BIG PLAN, SMALL SHOP

James Black lives in a small town called Chagrin Falls in Ohio. There are many small businesses in town. There is a bakery, a small bookshop, a chemist, post office and a small sweet shop. A few years ago a department store opened in their town. Then there were more. Now there are a few department stores in their town and many people shop from those stores.

James feels bad for the businesses in town. There is a small hardware store. Its name is Chagrin Hardware. The shop opened in 1857. Lately, Chagrin Hardware is in trouble. People don’t buy things from the store. They prefer big stores. The store loses customers every day.

James wanted to do something to help Chagrin Hardware. He came up with a plan: James sent out an email to his friends. He wanted his friends to go to Chagrin Hardware store on January 21 and spend $20. His friends sent this email to their friends. The news spread on social media sites, Facebook and emails.

Chad Schron also lives in the town. He feels bad for small shops too. He came to the shop with his 8-year-old son. He said “There wasn’t anything that we needed, but we found things to buy.”

At 10 a.m. on January 21 there was a long queue in front of the shop. At 1:30 the credit card machine broke down. Chagrin Hardware was full of shoppers. The line at the checkout was very long. Black’s plan was a huge success.

Steve Shutts is the owner of Chagrin Hardware. Shutts didn’t tell anyone how much he earned that day. He just said that Black’s email helped the store stay in business.

“Thanks to Jimmy Black,” Shutts said. “Thanks to everyone. Thanks to Chagrin Falls. What a place to live.”