Bad Carma
In case you missed it in BusinessWeek, Carma Needlecraft by my house is going out of business. I've lived within a mile of this little store for nearly a decade and my family and I frequently walk past it on our way to Sonic or Brusters. If I had nickel for every time I've said to my wife, "You know, this little store would be so handy if only we'd gotten into knitting instead of decoupage", well, I guess I'd have enough to buy a small spool of deeply discounted orange thread. I've never actually been in this store but for whatever reason I find it hilarious that the owners could carve out a living based on the profit margin of selling needles and thread. Maybe they sell lottery tickets too. And heroin.

Only in America would someone pour their heart and soul and life savings into selling needlecraft and needlecraft supplies in a tiny strip center far from the beaten path. Those crazy kids. So headstrong, so naive. If they'd only known that one day the big superstores like Needles N' More would move in next door or that Thread, Thread, Thread would set up shop one block over. If they'd known, maybe they'd have given this whole crazy scheme a little more thought.

Anyhoo, I wish the owners well in their next endeavor. I think I read something at Forbes.com about them having just signed a long term lease for a space above a blood bank downtown where they'll be selling really high-end car tape decks. We're talking top of the line brands -- Alpine, Pioneer, JVC. I think we all know cassette decks are making a serious comeback because, let's face it, cassettes have never been matched for portability or sound quality. One day people are going to wake up and they're going to throw out their satellite receivers and their mp3 players and when they do, the new owners of TapeDecks Plus (formerly of Carma Needlecraft) will be right there waiting. Above the blood bank. Downtown. Across the street from the shoestore and the gay bar. By then, it'll be called the Tape Deck district.