BLOG.THESPLITRAIL.COM

What 2009 Brings

2008-12-26T01:34:00Z

As we enter 2009 all news on the business front is alarming. Recession, business failures, home foreclosures, bailouts and billion dollar Ponzi schemes. Looking back, were we blind when we built The Split Rail Country Market on a bare piece of land in mid-Missouri? What were we thinking and why did we do it? So many people come into the store and quietly and almost apologetically ask, "Are you guys doing OK?"

To answer the "OK" question, we're doing fine - and so are you. I personally believe a lot of the doom-and-gloom mentality and attitude is media driven. Sure we've seen a slight downturn in sales recently, but it's more a function of the weather in the mid west than the economy. Don't fall for the media-driven recession and keep moving forward. People have always lost jobs, homes, money in the markets and entire businesses. Banks have failed. Car companies have folded. At the same time, people have flourished in all sorts of economic conditions and we are doing our best to stay positive and keep our doors open.

One thing we do a little differently, than say a large corporation like General Motors, is listen to our customers. We gauge what we carry based primarily on your input and needs. Sale totals are your input to how we are doing. If we're providing you with the products and services you demand we are all better off. We are small enough to value current data and not have to wait on last quarters figures. We are small and hungry enough to change on a moments notice if we're not meeting your demands. I often joke about tomorrow we could be a restaurant or a car lot - we can do whatever we set our minds to and so can you.

As we enter 2009 expect to see some additional bulk food selections. Soups are "hot" right now. So are pancake mixes and baking items. As always, Jake & Amos seem to be our best friends and we will be adding more of their line in the near future. If you haven't visited our on-line store, feel free to check out our first attempt at http://www.shop.thesplitrail.com/. We're even shipping Burgers' Smokehouse hams around the country!

So, 2009 brings what we want and what we make of it. Sure, times may be a little tighter, but that just means we have to work a little harder to serve you and yours. Let's all keep a positive attitude, work our way out of any messes we may be in and be thankful for what we do have.

Drop in or drop us a line and let us know what we can carry just for you. Also, don't forget you can subscribe to this blog and read what's new as soon as it's posted.

Wishing you a safe and successful 2009,

Bill & Dorothy
http://www.thesplitrail.com/
info@thesplitrail.com

My First Dollar

2008-12-09T03:53:00Z

Just the other day I framed the first dollar we made at The Split Rail Country Market. Maybe framing isn't the right word, more like laminated it with an ad we ran in the Morgan County Press announcing the grand opening. Before I laminated the dollar and ad, I wrote, "Wally K" under it since I didn't know how to spell Wally's last name. He always told me it was Polish and too long for me to know, spell or even pronounce.

I know now since Wally was in a car accident last week and I saw his name in the paper.

I also know what that first dollar means to me since I just got a call saying Wally died tonight from injuries brought on by the accident.

Thank you for that dollar Walter, you'll be missed.

Winter Months: The Split Rail Country Market

2008-11-27T13:59:00Z

Well, we made it a whole five months in a recession and so far, we can report pretty good traffic and retail figures. We have you, our customers, to thank and hope you'll keep coming back as we build this next chapter in our lives.

We need something from you though. What kind of product line or lines would you like to see us add? We may drop our birding and gardening sections since they were fairly slow, although we did not truly market them to potential. We need to hear from you what we can add to make your trips to the store and lake of the ozarks region in Missouri more enjoyable.

Thank you for a wonderful summer and let's get planning for a strong and early spring. We look forward to hearing from you and thank you for being a member of our team!

Bill and Dorothy
Stover, MO

Welcome

2008-11-26T07:59:00Z

Welcome to The Split Rail Country Market's blog. Please check back often for new entries and feel free to use this forum to request new products and services. We're hear to listen - we need and look forward to your feedback.

The Split Rail Country Market
996 Highway 52
Stover, MO 65078

573-377-2190
info@TheSplitRail.com