In my last post, I alluded to the burning question: Are you Unique?(and of course by you, I mean your business)….or a the Very Least Comparable to the Look, Service, Product that is offered at a multi chain corporate location, or a franchise?
Are you UNIQUE?
Let’s talk food(one of my favorite topics! This is an area that I feel is really lacking in our city. Sure there are some great ones! Clean, well managed, safe, and relatively delicious on most accounts. But where is the originality? where is the flare? Hamburgers, pasta, steak, sweet and sour pork, and yadda yadda sandwiches on flax/rye/whole grain bread….
I am no restaurateur, but I would love for every restaurant to sit down and think to themselves, how can I write this sentence for my business:
“When you are out and about in Prince George, you have to goto ________ and try the _____________!”
For example:
When you are out and about in Prince George, you have to goto Cimo’s and try the lobster and seafood ravioli!
or
When you are out and about in Prince George, you have to goto Than Vu and try the Hot and Sour Soup!
Unfortunately my list ends there(not because there isn’t more, it’s merely because I have not experienced more). Please feel free to write about your “sentence” can you fill in the blanks??
Are you at least as good as the Major Chain Competition?
Let’s talk Clothing(an industry that I am very familiar with) which is an industry full of heavyweights! As part of The District Clothing Co. in Pine Center we get to bump uglies with some of the biggest names in the industry. Le Chataeu, GARAGE, Bootlegger, Roots, West 49, Extreme, and more. We are proud of the products we carry. Sure, we cannot be everything to everyone, but we can lay claim to a few things: 1) The hands down best selection of name brand denim, 2) The best selection of name brand apparel and 3) the largest selection of Canadian fashion labels(Silver, 1921, Orb, Matt by Matt&Nat, Three Stones, and more).
When we came up with the idea for our new 3rd Ave Location, we searched high and low for the concept, the look and the product. We hired Paul from Versa Design(who we are eternally grateful to) to come up with an interior design, we hired professionals to install the lighting, racking, counter-tops, and more. Found fantastically unique products from the markets in Los Angeles, and the end result we are very proud of. We are proud that our small and focused selection that will continue to change almost monthly, and you will be able to find very unique products at fantastic prices.
We approach every endeavor with the intention to be better then the competition. However, I cannot say the same for other people in my industry. I see 2-3 new “apparel stores” open year to year, and you can tell that the same thought hasn’t taken place. Self design, self decorate, and a disjointed inventory of odds and sods, which I personally have wondered if the product is authentic. I know for a fact! there is a local business who actually acquires their apparel via a 3rd party(that means they are not authorized dealers of a lot of their brands, they get it shipped to them from another retailer), and there are a few products being sold in this city that I do not believe have paid their licensing fees(be wary of movie, band, or other branded t-shirts that are printed on blank t-shirt brands like Gildan, Haines, or American Apparel).
In the end, I would love to begin to accumulate a list of businesses, events, and other experiences that I can sell anyone who is considering to or has relocated to our fantastic city! outside of the no brainer appeal of low costs of living, and fantastic access to the outdoors.
What do you think?
