Today, I received a very interesting email at work (names and numbers changed to protect the innocent):
The DirectFoto Employee Store located in A3 is closed as of today, May 31. Employees who have dropped off film for developing may pick up their photos at Cashier Operations in A1-xxxx beginning June 5 between 9 a.m. and 3:15 p.m. Beginning Thursday, June 1, transit fare tokens and bus passes will be sold at Cashier Operations on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more transit fare information contact Commuter Services, ext. 6-xxxx. For general information or questions regarding the DirectFoto Employee Store, contact Dubaldie Fritz in Human Resources, x6xxxx.
To explain: ever since I have worked here we have had a company store that did photo processing, sold bus passes and tokens, greeting cards, small OTC medical supplies, small gift items, and corporate logoware. Their rates were good: I used them to develop photos, and bought the occasional greeting card.
They are permanently closing, with little notice (i.e., no “going out of business sale”). No notice that anything will be replacing them. No explanation why.
In the “old days”, such stores were viable. You would have a heavy photo processing business, and that last minute secretary’s gift would come in handy. Today? Is such a store even viable? Most folks are using digital, which doesn’t require a photo processor. You can print your own greeting card on a color printer. There are few “office support professionals” to gift. I can’t imagine the volume is high enough to be able to support cashier staff, let alone make a profit. As for the logoware: it seemed to never move. I think folks will wear shirts with corporate logo if it is a mandated uniform or given to them, but to have to buy it probably reduces the demand.
Still, I’ll be sad to see it go. It was handy when I forgot an anniversary or birthday card.
another day older and deeper in debt
St. Peter, don’t you call me, ’cause I can’t go
I owe my soul to the company store
