Feb. 2, 2004 - BANGOR, ME. -- Snow & Nealley has announced
that they have ceased the production of their garden tool line
to concentrate on the axe business.
Mike at Victory Seeds Note (soapbox): It really
saddened me to hear this news. As a gardener and someone
who loves high quality, I really hate to hear of yet another
casualty to our "global economy". (Have you seen our current
trade deficit? As a nation our number one export is money)
America as a society has come to accept poor quality as the
standard -- as long as the item is inexpensive. Most
people are so short-term oriented it seems, that products which
are designed and made to last a lifetime are a foreign concept.
Instead, the prevailing attitude is that if it breaks we'll throw
it away and buy a new one.
The loss of the Snow & Nealley garden tool line is a real
world example or casualty of our "cost savings", superstore
mentality. It is a shame. But as a business person,
I completely understand the decision of Snow & Nealley. It
is necessary. They cannot compete against garden tools,
albeit trash, that hits the American wholesale market at a price
that approaches free.
There is a lot of labor that goes into shaping, sanding,
engraving, finishing hardwood handles and then fixing a hand
forged piece of carbon steel to them. Unfortunately, it is no
longer feasible to do so in America in competition with labor
forces in other parts of the world who literally work for
nothing.
So as our society becomes more and more dependant on cheaper
and cheaper checkout stand prices, and manufacturing,
agriculture, and now high-tech jobs disappear overseas, remember
how this happened.
Next time you are shopping in the warehouse superstore owned
by some faceless corporation, driven by one purpose, providing
you mediocre service and selling you junk you really don't need,
reminisce about the good old days when you shopped in a store
downtown, where they knew you and were part of your community,
and sold you things you still use today. (folks call those
quality items "antiques" or "heirlooms")
Security
