple fact the larger chains are hard to compete with. I have alot of friends in the scrapbook business, alot who own their own shops and a few have closed their doors I am sad to say.
The find it hard to compete with 50% and the on slaught of coupons there larger competitors send out on a weekly bases. And we are going "yes but we save money going to the big stores....50% is 50%" and I agree with you, to a point. Remember this the large companies can offer you this savings because they are buyng in such high volume....mom and pop stores cannot buy like that! what is it that a small independent store gives us that the big chains cant? Plain and simple customer service.....these stores show you how to use the products....offer classes by teachers that the large chains would never have come teach.......offer the smaller scrapbook companies a place to be featured and seen. You will always find unique things at an independent store. So my plee is this....visit your stores take a class or two, being a teacher they are my life line. Purchase items from them and keep them from becoming another memory of what was. Thank you for allowing me to rant on! I would like to do a call out to one of my favorite local stores, I teach here every month and the ladies who own this store are he most wonderful women so if you are ever in the San Antonio Texas area I hope you will stop by and visit with Amy, Carol and Jane at STAMP ANTONIO ARTS. You can visit their beautiful store at
5139 North Loop 1604 W, #108San Antonio TX 78249210-764-7900
http://www.stampantonio.com/Index.html

It is a wonderful store full of unique paper crafting products! What I think I will do each month I will spotlight a great independent store somewhere in the United States or Canada so if you have a favorite you would like me to spotlight email me and tell me about it...who knows you might just see your store in the spotlight.
And for everyone in the San Antonio area or who might be in the area on April 30th I would like to invite you to come take one of my classes. This month I am doing two classes the first is an amazing Tag Book which features Graphics 45 products, Gecko Galz ephemeras, and May Arts Ribbon.

The second class is a tag class where you will create 6 vintage inspired tags using Graphics 45, Gecko Galz and Paper Studio products!

Hope everyone has a fun creative day!

Leanne