Maybe it just happens clear out here in the weeds.

Married couples with incomes wanting more money by selling services or products.

To have a second or third income.

But! They only want customers in their time slots, two or three days per week.

Some Tuesdays it's from 8:00 to noon , other Tuesdays it's 2:00 to 5:00.

And closed on every third Tuesday.

A gym in tiny town, a food truck, a gun shop, and two others.

Who is making the rules these days ?

I honestly believe most of those types of places are fronts for money laundering/dealing drugs. There may be legitimate businesses that operate like that but none that will ever make good money.

There was a supposed food spot (little 4 table shop) near me that was like that. Hours posted online and on the door but I'll be damned if they were ever there during those hours. So glad when it finally got sold off to someone that may actually do something other than launder money through it.

Could just be attempting to limit their overhead. May not see the sense in paying additional staff to remain open for longer periods, or pay the utility bills for remaining open, if the customer demand isn't there during those other times. If they have cheap/free rent (like a food truck, or they own the building their shop is in), then that could make sense. Or if their rent is so low that they can easily afford to cover it with just limited hours.

The gym is an odd one, unless it's a gym that only does instructor-led classes like a pilates/yoga/spin/martial arts gym or similar, as opposed to a "come at your leisure to work out on our equipment" gym. But even then, they might just be aimed at the working/commuter crowd, and only be open in the early morning and later afternoon/evening, outside of normal working hours.

I've only seen this practice a few times, with things like food trucks, shadetree mechanic shops, coffee shops, or tailors/seamstresses. Those types of businesses make sense to only be open for limited hours.

However, there are a large number of smaller family-owned/run restaurants and shops around here that are closed on Monday. They get a lot of their business on the weekend, but the proprietors need rest days too, so they're open Tuesday-Sunday.

I guess I’m missing the issue…they set the days they want to be open. Likely to match demand and limit their workload.

They shouldn’t be closed? Or why are they closed on random days?

I think the point here is that the business should be open regular business hours. Doctors may stil take Wednesdays off but who wants a doctor that is part time. Unless the business has stuff I need I will not patronize them. To me that is not a business, it is a hobby.

And leaving a message until they "make time" to get back to you.

I understand family first.

Another words they are not
In it to win it.

These folks prioritize
Family, then primary job then r&r then second job and the customers.

I owned a storefront FFL business for years with limited hours. Tues by appointment, Thur-Fri evenings 5-8PM and Sat 10AM-2PM. Hours were posted and well-advertised. Anyone who didn't like it was more than welcome to buy the business and run it however they wanted. I guess I don't get what the issue is.

There’s a dearth of people willing to work in my area. Lots of business owners would like to be open 6 or 7 days a week, but can’t find any workers willing to reliably show up. And the owners can’t do it without help. Sundays and Mondays you’re limited to eating fast food if you don’t want to or can’t eat at home. It’s killing our tourist industry.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
Unless the business has stuff I need I will not patronize them.

Y’all are savage But I don’t know that I’d call your sentence a strong stance lol, pretty sure that’s who businesses work.

On a breakfast plate you’re definitely the chicken, not the pig.

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:

These folks prioritize
Family, then primary job then r&r then second job and the customers.

Bendable, most the time it’s hard to understand you, but this time it’s clear as day, you’re speaking Karen!

Otto

I have run a business for 43 years and have watched businesses come and go. Business that went part time are no longer around. Imagine a bar that closes at five pm or home improvement store that is closed Saturdays. Better yet Emergency Dental services closed on the weekend. Is the Army part time?

It works itself out. If their business doesn’t provide enough value it won’t make the return they want and they stop doing it. You have decided they are not providing value to YOU so don’t give them your business. If they continue to operate over time you might be the “odd man out” as other folks are getting value and giving them business.

I have a much harder time with established companies who you cannot get in contact with during their posted business hours.

It's my fault for the reluctance to transition into
The new business format or paradigm.

Life without transition is
Stagnation.

quote:

It's my fault for the reluctance to transition into
The new business format or paradigm.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Disagree strongly. The business is there to serve the customer. Has nothing to do with inability to transition.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
Otto

I have run a business for 43 years and have watched businesses come and go. Business that went part time are no longer around. Imagine a bar that closes at five pm or home improvement store that is closed Saturdays. Better yet Emergency Dental services closed on the weekend. Is the Army part time?

Stop it, comparing the Army to a business in that regard?

If a business chooses to ignore the times that generate the most customer that is on them. If they fail due to this decision then they fail. If they want to be open limited hours due to some set of circumstances then that’s their decision.


They don’t OWE it to anyone to be open. A business is not an essential government service. Like Pace said, stop shopping there or open your own business.

quote:

I honestly believe most of those types of places are fronts for money laundering/dealing drugs. There may be legitimate businesses that operate like that but none that will ever make good money.

Wonder if they use ZZZ Accounting for their books...

I worked one or two days a week at a gun shop that had limited hours, owner was semi retired. He limited the store’s hours as his health got worse. The store was a low volume, within thirty miles there were some big players and it would have taken a massive cash influx to go toe to toe with those shops. And with today most stores have an indoor range to go along with their sale she would have needed a new building and that is IF the township would have given approval for it.

Despite that he had a loyal customer base that repeatedly returned as he was the known go-to place for antique and collector firearms and carried obscure ammunition that others in the area ignored.

I took pleasure many times when someone would come in and ask for some obscure ammunition. The statement “I’ll bet you don’t have …..”,many times was met with “How many boxes do you want?” more often than not.

He made it until 85, a good run there. Towards the end the shop was open maybe one or two days a week, it was all he could do to be there even that little bit.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
that is not a business, it is a hobby.

Bingo!

It's hard for me to believe that a business can rent a space with utilities, maintain insurance, keep inventory and make a profit while only being open 10 hours a week. Gun shops/basement FFL's are the exception here as inventory can be sold online but restaurants, gyms, and 90% of retail just won't be able to do it. Hell, most mainstream gyms and retail can't even afford the overhead. I'll admit that if someone is selling stuff directly out of their house, the whole dynamic changes since costs are reduced, but it'll still simply be supplemental to the primary incomes and such a "business" may not even exist next week.

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
Wonder if they use ZZZ Accounting for their books...

Awesome reference

quote:

Originally posted by pace40:
Anyone who didn't like it was more than welcome to buy the business and run it however they wanted. I guess I don't get what the issue is.

Yep.

If you want 'regular hours' then nobody's preventing you from finding a place that has them.

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:

quote:

I honestly believe most of those types of places are fronts for money laundering/dealing drugs. There may be legitimate businesses that operate like that but none that will ever make good money.

Wonder if they use ZZZ Accounting for their books...

I see what you did there. You must be an accountant.