On the Giving End of a Castro Transaction

As I've mentioned before, I'm writing the "Business Briefs" column in the Bay Area Reporter now.  My predecessor wrote it every two weeks, but I'm currently on a monthly schedule, coming out the second Thursday of each month, which means that my current column is in those attractive green newspaper boxes right now!

This month my column was mostly that journalistic cliche:  the holiday gift guide.  I was given the guidance to feature a wide assortment of items at a range of prices from a variety of local stores, in particular ones which hadn't been mentioned in the column recently.  It was a pretty fun piece to research and write, but I've also realized that for each additional person I need to speak with in person the time required for the column goes up and my hourly rate drops to levels roughly equivalent to what a Wal-Mart Christmas-ornament-decorating elf earns.

Now before you think I'm getting all high on my own "hottness" with this journalism thing, just know that there's always a shopkeeper to bring me back down to humble earth.   I'm repeatedly amazed that so many of the shop owners just brush me off or won't return calls or generally treat me like a sidewalk cookie.  And it's not that I think that they should fall on their knees and fellate me there in the middle of their holiday display, it's just that I'm actually giving their shops a little bit of free advertising, in exchange for a story or two and a photo, and if I were a small businessperson I would jump at the chance for a little free promotion.  I don't understand some people's attitude.

I'm on your side, people!

But having said that, those standoffish people are in the minority.  I've met some really cool, interesting, inspirational people doing this gig, and I have huge respect for anyone who steps out and chases their dream to open their own business.  People will say that about entrepreneurs who start their own ridiculous internet start-ups, but I feel much more respect for the people who open retail outlets.  The kids setting up the latest web-2.0-social-networking-community-leveraged-investment-draining start-up have this delusion of being the next smug git on the cover of Time in a tight black t-shirt.  But if you are opening a donut shop or tanning salon or Tibetan handicraft store, you have no pretensions about becoming an overnight squillionaire.  You're in it to make a living and to be your own boss, and hopefully you can beat the odds and make a long-term go of it.

So anyway, that's a long way of saying, basically, please support our local small business owners.  Forecasters say it's going to be an economically iffy season this year, so each of these locally-owned shops can definitely use your business right now.

OK, enough sincerity.  I promise the next post I'll be back to bad puns and cynicism.