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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Bob" Once upon a time, there was a family
owned hardware store in the city where we lived for 40+
years. </FONT><FONT size=2 face=Arial> Then Home Depot, Walmart, etc.
moved in. I cannot attest to any facts but I believe that that
competition with its buying power was what made them become an ACE hardware
store. Thankfully, I have not seen any major changes in service or
product. Several times, when unable to find what I am looking for at the
major chain store, the salesperson will recommend that I go to that local store,
still referring to it by its original name, not an Ace store. It is
still<FONT size=2 face=Arial> part of the history of the city.
</FONT>I was able to buy two (2) wood screws that I needed, not a pack
of 6 or more. I now refer to it as a museum. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2
face=Arial>
The Other Len<BR>1967 Austin-Healey 3000 MkIII
BJ8<BR>
HBJ8L39031</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2
face=Arial>
224,925 miles</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=bspidell@comcast.net href="mailto:bspidell@comcast.net">Bob
Spidell</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=healeys@autox.team.net
href="mailto:healeys@autox.team.net">healeys@autox.team.net</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, June 23, 2024 11:48
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Healeys] Moss Motors
merger</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>I'm generally not in favor of private money snarfing up
independent businesses, larding them up with debt--dunno if that's the case
here, but these guys like to use OPM--laying off staff, taking a big cut then
pawning the remains off to 'the greater fool(s)' (see: rural hospital
systems). I have a personal experience: I went to the same optometrist for
over 30 years, then he sold out to one of these; a relatively small one, like
this appears to be. He was a 'car guy,' into VW vans, and we'd trade articles
off-hours and he always seemed to give me a little extra attention (at times,
his staff would have to pull him out of our conversations). After he was
acquired, he seemed harried and I felt the staff was really trying to expedite
all appointments; I suspect--but don't know for a fact--he was on a some sort
of quota or mandatory revenue system. I've heard lots of similar stories and I
can't think of any where a product or service has been improved after the
money boys took over. Anybody?<BR><BR>OTOH, this is a small, specialty
business, and it may be the only way some of them can survive at all. Time
will tell.<BR><BR>Bob<BR><BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE><div id="DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2">
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