For me, not as tragic as losing my precious Daugherty's Hardware, but sad nonetheless. When possible, buy from your local merchants!

I once exploded a 6 pack of Pepsi in the Bayside Market. Ah, memories.

Pasek Pharmacy didn't close. The founder retired and the store moved to 113 N. Second Ave. W.

The pharmacy is still locally owned and still supplying all your favorite drugs.

I thought Pasek's had just moved. The have a sign on 2nd avenue west in the Natchio's building between first and second street. But it's just cardboard so maybe it's only a temoprary location. Clarification anyone?

The loss of a family owned bisiness in Duluth is a sad thing especially one who's product was as well respected as the European Bakery. Neal Glazman fought the battle of the bix box stores probably a little too long, but downtown shoppers and workers apprecaite his efforts. And his brother's, and father's and uncle's before him.

The loss of a family owned bisiness in Duluth is a sad thing especially one who's product was as well respected as the European Bakery. Neal Glazman fought the battle of the big box stores probably a little too long, but downtown shoppers and workers apprecaite his efforts. And his brother's, and father's and uncle's before him.

the european bakery is a huge loss. i remember that place, and the wonderful braided loaves of bread, so well.

who will the Pickwick and the Hammond buy their bread and rolls from now? Wal-Mart?

Not to be heartless, but these places were overpriced. I wanted to support them, but mostly couldn't afford their wares. They can't be expected to be cheaper than the big box stores, but I would have been happy to avoid the drive up the hill if their prices weren't so out of range. Doesn't a basic law of economics say if you're lacking customers you should lower your prices?

If your car gets about 25 mpg, at the current cost of gas, you spend about a dime to drive 1.5 miles. Depending on where you live, paying a little extra at a local business saves you money in the end because you don't have to drive the 6 mile round trip up to the hill. Everyone is so focused on what you pay at the till, but few factor in other costs like the extra gas, extra time, and higher taxes you pay as a property owner as our overall tax base is depleted by the loss of local businesses. You pay or you pay. I'd rather pay at the till as my vote for a more locally based economy. I agree that all businesses have to adapt to changing times and tastes, but cutting prices shouldn't have to be at the top of the list when they can offer so much more in the way of service and save you money in the end because of convenience.

Whatever happened to paying more for quality? One of the biggest reasons Glazman had to close is the increased price of flour, eggs and milk, plus rising shipping costs. He chose not to sacrifice quality, or raise prices on his customers. Convenience also comes with a price. Now, we'll have fewer options, and more substandard products will glut the market.

@ Paul Lundgren:

Not MY favorite drugs. I do agree that the loss of these local businesses is saddening. This is a sign of our financial times. Estimates show that 175,000 small businesses will close this year. A testament to the shoddy stewardship of the Bush administration.

Losing so-called 'mom and pop' run businesses is always hard to read about. It's a passing of tradition and familiarity. One of the few upsides of this economic 'downturn' is that small business incubators are getting more inquiries as people recently laid off investigate starting their own small business. Not an easy road but I'm sure it was a battle for the European Bakery, (I still miss the Danish Bakery)Daugherty Hardware and Bayside Market.

Oh no, where will I get my mediocre white bread now??
Now, if we lost say, Amazing Grace, I'd be mourning... but they just had their best Summer ever, they said.

Also, how could Daugherty's compete with Home Depot/Menards? So, I think this says more about the businesses than anything else.

I'm not sure the closing of these businesses says anything about Duluth in general, or anything about the businesses in general. I wonder if it's a matter of owners who are getting too tired to continue. Perhaps they're operating under a business model that used to work and needs to change. That's what I hope, anyway, and that new businesses will open to fill the "quality void."

Here's an idea for these cold days... a book available at your local bookstore, "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day". It's good. It's easy. You will love it. Not a replacement for European Bakery bagels, but, it helps.

Isn't Daugherty's just over by the members co-op in west duluth now? I'm pretty sure it is. But I've been wrong before.
Jeff

It's not a full-scale hardware store anymore, but Daugherty Appliance Sales & Service is indeed open in West Duluth.

http://www.daughertyappliance.com/

Daugherty's Hardware closed because SMDC offered them such a silly price. It had nothing to do with Home Depot. I wonder how many dishwashers, lawnmowers, hexnuts, and vitamin C tablets, it would take to profit as much as they did on the real estate sale. Besides nobody shops at Home Depot, just ask them. I miss Daugherty"s Hardware, shopped there often, and several times have run over there to grab a part or a nut or something only to remember that SMDC bought em out. Separately, I'd bet on the local business to weather a financial crisis before I'd bet on Home Depot.

I hate to sound like a party pooper, but businesses come and go. That's the breaks in business.

What makes me more sad is that Duluth does not have a strong pro-business community that fosters and strongly supports new business ventures.

I hate to sound like a party pooper, but businesses come and go. That's the breaks in business.

What makes me more sad is that Duluth does not have a strong pro-business community that fosters and strongly supports new business ventures.

Mom and pop kinds of hardware stores will never out-price the big boxes, but can you walk into a Home Depot and come out with 5 drywall screws (and only 5, not a box)?

A few years ago a colleague of mine was working full time for Home Depot. He wasn't handy, hell he had a PhD in water resources policy. But he worked there. shudder

Now walk into a small hardware store and ask for the best kind of ____ to do the job and they can usually show you. Worth paying an extra few bucks for that kind of hands on advice.

I'm *so* thankful for small hardware stores.

Second for the bread book. And in thinking local: the authors are Minnesotans.

Actually kerc, yes - Home Depot and Menards both sell screws and bolts, etc ala carte in big bins.

Harriet Lane mentioned: "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day"

You can also save yourself some money by googling "no knead bread".

This is all very sad to me.

Where were their government bailouts? Didn't they fill out the form?

Add to the list- The bookstore on 4th St., O'Gilbey's, Torke, DAC grill, Taj India, and Savories.

ditto:

Sunhillow.

and Frost River.