Let's Talk About THAT Post...

Artisans brings me an enormous amount of joy, and I’d much rather be writing about our artists, our customers, our community and all of the wonderful things that happen here.

However, there is something else happening inside these four walls that we need to talk about:

Theft

In my experience, the best way through something, however uncomfortable, is to be transparent and direct. So here I am... and here goes.

Shoplifting. Sticky fingers. The “five-finger discount.” Whatever one chooses to call it, we’ve been dealing with it a great deal more at Artisans this year.

Several months ago, I posted briefly about the reality of theft in our small business. I’ve posted a few times since, and those posts sparked a lot of conversation and were shared many times. That conversation seems worth continuing.

After nearly 25 years of owning Artisans (with Amy as Manager for more than 20 years, and a family of colleagues that feels just like that... family), I’ve always believed this little Main Street business is really a vehicle for something much bigger. We get to work with wonderful colleagues, customers and artists, we mentor, learn, collaborate; we celebrate teachers and nonprofits, contribute to community projects and hopefully spread far more than even joy along the way.

We LOVE what we get to do. And YOU make that possible every time you choose to shop at Artisans or another locally owned business.

As retailers, we know that some degree of theft comes with the territory... “the cost of retail," as it is called. For years, we quietly accepted that unspoken reality. Why focus on the few when the vast majority of people who walk through our door are wonderful, and the very reason we are here?

However, theft has increased enough that we recently made the decision to invest in security cameras and take a much firmer approach when it happens.

We value and trust our customers enormously. Having cameras doesn’t change that. It simply gives us the ability to review what happened when there is a solid reason to do so.

Every time our doors open, a little bit of the outside world enters... a breeze, a new face, a conversation, someone we’ve known for years or someone walking in for the first time. Built into every one of those greetings is something that has always simply been part of who we are: trust.

Trust and a sense of fun have been part of the Artisans experience for decades, long before the torch was passed on to me, and those values remain at the heart of who we are. Wander. Pick things up. Ask questions. Laugh with us. Enjoy being here. We love spreading the joy.

When we become aware that merchandise leaves Artisans without being paid for, we talk with our colleagues who were present first, and then we review our video surveillance footage. When the footage clearly shows what happened, we report it to the police. We are grateful for the support of our local police and the guidance they have provided as we navigate this.

If we know who the person is, we may reach out to them directly. If we do not know them, we may ask for help identifying them. That may include sharing (and posting) images publicly, which definitely comes with an “ick” factor. It can also, however, be a highly effective way to address the situation quickly and spare our local police much time and effort. Sharing an image is not an accusation of theft. It means the footage clearly shows that merchandise left the store without being paid for. We may also issue a no-trespass order. We are careful to share what we know, not what we assume.

Hopefully, knowing how we handle this will make someone think twice.

I also want to be clear about something else.

There really isn’t a “type.”

That may be one of the biggest things we have learned through all of this. It’s young people and older people. Females and males. Outgoing, extroverted, conversational people and quiet, sweet, unassuming people. People you might suspect, and people you’d defend until the cows come home. Oh, the times we have heard, “I can’t imagine them doing THAT!” People local to our area and those visiting from further away. We were surprised... and we are pretty sure you would be too.

It is rarely as simple as the stereotypes we carry around in our heads.

It is not for me to define someone’s moral character because they left Artisans with something they did not pay for. Nor is it for me to decide whether someone is a “good” person or a “bad” person. I also have zero interest in trying to figure out WHY they did it.

What I will make sure we do, however, is address it. 

The person who walked out of the store with something that was not paid for made a choice, and we will address that. The responsibility, and the burden of making it right, belongs NOT to Artisans, but to them. Any consequences that follow are a result of that decision and the action they took.

That is accountability.

I don't see accountability as punishment. I see it as being willing to connect our choices with their consequences, even when doing so is uncomfortable. When we separate the two because we want to avoid conflict or worry about how someone might respond, accountability loses its meaning. I'm not about that.

And I believe that, at our best, we are willing to step up to the plate, own our actions and make things right.

I am hopeful that this is an opportunity for a larger conversation about what accountability looks like in the spaces we share. When we enter someone’s home, we are sharing their space. We respect and honor that, and them. Hopefully, we treat the people and places we encounter with care, perhaps even leaving them a little better because we were there. Our shops, cafes and other community spaces deserve that consideration as well.

Small businesses are personal. There are real people behind them who show up every morning, take the risks, solve the problems and keep the doors open.

Artisans remains Artisans. We’ll laugh with you. We’ll tell you the story behind the pottery. We’ll support the fundraiser, donate the gift certificate, cheer on the kids, brag about our artists and probably talk with you longer than either of us intended.

My hope in writing this is simply to be clear, and perhaps to encourage someone to think before walking out our doors with something they have not paid for.

So do feel free to spread the word. Share this. Have conversations about trust and accountability. Feel free to connect with me directly, or with any one of us at Artisans.

To the overwhelming majority of you who walk through our doors, support us, encourage us and allow us to be part of your lives, THANK YOU. You are the very reason Artisans is here.

And nearly 25 years later, I still absolutely love my job.

Warmest regards and gratitude,

Marcy Vierzen, Owner, Artisans