Downtown Businesses Should Try to Be More Customer-Friendly
Downtown Businesses Should Try to Be More Customer-Friendly
Editor,
I keep hearing about the bypass to make downtown Hollister friendlier to pedestrians and to attract more customers to businesses.
I’ve lived here for six years and always worked out of town, so I thought I’d take a cruise around with my family on Saturday.
First of all, most of the businesses were closed, including restaurants!
We went to one store I’ve been wanting to go in since we moved here. But it was closed. The hours were Monday through Friday during regular work hours.
We stopped by the Pet Friends sale and tried to see the kittens. We were told, quite rudely I might add, that they were not kittens, they were last year’s kittens so they were now cats and that we had no business in there so could we please leave. She let a little girl and her mother in as we were being escorted out. Apparently it was OK for them to see the non-kittens.
Next we went to the new store with the “Grand Opening” banners everywhere. As we were walking around, the lady got off her phone and announced very loudly to her co-worker that she needed to close up shop but couldn’t do that since “there are people here.” She stared pointedly at us. We left.
Wow.
Maybe instead of worrying about a bypass we could have stores and restaurants that are open on weekends or at least more often than 8am-5pm Monday through Friday.
And hey, how about some common courtesy to customers? I am sure there are good businesses and workers downtown, but for now I’ll keep driving out of town to shop and eat.
Scarlett Jones
Hollister
New Lowe’s Will Bring Jobs, Tax Revenue to Hollister
Editor,
Approving the Lowe’s project in Hollister was a no-brainer for the Planning Commission (“County Approves Lowe’s Store,” April 5).
How many of us go to Lowe’s in Gilroy to shop? Keep the money in town! Just as the Award Homes development, it will bring added jobs and tax revenue to the local economy.
Planning Commissioner Gordon Machado said “the project needs to fit in with its environment.”
Well I would venture to say that the local environment in recent years has become a moribund oasis of stagnation and this kind of growth will certainly be a much needed shot in the arm for the community.
John Ucovich
Hollister
