主题：世道不好啊... -- 煮酒正熟

昨天收到一个我们常去光顾的家俱店发来的信，说他们决定关张了，但为了感谢老主顾们的关照，会在公布这个消息之前，为老主顾们弄一个为期三天的清仓甩卖，现已停止营业，员工正在整理店面和商品，mark down prices...

原文照抄几句他们的信文吧：

Dear Customer and Special Guest:

For over 68 years, Kxxxxx Furniture has been serving Berlin and surrounding areas with fine quality home furnishings and impeccable service. It is with no small amount of soul searching that we announce the CLOSING OF OUR STORE, as I have decided to retire from the retail furniture business to concentrate on other interests.

On behalf of our staff, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your loyal support and patronage by having THREE PRIVATE COURTESY SALE DAYS before announcing our closing to the general public. WE PROMISE YOU THE BIGGEST FURNITURE INVENTORY BLOW-OUT EVER HELD IN OUR 68 YEAR HISTORY!

看了以后心里挺不是滋味儿。这家店我们一直挺喜欢。店面开在一个离我们10迈左右、有点破落贵族味道的白人老区，店老板是个老中。跟老板礼貌性地聊过两句，他一直用英文，所以聊得也不深。我猜这家店68年来就没动过地方儿，所在的小 town 衰落了，地价也没怎么太长，店租可能比较低廉，而且一直是靠老主顾撑着，所以业主也就没什么动力迁店。

这家店在 04年我们刚去的时候，还是 PH 的代理 (PH = Pennsylvania House，一家美国中高档古典风格的家俱厂商)。PH 比较白 --- 我指的是文化上。据说 PH 曾在它能控制的店面打过一段标牌：We proudly announce that all our home furnishings are made in U.S.A. 作为对众多从中国拿货的竞争对手的无声的道义谴责。可惜，商业社会的现实与残酷，是不会太理会文化和道德上的自命清高的。PH 无可挽回地

没落了。与 PH 价位同档但格调低俗的 Thomasville 且抖了几年，比PH高的 Ethan Allen 在 sub-prime 之前也是蒸蒸日上，就是因为它们没有那块文化道德标牌...

扯远了，拽回来，还是说那家小店吧... 不过要过会儿再叙啦