The Wild just couldn't weather 'perfect storm'

I have mentioned the bookstore on the square, The Wild, in this space several times. It is a place I feel a deep connection with, as I was there at the beginning. My husband Rob and I helped to start the store together with Jane and Ernie Mills. In the planning stages, I was the leader of the so called ‘Board Meetings’, keeping those goofballs on task with my running ‘to do’ lists as they threw back Barley Island Dirty Helens and went off on irrelevant tangents. Though we parted ways with the Mills later on, we are friends and have seen the good it has done in this community since 2005.


The Wild is for sale. If no buyer is found by February’s end, the store will close. I recently sat down with Jane to discuss her decision to make The Wild available for sale. She referred to the Perfect Storm of circumstances that lead to the decision. She cited price wars over books among big chain stores like Wal-Mart and Target, increased competition with Hamilton Town Center and Amazon, lack of support for the Square from city government, a slow economy, corporate pay cuts for Ernie, and staggering out-of-pocket heath care costs.

The store (www.gotothewild.com) has always been profitable and could have taken on half of these circumstances, but not all, thus leading to the decision to sell or close. This would be an amazing opportunity for someone looking to have a meaningful, creative store with loyal customers. Thank you, Jane, Ernie and Fritz Mills, for your many contributions to this community. We love you.

3/50 project easy way to save the independents

I found this website recently and was completely intrigued by the oh so simple concept that is doable and makes so much sense. Ready? Here it is:
What three independently owned businesses would you miss if they disappeared? Stop in. Say hello. Pick up something that makes you smile. Your purchases are what keeps those businesses around.
If half of the employed population spent $50 each month in locally owned independent businesses, it would generate more than $42.6 billion in revenue. Imagine the positive impact if ¾ of the employed population did that.

That's the 3/50 plan.
When I started thinking about this, I realized that this project encompasses so many businesses, not just retail. Businesses such as: movie theaters, restaurants, coffee shops, hair salons, barbers, grocery (though there aren’t any independents around here, sadly) and health food stores, car washes, and more. Basically, as long as they’re independent (ie, not a chain) and brick and mortar, they count. When you look at it that way, a conscious decision to funnel $50 a month away from chains and into your local businesses and how many ways you can do this, it’s easy to see how it can make a huge impact for them.

I am going to commit to doing this project, will you? If you can’t do $50, how about $25? There would be large holes in our downtown and throughout Noblesville if these businesses closed up shop. They work hard and need our support. I want to say a great big thank you to each and every one of them for their dedication and commitment. And a plug for myself—if you’d like a ‘shop indie’ magnet, see my shop at http://www.cachet.etsy.com/.