Though it lasted longer than rival Moxie Java, Decatur Mom reports that Silk: A Smoothie Cafe has closed its doors over on W. College.
“I saw yesterday that Silk has closed……there’s a For Rent sign in the window.”
Creative Loafing did a feature on Silk a year ago. Even then it didn’t sound like business was all that hot.
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That’s a shame; they had really inexpensive coffee if you brought your own cup (a quarter or so, maybe) and were good about letting groups come in to use the space for free and show movies on the screen there. On the other hand, I guess we can now patronize Nectar without worrying about neglecting Silk.
Another one? This is just awful! We Decaturites HAVE to go to our local merchants and support them. Empty commerce is going to hurt our community! I will not spend outside of Decatur this Holiday season. I do not eat outside of Decatur. These businesses NEED all our support. If you spend at all, keep it IN Decatur!
I agree with supporting Decatur businesses.
Would be small business owners take note: please FULLY investigate the viability of your service/product offering before opening ANYWHERE. It is safe to say that the coffee house/smoothie/icecream thing is NO LONGER a viable small owner business for our neighborhood/city…only one or two can make it in a given area. Add to that the economic woes and I have to make my own cup of Community Coffee in my home…
I would also say that one of the most important aspects of operating a business is actually taking regular feedback from customers seriously. Many small businesses seem to operate to satisfy the owners more than actual customer desire. In the case of Silk, coworkers and I repeatedly asked the owner for other smoothie bases besides processed juice, dairy milk and soy (i.e. rice, almond, hemp, goat, or even kefir). They didn’t seem to care or even understand why anyone would want something besides milk and soy at all. Since they repeatedly refused to even consider varying their menu, we never bought a single smoothie there. And they only started opening early in the morning to compete with Moxie Java; before then they weren’t opening until 11 or so (because apparently no one wants smoothies before lunch?). While they were often generous with their space in the evenings, it didn’t feel like there was a well-conceived business plan in place.
Scrapbook Chic moved out from that block of stores today. All that’s left is Jaunt and the yoga studio.
I truly hate to see anyone’s dream die. But Decatur seems to be a magnet for people who have never worked for themselves and also have no experience in retail or restaurants, yet want to open a shop or a cafe.
So while I worry about vacant spaces in the city, I worry more about (as Carl said) owners who think, If you build it, they will come. As a former business owner, I can’t understand the thinking of someone who has a full-time and then somehow operates a business in their spare time, as the CL article reported.
Maybe this should be a lesson to other relatively new and/or struggling places in the city. It’s not the economy. It’s that there is something truly ill-conceived in your plan. Either you’re not spending enough time in your place, or you haven’t really considered if people are willing to pay for what you’re offering, or you keep inconsistent hours, or, or, or….The list goes on.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for the goods and services available to me in my neighborhood. But I spend my money in places that either provide me with necessities or give me truly great service to spend money on luxuries.
Ashleigh, I also am often surprised by the lack of planning that goes into the opening of some businesses, but I don’t think Decatur is all that unique in that regard. I just think we aren’t used to seeing a running list of closing shops, like the one provided on this site.
I still believe that there is little reason for Decatur residents to panic about shop-closings. Thanks to the forethought of residents in the early 80s and the efforts of some KEY city employees that STILL guide us, Decatur is on the cutting edge when it comes to accommodating those coming back from the suburbs or other metropolitan regions (who don’t want to live in a subdivision).
Its inevitable that this city will feel the current recession just like the rest of the country, but we are much better situated than those on the urban fringe and in all the other intown areas that haven’t planned for their future.
Couldn’t have said it better myself, DM. You don’t have to go far OTP to see much larger empty spaces than those here in town.
Before the fire destryoed that building a few years ago, you had several very sucessful, thriving businesses there (Corner Pub, E2 Coffeehouse, hair studio, a cleaners, etc.).
After the building was re-built, I think the owner just wanted to get tenants there, and really didn’t do much to see whether an actual successful businesses were moving in. And I think that shows with the vacancies now.
When the economy gets better, I have no doubt that space will be filled again with thriving businesses.
While I don’t disagree with some of these posts, there are several Decatur businesses that cater to the local economy, have done tremendous research about their product and location, keep consistent hours, do not have staff, and give to the community, and STILL are struggling. I talk with these owners and I shop in these stores , because they are convenient, give excellent customer service, are neighbors, are competetive in their pricing, and they are big community contributors. I can’t imagine this town without several of these stores. If there is something you want in a shop or restaurant, do tell the owner, but realize if you are the only one asking for it, it may not be feasible to offer. I give the owners plenty of suggestions, and some are utilized, some are not, and when they aren’t I usually get a realistic explanation as to why. Yes, there are only so many coffee houses, hair places, and nail salons to go around, but there are also plenty of unique shops that offer truly wonderful items. What folks have to realize is that a vibrant downtown shopping district is key to keeping our home prices up and our community successful. I do think that often landlords and those that grant business licenses should only allow for a certain amount of a certain type of business in the area, so that everyone has a chance at survival. However, there are some businesses that simply do not have a product I desire, or I have had bad experiences in, so I do not support them.
At least Scrapbook Chic didn’t fold, so that’s a bit less concerning. They’re down the road in Avondale now.