Businesses should reengage in the lost art of being open

When watching older TV shows or movies, it’s so funny to see things like businesses open after 5 p.m. and the

benefits we used to have of 24-hour stores. I know some of those still exist in places, but they are a lot less

common after the pandemic.

     I was watching a TV show called “Peter Gunn” from the late 1950s the other day,

and they had stores open at all times of night, including pharmacies, lawyers, barbers, florists, and more! I

know some of that is a TV contrivance to make the plot move, but part of me wonders what life would be

like if we had that type of business model nowadays.

     Recently, I traveled to Philadelphia, Penn. Even though it was later in the evening, there was a very busy business

scene. While I expected to find a few things open, like restaurants and bars, there was so much more open.

     There were ice cream stores, hairdressers, retail stores (like comic books, antiques, clothing and more), drug

stores, grocery stores, mechanics, sewing classes, and so much more. The vibrancy of the city streets really made it feel like it was right out of one of the old TV shows or movies and made it so much more engaging to walk around and shop.

     This was not a one-night occasion due to a special event or something.

Most stores were open every day and generally had longer hours to accommodate all kinds of people and

work schedules. And when there were certain special events or activities, the stores were open even longer

so people could browse and enjoy.

     People will say that Philadelphia is a larger city and that it has more people, so it makes sense that it would

stay open late. In some ways, that’s totally fair. But in other ways, it’s no different than our small towns.

     Each neighborhood felt like its own city with its own culture and people impacting it. And as we traveled the

neighborhoods, everyone was welcome and everyone was involved. These stores helped encourage shopping and interaction and added to the charm of these businesses and neighborhoods.

     Like many of us, I’m sure their owners or employees had things they would rather do than work, however, they were open and creating great opportunities for residents and visitors to enjoy the neighborhoods.

     It’s not easy to change a mindset from closing at 5 p.m. and being closed on weekends to instead opening every day of the week and having extended hours. It can be hard to take that step, especially if you might be the only business willing to try it. However, I think those old TV shows and some of these larger city neighborhoods can teach us a lot about how to be successful in business and how to re-engage in the lost art of being open.

     Always remember that Jones County Economic Development is here as a resource to your business, and we always try to help our businesses and communities grow and prosper. Anytime you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out by contacting me at director@jonescountydevelopment.com.

     Derek Lumsden is the executive director of Jones County Economic Development.