History can humble you.
David Skelley's new 25 year retrospective book reminded me that I don’t know sh*t. And that made me smile. I’ve only been here for 8 years. David has been kicking ass for 25! Flipping through the pages of San Diego retail history was nothing short of inspiring. I work with retailers every day. The independent retail formula is easy to identify when it works, but extremely difficult to execute over the long term. Here’s how I see it:
Specialize in a niche product. Ride the line between consistency and adaptability. Have fun doing what you do (customers notice). Always provide excellent, knowledgeable service. Be prepared to weather the storm, because there will be bad years. Persevere. Keep having fun.
I loved the pictures and magazine clippings from back in the day, many of which highlighted Boomerang’s formative years on Park Blvd. David's book is a must-read for any San Diego design enthusiast…and any newbie retailers out there looking for a success story to guide their way.
Now that my curiousity for the past was piqued, I couldn’t resist reading up on my ‘hood when I stumbled upon North Park: A San Diego Urban Village 1896-1946 by Donald P. Covington. As a commercial realtor I have driven many entrepreneurs through the neighborhood, telling them what I knew of the past, which I now realize was very little. This book is huge. It chronicles nearly every commercial building and residential block over a 50 year period. I learned that Ted Williams grew up playing baseball in North Park. I also discovered that I could have bought the lot my house sits on for $250 in 1907. Now if I could just find this guy I'd be set: