Derring Dude

The following rant is brought to you (unwittingly) by today’s visit from Leigh Nelson of Wessco Blinds. This is at least the third house for which I’ve had Leigh do window coverings. I really enjoy seeing and talking to her — and consequently doing business with her.

I’m just not sure a lot of people who venture into retail understand that the essence of maintaining business is building relationships with customers. There is a store that I love in Seattle (my hometown) which I sought to add to what hopefully is an esteemed list here at Derring Dude. The guys who work there are great, the concept is tremendous, but, yes, there is a “but.” It seems this place has a publicist. And, though nice enough in an email, the publicist sent me a release, said I couldn’t take photos and offered me a Flickr stream.

Yeah, really personable, this place.

Meanwhile, I’ve spoken with Steven Taffel of Leffot on the phone at least a couple times and swapped numerous emails. I probably won’t buy a pair of shoes from anyone else (or if I did, I’d feel like I was cheating on him). Except for sneakers, that is, which I hope he never starts carrying because it just would not be Leffot. Similarly, I communicate regularly with Kelly Muccio of Lost Boys. She sold out of my size in a shoe and when I asked her about special ordering them, she told me how to get them more quickly elsewhere (What? Macy’s sending customers to Gimbels? Unheard of! (from “It’s a Wonderful Life,” by the way, and it sure is)). I will never cheat on Kelly.

People like Steven and Kelly, and the owners of the other “Cool Joints” to which I will get to in time, are the reason I do this blog. So when someone Googles, “men’s shoes New York,” or “cool menswear D.C.,” Leffot and Lost Boys pops up. Then every time I visit New York or Washington, those two always are there. And we’ll both be happy for it.

Listen, who feels sad for the brick and mortar, or the bytes and HTML, anytime a business fails? It’s the people you feel for, the owners to whom you are connected. This place in Seattle is young and hip, and I guess the ownership may reflect the standoffishness and arrogance that I often feel from today’s up-and-comers. If that’s the way the world is going, I’m going to stay behind with the old reliables and we’ll shoot the shit until the new wave of business owners and monolithic, same-everywhere mall caves eventually crash and burn.

One of those I’ll enjoying chatting with is Leigh Nelson (not related, but wouldn’t mind if we were). I’ve never sought a quote elsewhere or otherwise comparison shopped. And it feels good to feel like I don’t need to, that I’ll be taken care of by someone knowledgeable, trustworthy and, most of all, engaging. I’m what you call a “customer for life,” and it used to be those were what business owners went to war for.