Free Write: When a Business Closes

 

Rick's prompt "when a business closes" was triggered by the local boulangerie being closed for over a month. Before Christmas when Rick went to order cinnamon rolls, the sales girl said, she didn't think he was ordering any more supplies. Rick assumed that it meant it was just closing for the holidays. 

This was the boulangerie/tea room where we often met for our Free Write, but this is what is greeting us now, just closed shutters.

Rick's Free Write

When a business closes, the employees lose their jobs, the owners lose income.

But they’re not the only ones affected. Their suppliers lose a customer and some of their revenue, maybe so much that they have to close too. More job losses.

Families without income are forced to eat less, maybe go to a food bank, maybe apply for welfare. Buy less. No birthday or Christmas presents this year.

The businesses they used to spend money at suffer too. And their families.

The shuttered business creates an eyesore in the community. If too many businesses close it’s a blight.

Crime may increase, compounding the problem.

The customers of the business see their lives change too. Daily patterns are disrupted because there’s no boulangerie, no neighborhood grocery store. They have to go farther for bread or eggs or petrol, if they choose to go at all.

The building landlord must seek a new tenant, not easy in this economy.

Governments must cut programs. More people suffer.

The wealthy don’t care.

 Rick Adams is an aviation journalist and publisher of www.aviationvoices. com 

Julia's Free Write

It was a very emotional moment; the day she closed the doors on what had been her life’s work

Young, she had had thoughts of marriage and a family: that was before, at age 25, she had ovarian cancer.

One of the few and very lucky survivors, when she was through with her treatments, her only thought was to stay well – and improve the lives, in no matter how small a way, of young women going through the same. Many of whom had no support.

Fortunately for her – and for them – her family had a large property in the country but close to a major city, with a small annex.  Of “independent means” she could afford to dream so turned that annex into a “one size fits all” place where those newly diagnosed in treatment, or even in remission could come for some female understanding, information.

Over the years coffee, tea, even pastries appeared.  The “clientele” widened to include all female cancers.

Thankfully public services improved and there were many opportunities now for such services.

So, at 80, looking back on her life, she decided that the time had come. There was a crowd of over 1’000 people to witness her tears as she shut the door for the last time.

 Julia has written and taken photos all and loves syncing up with friends.  Her blog can be found: https://viewsfromeverywhere.blogspot.com/

D-L's Free Write

At 9:30 when the "senators," the retired men of the neighborhood were outside Mac's Café where they met six mornings a week. The café was closed Sundays. 

They would have coffee and pastries - that is they would if their wives weren't present to tut tut about unhealthy choices.

They talked about the Pats, Celtics, Sox, and Bruins, the stupid governor and why couldn't they make the T run on time.

Politics came up. It was blue neighborhood in a blue state, and the name Trump raised their collective blood pressure.

Where was Mac? He should have been open an hour ago. 

They peeked in the window. The chairs were still on top of the table.

A car pulled up. A man, in what looked like an expensive business suit, got out. He pulled a sign from the back seat. It said.

Café For Sale

"But it was successful."

"He's been here for as long as I can remember."

"His father and grandfather owned it before him."

"He should have told us."

Then Fred voiced what they all had been thinking. "Where do we go now?

D-L has had 17 fiction and non fiction books published. Check out her website at:. https://dlnelsonwriter.com