All Gravenhurst Businesses Deserve Credit

RE-VITALIZING AND RE-BRANDING OUR TOWN? THE MARX BROTHERS HAT GAG……COME ON LOOK IT UP!

THE ART OF "THE OPINION"

     I HAVE READ IN THE LOCAL PRESS, OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS, HOW LOCAL ARTISTS HAVE COME TO OUR SOCIAL, CULTURAL, AND ECONOMIC RESCUE HERE IN GRAVENHURST.  THANK GOD. I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO SPIRAL HELPLESSLY DOWN THE PROVERBIAL DRAIN; BUT HERE NOW IS OUR GREAT NEW HOPE FOR LONG TERM PROSPERITY. THANK YOU ARTISTS…..FOR GIVING US A REASON TO GO ON. I CAN'T WAIT FOR ALL THE PROSPERITY TO PULL ALL US POOR BASTARDS FREE OF THE QUAGMIRE OF OUR OWN BUSINESS IGNORANCE.

     APPARENTLY, THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY A FOUR SEASON TOURIST DESTINATION. WELL I'LL BE DARNED. INSTEAD OF THE OLD DAYS, WHEN YOU COULD HEAR THE BUGLE SOUND, AS THE CAVALRY CAME THUNDERING OVER THE HILLSIDE, TO SAVE THE DAY, NOW ITS A BAND OF REGIONAL ARTISTS, WITH AN ARRAY OF ART SUPPLIES, WHO ARE GOING TO SAVE THE LOCAL ECONOMY, FROM THE AIMLESS DRIFT OF NORMAL, DAY TO DAY BUSINESS LETHARGY. IF WE'D KNOWN THIS WAS ALL WE HAD TO DO TO TURN THINGS AROUND IN MUSKOKA, BY GOLLY, WE'D HAVE SAVED ABOUT A BILLION BUCKS OF TAXPAYER MONEY, ON A SUCCESSION OF SILLY-ASS STUDIES, AND VOTED FOR ART GALLERIES TO BE ESTABLISHED, AT ONCE, ON EVERY CORNER, BACK AS FAR AS TWENTY YEARS AGO.  AS FOR EDITORIALISTS WHO BELIEVE THIS, WELL, THAT'S THE WHOLE ENTRAPMENT OF FEATURE STORIES, AND THE OPINIONS GENERATED FROM WHAT CAN ONLY BE CONSIDERED BLATANT PROPAGANDA, FOR SELF SERVING INTERESTS. ARTISTS ARE DECENT HARD WORKING FOLKS, BUT SO ARE WE; WE JUST DON'T GET THE REPORTER IN OUR NECK OF THE WOODS, ASKING US QUESTIONS LIKE, "SO, HOW'S BUSINESS?" "WHAT ARE YOUR OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE LOCAL ECONOMY?" "WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE CHANGED ABOUT THE TOWN, TO IMPROVE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES……AND CREATE A BETTER INVESTMENT CLIMATE?" "DO YOU FIND IT PROFITABLE TO OPERATE A BUSINESS ON THE MAIN STREET OF GRAVENHURST?" "ARE YOU IN THE HABIT OF LOSING MONEY FOR THE HELL OF IT?"

      FIRST OF ALL, IT'S ALWAYS SO JOYFULLY NICE WHEN A NEW BUSINESS LOCATES ON THE MAIN STREET. AS FOR A NEW ART GALLERY, OPERATED FOR, AND BY THE ARTISTS…..THAT'S OUTSTANDING. OF COURSE IT IS A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE, IN OUR MAIN STREET BUSINESS COMMUNITY, HERE IN WHAT IS CONTINUALLY, AND UNFORTUNATELY REFERRED TO, AS "GRAVENHURST HAS HAD A DIFFICULT TIME RECENTLY." (ALMOST AS IF IT SHOULD BE THE NEWLY ADOPTED NAME OF THE TOWN.) AND YES, NEW INVESTMENT WILL SHOW OTHER POTENTIAL INVESTORS, WE'RE PUSHING AHEAD WITH OUR IDEAS AND AMBITIONS, THE RISK BE DAMNED!

     BUT FOLKS, THE GALLERY, LIKE OTHER ENTERPRISES THAT HAVE OPENED RECENTLY, IS A BUSINESS JUST LIKE OURS, AND ALL THE OTHERS AFTER ALL, AND NO MORE SPECIAL, OR PRECIOUS TO THE COMMUNITY, IN MY OPINION, THAN EVERYONE WHO OPERATES BUSINESS OR INDUSTRY, ALL HOURS OF THE DAY, AND NIGHT, TO PLEASE CUSTOMERS……..ALL SEASON PATRONS, AND SUMMER SEASON CLIENTELE AT THE SAME TIME. FOR A WEE PROFIT TO KEEP OUR DOORS OPEN! MOST OF US ARE QUITE CONTENTED TO MAKE ENDS MEET, AND PROGRESS A LITTLE BIT EACH YEAR. WE PAY OUR TAXES, STAFF, ALL THE COSTS OF DOING BUSINESS, AND GO HOME TO MENTALLY PREPARE FOR THE NEXT CHALLENGE, OF THIS EVER-THINKING, EVER-ADAPTING RITUAL OF RUNNING A BUSINESS.

   WHETHER THE ARTISTS VOLUNTEER TO MAN THEIR GALLERY, THE FACT IS, THE NEW GALLERY ON MUSKOKA ROAD IS A FOR-PROFIT OPERATION……JUST LIKE THE REST OF US HARD WORKING FOLK, WHO TRY DESPERATELY TO EKE OUT A LIVING, AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE QUALITIES OF OUR TOWN……ESPECIALLY THE DONATIONS WE'RE ALL ASKED TO MAKE, AS BUSINESS OWNERS, TO HELP A MYRIAD OF CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS FACING THEIR OWN CHALLENGES. WHENEVER I READ THESE FEATURE ARTICLES, ON THE FRONT PAGE WHERE NEWS USED TO BE, I GET A REAL LAUGH AT HOW MANY TIMES THERE'S A COMMERCIAL SIDE THAT COMES PUMMELING THROUGH THE INK. IT'S NOTHING MORE THAN A BUSINESS FEATURE THAT, IN MY EXPERIENCE AS A FORMER LONG-SERVING EDITOR, SHOULD BE BURIED INSIDE THE NEWSPAPER. THE FACT THAT THIS IS SUCH A BOOMING GOOD NEWS STORY, OBVIOUSLY DESERVED ABOVE THE FOLD TREATMENT; WHILE OTHER PROFOUNDLY IMPORTANT NEWS STORIES ARE IGNORED. IF THE OPENING OF AN ART CO-OP ART GALLERY ON THE MAIN STREET, TRUMPS REAL NEWS……LIKE WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING AT TOWN HALL, WELL SIR, WE HAVE BECOME THE VICTIMS OF OUR OWN COMPLACENCY TO BELIEVE WHAT WE ARE BEING FED.

    I COULD POKE HOLES IN THE SUBJECT STORY AND EDITORIAL, OVER ANOTHER TEN OR SO PARAGRAPHS. BUT AS SOME OF OUR BUSINESS COLLEAGUES WOULD SAY, WHAT'S THE POINT? THEY CAN BELIEVE WHAT THEY WANT TO BELIEVE. WE'LL JUST STICK TO OUR OWN MANTRA, AND MUDDLE-ON MAKING MONEY. I'VE OFTEN FELT A LITTLE BAD ABOUT DOING SO WELL, WHEN THE TALKING HEADS HAVE JUST CAST A PALL OVER ANY GOOD ECONOMY WE MIGHT HAVE HAD…..WHEN THEY RESORT TO THE PRESS, TO CARRY THEIR MESSAGE. NOT OURS. THEIR'S! THE FOUR HORSEMAN OF THE APPOCOLYPSE HAVE RIDDEN THROUGH OUR TOWN SO MANY TIMES, ACCORDING TO CRITICS AND DOOMSAYERS COMBINED,THEY SHOULD NAME A ROAD AFTER THEM. I REMEMBER OFFERING AN EDITOR OF THIS SAME PUBLICATION, SOME YEARS BACK, A NO-HOLDS BARRED INTERVIEW, IN THE BOSUM OF OUR FAMILY'S MAIN STREET BUSINESS. IT WAS AT A TIME WHEN ALL THE "CHICKEN LITTLES" OUT THERE, WERE PREDICTING THE IMMINENT DEMISE OF GRAVENHURST'S MAIN STREET. IT WAS GOING TO BE GONE. DONE. FINISHED. THE MAIN STREET ROLLED UP, AND PUT INTO STORAGE DOWN IN KILWORTHY, OR OVER IN BARKWAY, UNTIL SOME DAY WHEN NEW BLOOD WAS TO COME ALONG, AND SAVE THE DAY……RE-WRITING THE HISTORY OF ONCE.

     HERE'S THE CRAZY POOP ABOUT THIS. A GALLERY START-UP, APPARENTLY THE NEW TOURIST DESTINATION IN TOWN, GETS A FRONT PAGE STORY BECAUSE OF ITS RELEVANCE TO REVITALIZATION EFFORTS IN THIS PART OF TOWN. MEANWHILE, AND THIS IS FUNNY, OUR BOYS ARE INTO THEIR NINTH YEAR OPERATING ON THE MAIN STREET, IN THIS SAME TOWN, AND HAVE BUILT UP A REGIONAL ENTERPRISE, AND YES, WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY OUR OUT-OF-TOWN CUSTOMERS, THAT WE MOST DEFINITELY OPERATE A DESTINATION BUSINESS……AND YET, WE COULDN'T INSPIRE A REPORTER FROM THE LOCAL MEDIA TO SPEND ONE MINUTE IN THE SHOP, TO DISCUSS OUR TAKE ON THE POSITIVES OF MAIN STREET COMMERCE. THERE WERE MANY INVITATIONS MADE TO THE MEDIA, TO GET A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON THE STORY. THE BOYS WERE MAKING MONEY, EXPANDING THEIR BUSINESS, AND DIVERSIFYING THEIR INVENTORY TO MEET NEW DEMANDS. WITH OUR HELP, WE EXPANDED THE STORE WITH AN ANTIQUE COMPONENT, AND A FIRST FOR GRAVENHURST……A COOKERY HERITAGE RESOURCE OPERATION NOW UP AND RUNNING, AS OF THIS PAST WEEKEND. NOW IT'S STARTING TO READ LIKE A BUSINESS PROMOTION, AND IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE. THAT WOULD MAKE ME A BARE-FACED HYPOCRITE, AND I'M A LOT OF THINGS TO A LOT OF PEOPLE, BUT NOT HYPOCRITICAL. I'M JUST PROUD OF OUR TOWN, AND WE LIKE TO THINK WE'VE MADE A CONTRIBUTION TO MAIN STREET COMMERCE. NOW WE KNOW, WE SHOULD HAVE JUST OPENED AN ART GALLERY INSTEAD.

     WE WORK SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. EVEN THOUGH WE HAVEN'T BEEN OPEN EACH DAY, EVEN OUR SUNDAYS ARE SPENT ANTIQUE AND OLD INSTRUMENT HUNTING AROUND ONTARIO. YOU HAVE READ ABOUT THESE HUNT AND GATHER ADVENTURES. WE ARE OUT ON SATURDAY MORNINGS, THESE DAYS, AT DAYBREAK, HEADING DOWN THE ROAD TO ALL THE GARAGE, YARD AND FUNDRAISING SALES AROUND THE REGION. WHEN WE'VE DRAINED OUR TIME AND RESOURCES, AND FEEL WE HAVE MADE THE MOST OF THE OCCASION, WE GRAB A COFFEE, AND HEAD INTO THE SHOP TO PREPARE FOR THE DAY'S OPENING. WE ARE HAPPY TO GREET OUR CUSTOMERS, AND MEET THEIR PARTICULAR NEEDS. JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER SHOP KEEPERS IN THIS TOWN, WHO DON'T GET A LICK OF MEDIA ATTENTION, FOR SERVING BOTH SEASONAL AND PERMANENT CUSTOMERS, DAY IN, DAY OUT, AS A MATTER OF BUSINESS NECESSITY. WHERE IS THEIR STORY? DO YOU THINK THEY WOULD GET FRONT PAGE ATTENTION ABOVE THE FOLD, AND A PHOTOGRAPH AS WELL? NO, IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN THAT WAY, AND MOST OF US, FRANKLY, DON'T CARE; AND WE JUST FOLLOW THE SENSIBLE BUSINESS PROTOCOLS THAT HAVE WORKED FOR US, FOR LONG AND LONG. OCCASIONALLY, IT HURTS US, TO READ BETWEEN THE LINES OF THESE FEATURE STORIES, AND NARROW FOCUS EDITORIALS, BECAUSE IT MAKES US FEEL IRRELEVANT; AND THAT WE ARE, IN OUR SILLY BUSINESS EXISTENCES, JUST TAKING UP VALUABLE REAL ESTATE, WHEN AN ART GALLERY COULD TAKE OUR PLACE IN A HEART BEAT, AND MAKE GRAVENHURST A WORLD ARTS' DESTINATION…….AS SOME CLAIM IT COULD BE ONE DAY.

     SINCE THE LATE 1850'S, GRAVENHURST HAS BEEN A COMMUNITY OF HARD WORKING, NEVER-SAY-NEVER, STALWART CITIZENS, WHO FOR MOST OF ITS HISTORY, DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ONCE, ABOUT A MARKET SAVVY TOWN IDENTITY, TO FASHION AS AN UMBRELLA, OVER WHAT THEIR HOMETOWN ACTUALLY MEANT TO THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES…..OR THE TISSUE-THIN ISSUES, ABOUT WHAT THE POLITICAL KNOBS LIKE TO DITHER ABOUT, IN THE BUSY-WORK OF "RE-BRANDING." APPARENTLY WE MIGHT ONE DAY BECOME A "BOOK" COMMUNITY, WHICH IS STRANGE AT THIS TIME IN WORLD HISTORY, WHEN ACTUAL PAPER BOOKS ARE IN A SPIRALING DECLINE. BRACEBRIDGE WENT THROUGH THIS A FEW YEARS AGO, AND INSTEAD OF TAKING THE GOOD GRACES OF WASHINGTON IRVING'S MASS OF LITERARY ACCOMPLISHMENTS, LIKE "THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW," OF WHICH, BY THE WAY THEY ARE ENTITLED, (THE TOWN WAS NAMED AFTER IRVING'S BOOK, "BRACEBRIDGE HALL") THEY DECIDED ON BEING A "LEARNING COMMUNITY," OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THEN THE "SANTA CLAUS" PEOPLE WENT NUTS ON TOWN COUNCIL, DEMANDING THAT IF THERE WAS ANY BRANDING AT ALL, IT SHOULD BE IN HONOR OF SANTA'S VILLAGE, WHICH HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE THE 1950'S. AS A BRACEBRIDGE HISTORIAN……THERE WASN'T A NEED TO BRAND-OVER WHAT HAD BEEN A WONDERFULLY EXCITING AND CULTURED HISTORY ON ITS OWN……WITHOUT A SINGLE BELL OR SHINY WHISTLE ATTACHED. MY FEELING IS THE SAME FOR GRAVENHURST. IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE BRANDED AT ALL, OTHER THAN TO HAVE ITS HERITAGE TAKEN OUT OF THE ARCHIVES NOW AND AGAIN AND CELEBRATED.

     THE REVITALIZATION AND RE-BRANDING OF OUR TOWN, IS SO MUCH LIKE THE MARX BROTHER "HAT GAG," THAT I CAN THINK OF NO BETTER WAY TO DESCRIBE MY FEELINGS ABOUT IT ALL, THAN TO SUGGEST YOU WATCH THE VIDEO ON-LINE, INSTEAD…….OF READING ANY MORE OF THIS.

     THANKS FOR JOINING ME TODAY. AS USUAL, IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE. I ENJOY YOUR COMPANY. TO SEE THE VIDEO CLIP CALLED "LEMONADE VENDOR" FROM THE MOVIE "DUCK SOUP" PLEASE CLICK HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9OUIk4Oaq4