06-28-2015, 05:18 AM
I beg to differ, what I see is consolidation ...where we once had many mom and pops, we now have consolidators. I love fastenal for bolts and hardware ...they have 2700 locations .... thats 2700 mom and pop bolt and hardware stores gone in my mind. (Fastenal generates $283,000.00 of sales per employee according to their investor reports)
I bought shoes at payless last week ....another chain that displaced many mom and pop shoe stores.
what we a seeing is a lack of diversity and choice.
Hawaii is a resort center, as we all know prices always higher in resort towns - some call it a paradise tax ......
as to sales tax, g.e.t taxes ...wait till they introduce VAT - value added tax ... 17% when an item changes hands in the EU (ie wholesaler to retailer) ....Mexico adds it to labor as well - aint seen nothing yet imho...it just becomes funny money ...as it becomes incorporated in prices and the subsequent increase wages to compensate.
Hawaii is a state of mind geared to retirees with assets and tourists - not capitalists imho....
How to cope? I try to do the bulk of what I do "offshore" to earn what I need to live here ....overall I require less income here than I did "there" ...for example I drive 75% less, I do more in house, real estate and taxes on the BI dirt cheap...no mortons steak house once a week, no heating or a/c cost, no (or very small) water bills ..... list goes on
I knew a Pan Am clipper navigator who summed it up ...he had been flying the sfo - ogg route since the 30's "Hawaii is not for business, its for living life to its fullest" I agree
I bought shoes at payless last week ....another chain that displaced many mom and pop shoe stores.
what we a seeing is a lack of diversity and choice.
Hawaii is a resort center, as we all know prices always higher in resort towns - some call it a paradise tax ......
as to sales tax, g.e.t taxes ...wait till they introduce VAT - value added tax ... 17% when an item changes hands in the EU (ie wholesaler to retailer) ....Mexico adds it to labor as well - aint seen nothing yet imho...it just becomes funny money ...as it becomes incorporated in prices and the subsequent increase wages to compensate.
Hawaii is a state of mind geared to retirees with assets and tourists - not capitalists imho....
How to cope? I try to do the bulk of what I do "offshore" to earn what I need to live here ....overall I require less income here than I did "there" ...for example I drive 75% less, I do more in house, real estate and taxes on the BI dirt cheap...no mortons steak house once a week, no heating or a/c cost, no (or very small) water bills ..... list goes on
I knew a Pan Am clipper navigator who summed it up ...he had been flying the sfo - ogg route since the 30's "Hawaii is not for business, its for living life to its fullest" I agree