Has anybody else wondered how some shops in Zurich make any money. We used to live in Seefeld and there are some really down beat grey looking weird places that are hardly ever open and never have a single person in them.
Given the rents in Seefeld I am thinking this must be either a clever way to deduct tax or is a front for something more sinister.
Anybody else ever thought about it.
Has anybody else wondered how some shops in Zurich make any money. We used to live in Seefeld and there are some really down beat grey looking weird places that are hardly ever open and never have a single person in them.
Given the rents in Seefeld I am thinking this must be either a clever way to deduct tax or is a front for something more sinister.
Anybody else ever thought about it.
If you knock on the door and say "Stan sent me" you'll find out...
Has anybody else wondered how some shops in Zurich make any money. We used to live in Seefeld and there are some really down beat grey looking weird places that are hardly ever open and never have a single person in them.
Given the rents in Seefeld I am thinking this must be either a clever way to deduct tax or is a front for something more sinister.
Anybody else ever thought about it.
As I posted on a similar thread, many shops and businesses here are run as hobbies by bored Swissies whose distant families are so loaded after founding UBS, Novartis etc. that they don't actually need any income.
The buildings are either owned or on long term peppercorn rents and the shop manager is the owner.....classic lifestyle business.
The place I used to live had 2000 people, 3 new car dealerships and a model helicopter shop. It astonished me.
Having said that, many people seem to open the shop that they want to run, not the shop that is needed for the town. It was brave of the guy in Thun to open an English food store in a place without many ex-pats - similarly there is a new Portuguese food shop in town....neither seem particularly successful unfortunately (for them) but I often wonder how people assess demand for the enterprise they choose to open
Yeah, I've thought the same thing often as well. I just presume that these people own the building, either inherited or paid off the mortgage and just kind of live without any requirement to generate income selling crap or caring less about how their store looks.
My brother said the exact same thing & we are going to write a screen play about it. Kinda like Calendar Girls but with Swiss money laundering killer housewives.
similarly there is a new Portuguese food shop in town....neither seem particularly successful unfortunately (for them) but I often wonder how people assess demand for the enterprise they choose to open
What!? Portuguese food is always in demand! In fact, we even import our own salt, cuz Portuguese salt is, like, way better than any "local" salt. Um, actually, the salt may be the same but Portuguese vinegar is much better......
What!? Portuguese food is always in demand! In fact, we even import our own salt, cuz Portuguese salt is, like, way better than any "local" salt. Um, actually, the salt may be the same but Portuguese vinegar is much better......
And the olive oil! Have you noticed how the olive oil here looks like... sun flower oil? And is tasteless? Bah! (also buy Portuguese salt xD)
And... tremoços... I can't live without a big flask of tremoços...
Portuguese stores do usually look empty, but I guess most of the costumers are Portuguese immigrants that just drop, buy, get stuff home, and walk to next Portuguese restaurant to speak about futebol...
The buildings are either owned or on long term peppercorn rents and the shop manager is the owner.....classic lifestyle business.
The place I used to live had 2000 people, 3 new car dealerships and a model helicopter shop. It astonished me.
Having said that, many people seem to open the shop that they want to run, not the shop that is needed for the town. It was brave of the guy in Thun to open an English food store in a place without many ex-pats - similarly there is a new Portuguese food shop in town....neither seem particularly successful unfortunately (for them) but I often wonder how people assess demand for the enterprise they choose to open
I was just thinking today that a Vietnamese nail salon with massage pedicure chairs could make a killing at the Pratteln shopping area.
Just imagine it... you're out shopping for furniture... you just bought the latest Blu Ray at Media Markt... your feet look disgusting from walking around all day... and now you need a thorough and relaxing Spa pedicure. Might as well get a new set of acrylics while you're at it. KA-CHING!!!!! $$$$$$
My (Italian) co-worker expects this to be the case with a number of shops in the neighborhood of the workplace, too. He should know, he's from Calabria....
We have a papeterie-type of shop next to our work-place which is run by a very old lady who just sits in there all day. Customers? I don't know.
It's a very nice shop (bought a very nice pair of scissors there), but I've seen busier shops close down quicker - and this one has been operating for years.
There is a shoe shop that sells some fancy shoes near hubby's work, I've only seen it open once or twice. Hubby and his work colleagues have come to the conclusion it is a "hobby" for some rich man's wife.