Hi Folks,
Happy midwinter to you all! I'll be roasting coffee this Sunday (February 7), then delivering and shipping on Monday. Please send us your orders by 10:00 Sunday - though we'll run some extras and we also have several coffees here now if you need something before then.
This week is the realization of a packaging change we've been working on for the last few months, and can get a look at the new bag on our website. This has been a group effort, and I'd like to extend my thanks to those who've made this work.
First, a shout out to Charlie Pollock at Pennisi Lamare in Portland for his conversion of our logo into the simple yet elegant woodblock design. I've loved working with these people over the years because of their efficiency and amazing ability to translate words and emotions into art.
Getting the new design onto the bags was no small feat, and after being told over and over that it wasn't possible, Scott at Freeport's Ascensius Press rolled up his sleeves and worked hard to make the vision of this project a reality. With all the chatter over the last few weeks about the iPad and what this will mean for the book and the printed page, I think it is important to recognize a true artisan in the field of traditional book printing.
And last but not least, a thanks to my son Conor for a nice job setting up and photographing the new package for our website.
Which brings me to today's rant/discourse about local business.
The project to change our packaging gave me a nice reminder about what local businesses are in our world. Here in Freeport, we have a long strip of chain outlet stores that are physically and functionally identical to every other version of that chain in the country. They are devoid of originality, local character, craftsmanship and enduring customer relationships. At 6:00 each day, most of them close, leaving a main street in our town that is as stale and bland as a slice of American cheese on Wonder Bread. And this makes me sad.
The character of great towns and cities is to me defined by their small businesses. Family owned businesses that have been handed down over generations. Great recipes unchanged with time. Craftsmanship. Originality. Color. Relationships. THINGS THAT ARE DIFFERENT.
OMG, what are we doing??? Why are there eight damn gazillion Dunkin Donuts out there? Why must the main streets of so many towns look the same now? Who invented the MALL, for gods sake?
Next month, Tanji and I will go to New York City on vacation, and so much of our time there will be dedicated to the simple bliss of walking streets filled with original, personal, wonderful small businesses. New York is the temple of small businesses, and I am so very thankful that we still have a place like that to go.
As we all work to make smarter decisions with our money in these times of economic hardship, I'd like to throw out a reminder about small businesses - simply that whether these little enterprises fly or fail depends on the outcome of choices made by people. Do I buy my cheese at Shaws where I can get it on sale, or do I take the time go to the local cheese shop where I will pay a bit more? I am hungry - do I drive through McDonalds and enjoy the fruits of the dollar menu, or do I park, go into the local sandwich shop and wait while they make me a handcrafted sandwich? Do I take the easy way out and order a book from Amazon, or do I go to a local bookseller?
Buying local is harder. It takes more time. It can cost more. It may require work or travel to find a local outlet for the things you need. But damn it, we are all worth it. We can't let this country disintegrate into a land of chain stores, malls and strip shopping centers. Local character is fun, but if we don't support it, in too many places it is not long for this world. And I know how much we'll miss it if it goes.
Thanks for listening - have an awesome weekend.
Kent
