Dear Proprietor,

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and Saturday is Small Business Saturday. So I thought of you. It's a perfect opportunity to say "thank you" for all you do for me, my family and our community. After all, where would we be without you?

Where would our family go every Saturday night to indulge in our weekly tradition of "Sushi Saturday," where all of the chefs know us by name and remember exactly what my 8-year-old daughter does and doesn't like, and when and how to serve it to make her smile?

Where would we go to get a cake baked to our rather detailed and always last-minute specifications, including multiple taste tests, made fresh from scratch and given that extra special touch of loving care?

Where would I go to get my tennis racket restrung in the middle of a match, knowing that you know my preferred brand and tension, and are willing to drop everything so that I might continue my match?

Where would we go every Tuesday afternoon to get fresh produce picked that day from local farmers, to smell the aromas of kettle corn popping in the kettle and tamales being heated in the oven, and to sample everything from homemade beef jerky to fresh baked cookies, if not from our weekly Farmers' Market?

Where would my competitive gymnast daughter go for 12 hours each week to get the kind of individual attention, expert coaching and personal guidance she needs to perfect her compulsory routine?

How would I get my holiday lights up safely and correctly, with all the wires and connections made invisible and rainproof, without breaking my neck on the roof?

Where would I go to get my roof tiles replaced after the holiday lighting company accidentally broke them?

Where would I go to get slice of ceiling sheet rock replaced and painted after the cracked roof tile led to a leak?

Where would I go to have a wall in my house faux finished, a section of crown molding repaired and repainted, a new ceiling light installed, and my plumbing fixed?

Where would my wife go to have her car customized, and recustomized, to the point of being a Dub magazine cover candidate?

Where would I go to have my mountain and road bikes kept in tip-top condition, and always delivered tested and cleaned, with same-day pickup?

Where would we go to have our dog Buster checked up and taken care of, and given the calm attention and patience his little high-strung terrier temperament needs to help him through an experience all dogs stress over?

I could go on and on, but you get the point. There is something special and unique about what you provide, and how you provide it. Something I can't get from a big box store, a department store chain, or on the Internet.

You know me. You know how I think. You know my wants, needs, and requirements. You always greet me with a smile of recognition. You know my family. You know what makes us happy. Our kids go to the same schools, we see each at games and outings. To you, it's not business, it's personal. And there's something magical in that.

You're deeply woven into the fabric of our community. You help keep it running, keep it vibrant, keep it growing, keep it feeling like a community.

I'm not sure where we'd be without you, but I do know that it wouldn't quite be the same. I really can't imagine a world without you in it.

And for that, I thank you.

Your lifelong customer,
Matthew E. May