Shopping Local

When we opened Luxury Bath by Mobility Remodelers, we were here in Port Huron fresh from Chicago. Granted we understood that we were in a complete different market from what we were used to, but at the same time we were not too familiar with how business was for a local small name like ourselves.

John, our Marketing Manager, was born and raised in Port Huron, so he knew a lot about the area and the best ways to reach our audience and get to the eyes with a smaller budget than our big box competitors. What John would always talk about was what Port Huron used to be like when he was younger and even when he was in his teens before moving away. He would speak with such excitement and detail about Sperry's, Arden's, the Sport Shop and Full Moon Records downtown, you could tell that it must have been some downtown shopping district. But when it came to talking about the mall and the North End where the big box stores were that excitement went away and you could just tell that the memories he has of all that aren't horrible by any means, but like in most of America it's just what happens.

In a town like Port Huron when you bring in the malls and the big box stores that have those "Low Low PRICES!!!" that you have plastered all over your TV, you are driven to leave behind the department store that Mr. Wilson down the road has owned since you were a baby and you bought all of your school clothes there growing up along with your children's as well. I have done the same things, we go where we see them saying they can go lower than any other store and we really do like the products and at the price, we start shopping there but swear we'll be back at Mr. Wilson's shop next month. But next month turns into the next month and so on. Then we are at the new restaurant up on the north End having breakfast and read in the paper "Mr. Wilson's department stores going out of business sale. Everything MUST go!!!" and we think fondly of the memories, turn the page and grab the ad in the paper to see what is on sale at our new favorite department store.

But here in Port Huron, there's something stirring up downtown and in our community. You can feel it in the air, see it when walking down the street and see it in the eyes of the people on a daily basis. Things are starting to pick up downtown and it's not just new businesses all at once. One after another they are opening and staying open. They are filled with people on a regular basis and you are hearing about others experiences there and those experiences are what drive us to keep going back. With this happening it is a good sign for most of the businesses, even us. What it means is that people are realizing and seeing the difference in shopping from those big box stores and shopping from a store that Joey, that you watched grow up from down the street, just opened. It's the personal relationship. That's what drives us to choose the local stores overt the large retail. Yes, price, is a factor too but if you can be more of a dollar sign and know that you are more than just another number, a little more in price isn't the end of the world.

That, is what drives us here at Luxury Bath by Mobility Remodelers. We like to have a relationship with our customers that goes on after the last thing is packed back into our installers trailer and you are about to enjoy your new bath. Believe me that it happens more often than not. We have customers/friends, that after we installed their new bathroom have invited us to cook outs, events and even will just stop by to visit and talk about life or see what's going on. The connection that we can have with our customers is one that you don't and won't get at one of the big box stores. It is all because we care.

When it is all said and done, yes we are a business, but we are also people. People that care. People that are concerned about your happiness and people that want to let you know that you are more to us than just another dollar sign. You are one of the main supports in keeping our community afloat by shopping local.