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Posted by Too_Many_Tools on October 6, 2007, 2:57 am
Please log in for more thread options > This alert just came over a mailing list I'm on. For us nerds, the closing of
the
> Boeing store would be a calamity of major proportions. This store is a
national
> treasure. Please spread this message around and drop a note to the persons
listed.
>
> -----------
>
> Fellow techies,
>
> I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I have learned that Boeing
> Surplus's retail store will be closing permanently at the end of this year.
The last
> day for retail operations will be Friday, December 21st. This decision was
revealed
> to the employees on July 13th. Boeing has, for unknown reasons, made no
apparent
> effort to publicize it.
>
> The news left me in shock when I first heard. Boeing's been operating
that
> store for at least 30 years, and it has become something of a local icon for
the
> region.
>
> I have spoken with some contacts I still have inside the company, and
have
> been told that the "official" word is that it was costing more to run the
store than
> it was bringing in. I'm not at all certain I believe this -- If true, I think
it
> would have happened a lot earlier on, and certainly with more frequency. The
surplus
> store is cyclical, just like the manufacturing side, and I don't see how its
possible
> that they could run into a perpetual downward trend.
>
> The excuse was also made that the volume and variety of equipment going
> through the retail level was falling too far off to justify maintaining the
store.
> There is, to my mind, a simple answer for that -- Simply route more equipment
through
> retail, rather than selling it off in bulk to the big-dollar wholesalers! This
is
> especially true where test gear is concerned.
>
> In short: I don't believe that this is a smart move by Boeing. Quite
the
> contrary! I think it's the dumbest stunt they've pulled since selling off their
> commercial avionics unit to BAE.They have a very loyal customer base, and a
large
> core of 'regulars' for the surplus store, myself included, and I for one do not
> intend to let this issue simply die off without a fight.
>
> If you agree, and you want to make your voice heard on this issue, I
ask that
> you do two things.
>
> (1) SPREAD THE WORD!!!! I have no clue why Boeing hasn't made this
more
> public, but my speculation is that they know, full well, how loyal a following
the
> store has and they're trying to avoid a public backlash. If that is the case,
I would
> like nothing better than to see that plan backfire!
>
> (2) Make a POLITE contact with the office of Mr. Tim Copes, president
of
> Boeing's Shared Services Group (they're in charge of all surplus programs,
> companywide), and ask that the decision to close the store be reversed.
>
> Mr. Copes' office can be contacted at: (425) 865-7501
>
> If you wish to mail a letter, you can do so to this address:
>
> Mr. Tim Copes
> Boeing Shared Services Group
> Mailstop 6R7-01
> PO Box 3707
> Seattle, WA 98124
>
> Will it work, if enough noise is made? Who knows? Honestly, I don't
think
> there's much chance of saving the current store in its current form, given the
time
> it has left.
>
> HOWEVER -- If enough voices are raised, it may convince the company to
> provide a meaningful alternative, or perhaps even open another store down the
road a
> stretch.
>
> Thanks for reading.
>
> --
> John De Armond
> See my website for my current email
addresshttp://www.neon-john.comhttp://www.johndearmond.com<-- best little blog
on the net!
> Tellico Plains, Occupied TN
> I like you ... you remind me of me when I was young and stupid.
I had heard this also.
Long overdue in my opinion.
Ebay has changed the marketplace....and Boeing is going where they can
get more money for their stuff...can you blame them?
Been to a surplus meet lately....very little to buy and what was a
bargain is scooped up by the Ebay vultures to resell you know where.
As for the local vultures..err...customers....well they will just have
to compete on Ebay with the rest of us for the same stuff that they
used to sell.
And Boeing will make money off them instead of the other way around..
Isn't the free market great?
TMT
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