Oct 5, 2012

He Did Build That Business

20 comments:

  1. Michael,
    Impressive guy. Wow!
    My uncle had a small hardware store in Northampton. Great little place. All the retired men would come by Fridays and have a Miller around closing time. He sponsered a softball team and contributed to the AmVets and the H.S. Wresteling team. My cousin took over when my uncle passed.
    Unfortunately the store closed about 15 years ago.
    They just couldn't compete with the Mega Stores. I miss my uncle and I miss that little store. I guess that's progress.

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  2. @12:35, fair observation; home depot certainly is a big box store which put many small hardware stores out of business. the supermarkets put the butcher and baker out of business. my historical posts have covered a number of these mama poppa stores, including that of my family. bernie marcus's mega success makes his opinion relevant.

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  3. @12:35 and MM, the truly sad part is the subsidies we pay the box boxes to open in our communities. Its a game of extortion these mega stores play: coming into our neighborhoods promising jobs and getting subsidies of tax payers hard earned money. So we lose local businesses like your uncle's hardware store--and pay mega-man to move in so our citizens can hold menial, minimum wage, service economy jobs. I am glad that my taxes are contributing to make Bernie Marcus a success--thanks for sharing that video and confirming my belief that the American dream is alive and well, just shifted a bit from hard work onto the backs of tax-payers.

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  4. @12:09, please cite one example in which a box store was subsidized to move into the lehigh valley. on the contrary, the box above whitehall was fought hand and fist by both the township and the citizens.

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  5. Was the video specific to the Lehigh Valley, I must have missed that part. My comment was on the status of the entire country--as Bernie Marcus was also referring to his business which is national. Here is a link to a businessweek article which contains a link to site called goodjobsfirst.org which tracks this type of information. http://www.businessweek.com/small-business/dont-subsidize-big-boxes-at-local-shops-expense-09092011.html

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  6. @9:02, subsequent comments played off an uncle's hardware store in northampton. of course the point of the video wasn't a discussion of big box stores, but that a business giant considers obama a lightweight on idea's for the economy.

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  7. MM -

    I'm not sure about the past but there is currently a proposal for a TIF zone in Lower Macungie.

    I believe they are proposing a Costco, Target and a couple of other stores.

    Whether it passes remains to be seen, but crony capitalism is alive and well in the Lehigh Valley, even for big box stores.

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  8. @9:21, that request came from the developer of the proposed shopping center, not any individual store. please limit future comments to obama's economic policies or critics of such.

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  9. MM, thank you for instructing us on the context of the video. But how can we discuss the opinion of a business Goliath (who builds his business on the back of Davids) without talking about the truth of his business model. Additionally, he might be right about President Obama being a lightweight in business. He has to reckon dealing with the likes of Marcus and others who use the same business model. The tax breaks for the middle class that the President discussed is going to be bad for Marcus business. I am not sure I can trust someone like Marcus to give his opinion on business in my country. Bain Capital a giant consortium, which Romney founded, agreed to acquire HD Supply, the wholesale construction supply business of Home Depot for $10.3 billion.

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  10. @9:49, glad to host your last comment here. you have me confused with somebody who cares about comment count, or likes to banter. big boxes are indeed tough to compete with, but to say that he built his success on another's back is divisive and against our basic system. your linkage of marcus, bain capital, your country and romney makes you sound informed, while in reality you're a tool. the bain offer on which you build your distortion goes back to 2007.

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  11. I am in fact a business person. I care about the people who work with me, I am honest, I pay my taxes, I love my country. If that makes me a tool--and I am not really certain what you mean by that--then I will have to accept that. Is it an insult? If so, why would you insult me? I have not hurled those kind of words at you. I took your comments and opinion very seriously and enjoyed discussion with you and others. If its just banter and you are not interested I won't bother.

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  12. @10:26, most "business people" although understanding the ramifications of the big box stores, wouldn't consider their success on "the backs of others"
    your comment of 9:49 was full of divisive sterotypes, and sounded much more political than business based.

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  13. MM -

    Great video! The reality is ALL businesses are getting buried by the Obama economy - big boxes and Mom & Pops.

    And Marcus is right - we can do better if we change the current occupant of the White House.

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  14. I was not trying to stereotype, but prefer the Ben & Jerry's or Smith & Hawken or Erewhon business model for my own business to the Home Depot or Walmart models. Business people, like all people, come from all walks of life and create many different avenues with which to do business. I had a relative with a business that worked hard to employ people who were unemployable to most companies. This company provided training and a good wage so that they could work along side people who have always worked. This provided a good service to our community. It brought people into the work force that were marginal due to misfortune for a variety of reasons. The company did not accept tax subsidies to do this either. It was the wish of the owner to provide this service and did not cause a loss to the company either. My belief is that I am here to serve a higher purpose--not religious, but to make the world a better place to live, not just rake in as much money/power as I can. And my politics reflect my business beliefs. How can one separate one from the other? I believe that if we are to survive we must change and I am not against working hard or capitalism or being an enterprising individual. I am against avarice. When CEO's make 400% more (or more) than the lowest wage in a corporation how can the CEO respect the low wage earner, or identify with the worker. I come from a long long history of ancestors who were mostly business starters and owners and several have owned small corporations.

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  15. @12:03, for once I would like to see someone put their name to their comments, certainly would add to your credibility. although bernard marcus is tied to a major american business, he went on the record, against the president who is ahead in the polls. ben and jerry always went on the record before they sold their company. how about you?

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  16. MM, These comments are a bait and switch. To deflect attention way from what Marcus is saying, he is attacked. Te commenter fails to point out that Marcus provided nearly all the funding for the Georgia Aquarium as well as the Marcus Institute for kids who are developmentally challenged.

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  17. I went to Home De. yesterday, Sun.to buy a plyers.
    The most basic of tools.
    I couldn't find one, not one, made in these United States of America.

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  18. not sure if your point is against big box stores or american manufacturing. try a small hardware store, and see if they have tools made in USA

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  19. Sir, two weeks I needed a wire cutter. I went to a well known family owned hardware store in Southside Bethlehem. I purchased a wire cutter, needle nosed and standard pliers in a Three Pack, manufactured by Milwaukee, in Milwaukee USA.

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  20. sir, probably one of the biggest current tool sellers is Harbor Freight, which is a chain of small stores at strip malls, certainly not a "big box store". none of their tools are made in USA, although their house brand is called "Chicago." so people seem to shop price, even though they know the quality is compromised. no more comments incorrectly linking the big boxes with the demise of american manufacturing will be hosted.

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