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I saw a sign in a shop yesterday that said, “The Help Us Stay In Business Sale – Everything $25″.  Some would argue it was a sign of the times. But I say their trouble started long ago.  A custom clothing shop for large people – with LARGE written in small letters on the window, I’d always wanted to try my hand at designing so I brought in some  fabric for a skirt.  I had visions of a reasonably priced seamstress around the corner whipping up a wardrobe.

They greeted me with friendly disdain and sent me home to find lining.  Tip-off 1 this wouldn’t be the Ritz of customer service.  I returned with yard goods and two months later they phoned to say it was ready.  Designed as floor length, the result was tea length – because they didn’t feel like having a fitting.  That the tea length works better is not the issue. The issue is I never returned and I suspect neither did others who were not livin’ large.  But we could  have been great customers had they opened up their target market when they opened their doors.  Today their sign might be very different and say, “Customer Appreciation Sale – Everything $25″.