Michael Keith and his staff at Allegra Print & Imaging spent part of this week delivering the unfortunate news to customers.
After 27 years, the print shop on Front Street was closing.
Like many business owners facing this situation, Keith had eventually swallowed the bitter truth.
But the disheartening feeling goes beyond turning off some lights, closing the door and turning the key, though. Business owners pay an emotional price when they close their businesses.
They place their hopes in these businesses, befriend customers and invest everything they can and more to make them succeed. In the end, many of them describe sleepless nights and a sinking feeling because things didn't work out.
"This was a tough decision to make," Keith said. "It's not a good situation all the way around. People have relied on us for several years. I think we did what we could to be successful."
The economy gets most of the blame when a business closes these days. Owners can't afford to keep up with the growing number of bills and declining income.
Keith bought Allegra Print & Imaging, formerly Statesville Printers, the same month the recession went into full force two years ago. His background is in marketing and sales, and owning the printer was a good fit at the time.
During the past two years, he has worked a lot of long hours and established many relationships with his customers and other community leaders.
"By far, this is the hardest decision I've had to make in my life," he said. "It is the loss of some dreams. We've established a repertoire I'm going to miss."
In the end, it comes down to some hard decisions, Keith said. Then comes the sense of personal failure.
"That type of feeling is not one I like to rekindle," said Maestro's Cafe executive chef Michael Spencer. "I tried my best."
Maestro's on Center Street closed Jan. 1.
At the end of the day, business owners and managers have to separate their emotions from the business, Spencer said.
He has had dreams about his employees and their children, and has awakened wondering what is going to happen to them.
Iredell County Commissioner Marvin Norman and his family recently decided not to renew their Contract Postal Unit on Front Street.
Norman said when they started Front Street Office Supplies seven years ago, they planned to thrive at the location.
As time went buy, the Normans found themselves unable to compete with the big-box office supplies stores. Norman said they were paying out of their own pockets to keep up.
"We had to back off the office supply, and that hurt us a good bit," he said. "The post office, they didn't want to pay us any more money. We just could not afford to keep paying bills out of our pocket."
His family is still paying store bills, he said.
Norman said the situation was tough because there were good and loyal customers who depended on him for a service. The support from the downtown community was wonderful, he said.
Keith said he is concerned about the three employees who will now be looking for work. There aren't a lot of printing jobs available, Keith said.
"Right now, the emotions are pretty raw," he said.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement