Today's Bulletin Business Section: "Bank Files Lawsuit against developers," for 8.6 million.
For what?
"The 500 Bond project was envisioned to include a 199-unit, five building development at the mostly vacant corner of Southwest Wilson Avenue, with a four-to five-star hotel-condo capped with a top-story restaurant."
Um....sure. Right.
By the way, what happened to the 8.6 million?
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Woke up this morning and this white stuff was floating down from the sky. Anyone know what that stuff is? It being nearly May, I figure it's got be floating dandelion seeds or something....
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My sister Sue flew in from Delaware last week, with no more than a sweater. She had to go shopping for something warmer Sunday. She grew up in Bend. How quickly they forget.
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Swine flu, because we don't have enough to worry about.
**********
Steady as she goes at the store. I think sometimes, the temptation is to cut back too much on product when it's slow, which just compounds the problem. On the other hand, there is an equal temptation to spend too much on product, hoping to buy your way out of it being slow. The latter is more of a danger for me.
But I think part of my longevity is that I have always attempted to keep a good supply of material in the store, even when it required gambling. Kept me in thrall to the store, but kept my store alive.
**********
I am invoking the "I've been in business for "30 years" all the time, nowadays -- followed by "That's 150 years in Bend years." It seems to me that customers need reassurance that you're viable.
On the other hand, people seem to be angling for discounts more often. I wonder if they think the retailers need their business so bad they can get price breaks?
Trouble is, if they need business that bad, cutting prices is sometimes the last thing they should do.
It's a fine line in both issues -- stocking and pricing, between being too careful and too stubborn; and being too careless and too easy.
**********
As I mentioned, I'm about 12% over my estimates this month. But I almost gave some of it back yesterday, because it was so slow. At the end of the day, I had a couple of big sales which saved the day. Not sure what that was about. The weather? The end of the month? Swine flu? The economy getting worser?
The month of May has lots of events and product releases, so I'm hoping that will spark some sales. If not...summer is coming. May not be a big summer, but the threat of actually going DOWN from current levels is less.
On the other hand, it does appear to me the economy in Bend in worsening.
********
Last -- some more grandiose 2005 thinking.
When Cascade Bank was flying high back then, some of us wondered if they weren't maybe a bit overextended. From this mornings article:
"Moss admitted the bank made some loans it has since regretted but affirmed the bank's philosophy of investing in real estate and small businesses as sound business practices...."
Well, all right then. As long as the "Philosophy" is sound. I love philosophy.
**********
Linda and I drove to Yarrow in Madras a year or two ago, just as things were cracking, and were surprised by how big it was -- and how empty.
I mentioned a few months ago, when Yarrow announced it's new pricing that they were essentially selling two lots for half the price of one.
This morning, they were using the "Twice the land, half the price" as their actual slogan.
I suppose they don't have all that many people pissed off that they bought at regular price....
***********
Oh, 2005. We could do anything back then! 5 star restaurants, water slides the size of a skyscraper, a world class 4 year college, ....all was possible.
Or......maybe not.
Oh, 2005. You Vixen. You took all our money and disappeared.
For what?
"The 500 Bond project was envisioned to include a 199-unit, five building development at the mostly vacant corner of Southwest Wilson Avenue, with a four-to five-star hotel-condo capped with a top-story restaurant."
Um....sure. Right.
By the way, what happened to the 8.6 million?
**********
Woke up this morning and this white stuff was floating down from the sky. Anyone know what that stuff is? It being nearly May, I figure it's got be floating dandelion seeds or something....
**********
My sister Sue flew in from Delaware last week, with no more than a sweater. She had to go shopping for something warmer Sunday. She grew up in Bend. How quickly they forget.
***********
Swine flu, because we don't have enough to worry about.
**********
Steady as she goes at the store. I think sometimes, the temptation is to cut back too much on product when it's slow, which just compounds the problem. On the other hand, there is an equal temptation to spend too much on product, hoping to buy your way out of it being slow. The latter is more of a danger for me.
But I think part of my longevity is that I have always attempted to keep a good supply of material in the store, even when it required gambling. Kept me in thrall to the store, but kept my store alive.
**********
I am invoking the "I've been in business for "30 years" all the time, nowadays -- followed by "That's 150 years in Bend years." It seems to me that customers need reassurance that you're viable.
On the other hand, people seem to be angling for discounts more often. I wonder if they think the retailers need their business so bad they can get price breaks?
Trouble is, if they need business that bad, cutting prices is sometimes the last thing they should do.
It's a fine line in both issues -- stocking and pricing, between being too careful and too stubborn; and being too careless and too easy.
**********
As I mentioned, I'm about 12% over my estimates this month. But I almost gave some of it back yesterday, because it was so slow. At the end of the day, I had a couple of big sales which saved the day. Not sure what that was about. The weather? The end of the month? Swine flu? The economy getting worser?
The month of May has lots of events and product releases, so I'm hoping that will spark some sales. If not...summer is coming. May not be a big summer, but the threat of actually going DOWN from current levels is less.
On the other hand, it does appear to me the economy in Bend in worsening.
********
Last -- some more grandiose 2005 thinking.
When Cascade Bank was flying high back then, some of us wondered if they weren't maybe a bit overextended. From this mornings article:
"Moss admitted the bank made some loans it has since regretted but affirmed the bank's philosophy of investing in real estate and small businesses as sound business practices...."
Well, all right then. As long as the "Philosophy" is sound. I love philosophy.
**********
Linda and I drove to Yarrow in Madras a year or two ago, just as things were cracking, and were surprised by how big it was -- and how empty.
I mentioned a few months ago, when Yarrow announced it's new pricing that they were essentially selling two lots for half the price of one.
This morning, they were using the "Twice the land, half the price" as their actual slogan.
I suppose they don't have all that many people pissed off that they bought at regular price....
***********
Oh, 2005. We could do anything back then! 5 star restaurants, water slides the size of a skyscraper, a world class 4 year college, ....all was possible.
Or......maybe not.
Oh, 2005. You Vixen. You took all our money and disappeared.