Retro Product Proves Recession Proof

Retro Product Proves Recession Proof

From: Todd Bookman
Length: 00:03:46

A family business named Sarah's Hat Boxes is surviving the Great Recession, despite selling a product more befitting an era defined by the Great Depression. Read the full description.

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Piece Description

INTRO: Few products are selling in this economy. Sure, iPhones are still moving. But for a lot of companies, innovation and I-P-Os have been sidetracked by cost cutting and layoffs. That’s part of what makes the survival of a company named ‘Sarah's Hat Boxes’ so unique. Based in Hancock, New Hampshire, their up-scale hat boxes seem more appropriate for an era defined by the Great Depression, rather than the Great Recession.

Transcript

DEBBIE MILLS AND HER HUSBAND PETER STARTED ‘SARAH’S HAT BOXES’ TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO IN THEIR LIVING ROOM.

LIKE TODAY, WIDE-BRIMMED HATS WEREN'T EXACTLY IN STYLE AT THAT TIME. BUT CREATIVE MARKETING AND STEADY INNOVATION SPURRED GROWTH. AND AS PETER IS QUICK TO TELL YOU, A LITTLE HARD WORK ALSO HELPED.

Peter: We don't know what the word 'vacation' means. When you are chief, cook and bottle washer, you have to be here. We have the store open on the weekends, nights, holidays. That’s when people come to us.

SARAH’S WILL SELL AROUND TEN-THOUSAND HAT BOXES THIS YEAR, A MAJORITY TO OTHER BUSINESSES THAT’LL PUT THEIR PRODUCTS INSIDE THE FABRIC-COVERED BOXES. THINK UPSCALE POPCORN TUBS AND SCENTED CANDLES, JEWELRY AND FANCY LINGERIE.

THEIR WEBSITE, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE NUMBER ONE ON GOOGLE, LISTS A HUNDRED WAYS A BOX COULD BE USED OTHER THAN ACTUALLY KEEPING HATS INSIDE.

You could put lo...
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Intro and Outro

INTRO:

FEW PRODUCTS ARE SELLING IN THIS ECONOMY. SURE, IPHONES ARE STILL MOVING. BUT FOR A LOT OF COMPANIES, INNOVATION AND I-P-OS HAVE BEEN SIDETRACKED BY COST CUTTING AND LAYOFFS. THAT’S PART OF WHAT MAKES THE SURVIVAL OF A COMPANY NAMED ‘SARAH'S HAT BOXES’ SO UNIQUE. BASED IN HANCOCK, NEW HAMPSHIRE, THEIR UP-SCALE HAT BOXES SEEM MORE APPROPRIATE FOR AN ERA DEFINED BY THE GREAT DEPRESSION, RATHER THAN THE GREAT RECESSION.

OUTRO: