Well wishes to The Superior Shave

I punched up my usual bookmark for The Superior Shave for some window shopping and got an invalid message.

With a little different search approach I got to the website. There was a notification under the "retail store" selection about closure of the store front. I expected this based on a conversation not too long ago, but was not sure when.

Sadly, this is the the 3rd business (that I know of) supporting our hobby to scale back or disappear in recent years.

I believe Jarrod's intent is to continue in the online business.

While some may not be fond of the direct approach style of the owner, I have found him to be a fine & dependable vendor to deal with.

It was here that I first saw a recommendation for TSS and many have have acquired some of the unique and quality products he has provided.

I sincerely wish Jarrod @thesuperiorshave well in this transition and thank him for his past support. I hope others do the same.

 

Indeed, been to Jacksonville and they have (had?) a nice store. Nice people too. I also wish them well

 

Brick and Mortar stores are falling by the wayside. People don't want to drive all over the place, when a 5 minute search on the internet can save.you an entire day of driving around. Sometimes the.internet is the .only way.to find.unique, and niche items, like straight razors. Evolve, or perish.

 

Ditto Scott, the brilliance of the Amazon model is that you can order stuff that you don’t need in less than 2 days, and if there’s a problem, one click sends it back. That last part, after the sale support, is a struggle with some vendors.

 

I purchased 2 razors, a brush and a strop from Jarrod. I hope he keeps his online store. My shopping experiences with him were very positive.

 

Brilliance or immoral arrogance can sometimes be determined by how far one is willing to go to always be on top.

Not an Amazon fan here.

Nothing new or brilliant really. I worked for a company that had salesmen who would have their customers send stuff back for any reason all the time.

And, at one time, I also worked for a VERY wealthy man who used Sears like a tool crib. Their "unconditional money back guarantee" was always in his favor. He used to joke, "why would you rent anything that you can just take back after you buy it new and use it free".

 

Agree Bill. There’s all kinds in this world.

 

Politics not withstanding. I use Amazon to find items I would have difficulty finding in the real world. Both Amazon and EBay, and Etsy(minor role), have allowed me to shop the world, without wasting my time, and gas. They also make shopping more pleasant. No more traffic jams, parking problems, crowds, or gang banging ghetto rats to deal with, at the Malls. I can shop, for 10 minutes, online, then spend the rest of the weekend, with friends and family.

Now, for people who purchase items, use them, and return them for a refumd, to scam the system?? Well, i look at it as another form of theft. My ex-inlaws(of 17 years), use to do this, all the time, especially with designer clothing and shoes. Scummy, very scummy. When they did this, I would give my opinion. When they would get upset at my opinion, I told them to either stop, or don't brag about it. Easy as that.

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i am a big fan of online shopping..there is little selection of cool shaving goodies in this area,.the only part i don't like is waiting for days or dealing with our crap postal system..but i deal with it and have had great results..and yes,found things for my razor collection i could only dream of owning ..

 

FWIW I purchase stuff online all the time too. Most modern day businesses conduct online sales direct.

Amazon is a vicious predator who uses many of these businesses because they are small.

Can't remember the last time I used Amazon. $100 per year? Not from me!

 

Jarod is a stand up guy, and every straight that left his store was scalpel sharp. With our last conversation; I’m firmly a believer that the wet shaving trend is cooling down. Case in point:
I just bought an unused, in the box, TI Taos for $40. I believe that a deal like this would be nonexistent a couple years ago.

 

I don't think Jarrod's business problems are because of Amazon. I've read his posts.

Since starting traditional shaving amassing a collection of DE, SE, and SR razor types, I've gotten most everything from eBay. I see eBay as a huge yard sale/antique/junk store.

 

Amazon is a huge problem for those that compete via B&M storefronts.

 

There was someone publicly complaining that an online retailer shorted him 5 DE blades. I said if you want these small specialty businesses to persist, handle you complaints with them directly and privately.

 

Automobiles were a disaster for saddle makers.

 

And Gillette for J.R. Torrey.....

 

This is an interesting thought, and one that you hear a lot - and it’s true, but retail disruption is the norm, not the exception.

Case in point, I recently had a friend’s father’s and grandfather’s razors restored and honed them up, one was a Coudert, Gallerie Vero-Dodat Paris. Gie Vero-Dodat was actually just a regular Parisian street, but in the late 1800s they covered the space above the road and created one of the first malls. It became a trendy place to visit and be seen, and is credited as one of the first malls, and disrupted other Parisian businesses. Same for the large department stores like Printemps and also department stores here in the US.

You might say the same of the early Sears and Roebuck and Montgomery Ward catalogs in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the US. You could order anything and have it delivered, and it was very popular in the more remote areas where local merchants didn’t have much selection. Sears and Roebuck and Mongomery Ward were the Amazons of their era.

Time waits for no man it is said, and at some point, Amazon too will either fail or change.

 

Another point I would like to make is that I am 70 years old, retired and don’t enjoy driving around as much as I used to. We are moving to the country in the next few months and large malls will be at least 45 minutes away and there are many “boomers” in the same situation. Amazon and eBay are the best things that have happened to this generation regarding shopping. Brick and mortar specialty shops are, for the most part urban. I spent my career in urban areas and am really tired of all the hassle. I simply want a peaceful life with as few complications as possible and still be able to shop the world over.

 

Amen @Steveclarkus

 

I was telling Steve that I went into the local Office Depot and they had no fountain pen ink. Why would I want to drive to another store or another Office Depot. Why would I ask them to order some when I can order from Amazon and have it in two days?

I see SR shaving and fountain pen use as a niche market. Amazon and eBay specializing in what most folks have no interest.