Dear Editor,
I once read a tag line for Barrhead, “the friendly town.” While I agree with the line most of the time, I am concerned about some events unfolding that tell a different story.
First of all, I want to declare my loyalty to Morris Vogelzang and the gang at Barrhead Sound (formerly The Source) who have given me and my family outstanding customer service since they opened. And because of this outstanding customer service, they will continue to be my preferred supplier of electronics. I am very disappointed that The Source pulled their franchise from Morris however business is business and the corporate masterminds aka Bell, have another plan. This plan could benefit Barrhead however it will take the community to accept and support it. Again, I am not suggesting you stop patronizing Barrhead Sound, however I am hoping that having another electronic store in town may minimize trips to Future Shop, Best Buy and other city stores, keeping business local.
Remember that local businesses pay taxes, offer employment opportunities, even advancement up a corporate ladder if so desired. They contribute to the local economy. It’s great that after 35 years of being vacant, a very nice building has been built on the main street corner. Kudos to Bill and Lorna Stutchbury for the development. I was happy to be the inspiration for the building as the anchor tenant, making it a feasible development for the Stutchbury’s. It has taken considerable time to lease the remainder of the space; with The Source moving in, the corner is now complete.
However, I am unhappy about comments I am hearing on the street and very disappointed in how the contractor doing lease-hold improvements was recently treated. The gentleman promptly stopped in to introduce himself. He left his business card including cell phone in case I was disrupted in anyway. Due to our close proximity, we crossed paths often and he was always respectful and friendly. He did his best to use local sub-trades, some who readily complied and some who refused to return his calls. His tool trailer was broken into with significant loss and he purchased as many replacements locally as possible. He and his staff stayed in local hotels and ate at local restaurants. I was very disappointed to hear that several Barrhead citizens stopped him to complain about The Source coming to town. He was hired to do a job. He is NOT responsible for the decision to bring The Source to Barrhead.
The next hurdle will be for The Source to find staff. I write this in hope the above treatment will not continue. My wish is we live up to our ‘friendly town’ tag line and welcome the new store manager as a valuable member of our community. I hope we do not judge those who accept employment with The Source as they need a paycheck, too. Remember, business is business. The Source will make it or break it based on the customer service they provide. It will be up to their leadership to build relationships and earn their place. Let us all be professional and treat them with respect and treat them the way we would want to be treated.
Sincerely, Rita Lyster
Rita`s Apothecary &Home Healthcare Ltd
