Desiree's Desires, Inc.Family businesses competing with big corps. 
Our small family business has been up and running for almost 5 years out our wonderful Upton location. In that time, we have traveled through the town of Hopkinton five days a week to get to and from work. When you get to the center of Hopkinton at the intersection of routes 85 and 135 (start of the Boston Marathon) you see the downtown anchors of the town. Hopkinton Drug on the left and Colella’s Supermarket on the right. I’m not from Hopkinton, but I do believe in community and more importantly community economic development through small family businesses. This is why I urge all of our customers to support local small family businesses. Please support the historical character of our downtown areas where local family businesses have been existing and thriving for years. They have built the heart and souls of our charming New England towns. Please don’t let big corporations take over our neighborhoods pushing out the little guys. Here are some details about the Hopkinton situation and how this relates even to our business.
CVS in Hopkinton
Just months ago, the three sisters who own Colella’s Supermarket sold their existing building after 70 years of family ownership. They have every right to do what they want with their property. No question about that. They received $3.3 million for the corner lot that everyone driving through downtown sees immediately. Cross Point Associates bought the parcel. They have secured and/or plan to lease the existing building to CVS Health and a liquor store. That doesn’t seem right in and of itself!! Pretty funny CVS stops selling cigarettes and is promoting a healthy image, but is okay with sharing a building with a liquor store. Seems there is something else to this whole thing, doesn’t it?
This is an issue for residents and neighbors because this new CVS will be directly located across the street from a small family business owned by pharmacist Dennis Katz. Hopkinton Drug has been in business since 1954 by the same family. CVS is ruthless. They have been trying to buy Hopkinton Drug for years and now secured what I would guess was an underhanded deal with Cross Point to directly compete with a small local family business. It’s corporate greed at its finest. I’m supporting my pharmacist, his business, and the concept that local is better. Communities need local small businesses to thrive. Local economic development is reliant on local business. We must unite. If you would like more information on No CVS in Hopkinton, please visit their community Facebook Page.
How this situation correlates to our adult family owned business
In our industry we have met plenty of the players at trade shows and warehouse shows. It’s amazing how many small family businesses are involved in adult film sites, sex toy brick and mortars, and national distribution. Talk about an industry that has developed because of small family business owners! Typically brick and mortar sex toy stores are family owned. While some stores have multiple locations, they are not chains. Additionally, sites and distribution warehouses are also owned by individuals and/or their families over the course of decades.
What small family business sex toy store owners are competing with are the online stores, who are all big corporation and/or affiliate programs. They provide no connection to a physical local community and often times are fly by night. Many are even international from China and other countries. You truly never know where your sex toys are coming from when you buy online. Sometimes high-end sex toys are even pirated as knock-offs like Coach pocketbooks. While they may have ridiculously low prices, you truly get what you are paying for in the adult sex toy market. Consider staying local and supporting your local brick and mortar stores/boutiques. You’ll get customer service, sex education, and authentic products. Our small family business depends on your support!
How do you fee about local small business?