Summary

Digital sales threaten to undermine personal contact for shoppers which represents the selling point Small Shops have to offer.  Main Street brick and mortar shops have long based their appeal on Small Shops, close-knit customers and owners and a level of attention from shopkeepers that is not always available at large shops.  Local communities rely on such shops to be their engines that drive the economy. 

In some small communities, these Small Shops were the biggest employers, the biggest consumer retailers and provided for future workers and community leaders.  These Small Shops, in rural or regional areas, are essential to the survival of local communities and allow them to thrive.  The most pressing issue is how to revive retail in a way that merges digital offerings with the attention that shopping in person provides.   We will aim to provide close contact through our concierge service, providing customers with a value over Amazon.  A community without local shops could pose a grave threat to the local economy, this can have devastating results for communities large and small.  Retail offers an economic engine to communities because it serves to connect relationships. 

Our concept focuses on this interconnected relationship between the community, the consumers and the concierge and also offers important financial implications that can benefit the communities we serve.  Many shops are landmarks and many people are crushed to see retail sales being lost to Amazon because they can see the immediate effect this creates on local retail business. 

We need to use the advantages we have – innovation, local, personal and equal pricing.  These advantages will be our primary selling feature and help to ensure communities are vibrant and strong.