Nine years ago, my wife, Donna and I opened a small retail beauty supply store, the first location being in Stockbridge, Georgia, and moving three times until we found the right fit, in little Jackson, Georgia. It was meant as a means to make a living for Donna, a Jamaican immigrant, while she waited for her Permanent Resident status, which she now has. Then last winter the straw that almost broke the camel's back--we lost both cars at the same time, and in rural Georgia, that is death to many a small business. A car purchased for cheap left me stranded in PA in one particularly cruel episode, and subsequent cars have taken any and all savings, just to keep them on the road. The last indignity came in the form of an onslaught of bank fees and charges.... These bank fees and charges are one the real reasons that the store is in danger of folding--did you know that Bank of America will actually let their own monthly maintenance fees overdraw you, and then will hit you for 35 dollars more, (and if other checks/charges come in, will do it over and over, and will continue to do so, causing a quicksand effect that is almost impossible to get out of? We are still barely hanging on....... History: I was working as a courier, driving all over the south delivering medical supplies, as an independent contractor, with my own car. Hard work, and when gas prices topped 4 dollars the courier driver's job suddenly wasn't worth all the wear and tear on the car, and I gave it up, staying put at the shop while restarting a little journalism career that I had abandoned when I got married in 2002. It was a tough go for a while, with a similar store in town for competition, but just as happened with my newspaper gig, (I was brought on to counter the right wing columnist, giving the local paper balance, until my counterpart suddenly quit after a few months)the other store decided to close its doors. There we were, and are, the only game in town. So it went for a couple of years, making enough to keep a roof overhead, a couple of used cars on the road, and a little vacation or adventure once a year--you all know my adventures--walk across the US, Frets n Refrains, and forays into the film business. Donna took trips to Jamaica and New York. Our little store is much more than a "hair store" as the customers say. It's a vital piece of the community--90 pct of the photos I take of the kids in Jackson are taken here, and poorer families know I will take quality shots of their kids for free. We open on Sundays as a public service and stay late when we are needed. We keep people happy and feeling good about themselves. People come in and ask about my latest column, or to ask questions about movies, or music. And to be honest, nine years in business is nothing to scoff at. The issues at hand are fixable, and we aren't blinking. Just need this help to get back on track and get the banks off our backs. It's humbling. And we thank you in advance.
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