Greetings, gentlemen,
This is a most interesting conversation, and timely for a few reasons. I had recently visited the shop in Alexandria VA (previously mentioned) and though they stock a few items (and I had previously purchased a nice sporran there) I found the attitude of the 'help' on my last two visits to be indifferent at best. For those who haven't visited, it's a combination Scottish store and tobacconist, and I think most of their sales these days come from the Saturday night strollers who want a cigar as they walk up and down King Street. As I stood there looking at the Argyll jackets and a few kilts (hung way up on the wall out of reach) and sporrans (inside the glass case, to be shown one at a time as if each were the Hope Diamond) the gent minding the store was intent on his newspaper and never - ever - even looked up. This experience was repeated on a subsequent visit.
To my entrepreneurial mind, of course, the red light was flashing "opportunity" as I know they do some rental business as well - if their attitude toward that is the same, I could see how *someone* (ahem) might step in to the fray and do well. As far as I know they are the only Scottish shop of any kind in the area. Which gets me to wondering about that - does anyone on this board do rentals as a business and is my experience unique? I'm just wondering if someone who truly was service-oriented could do well and spread the gospel of kilting at the same time! Or maybe I'm just looking for a life in which wearing a kilt would not only be encouraged, but seen as part of the advertising budget (ah, think of the tax write-offs!)!



Douglas

PS not trying to hijack the thread, if I need to pose this question separately let me know - cheers to all.