Sticky Fingers

Tales from the Cutting Counter:  This is a different sort of tale.  I have people who are surprised that craft merchandise, especially fabric, is more expensive than they expect.  Sometimes, they convey the attitude that we're deliberately ripping them off.  This, friends, is not the case at all.  We are the ones getting ripped off, to the tune of $40k a year in my store alone.  Here's a brief list of things I have found in my store recently:  A bolt of $25/yard silk dupioni with a 5"x7" chunk cut out of one edge.  Packaging for a $40 pair of shears in the cheesecloth box.  An empty bolt board hidden in a batting bin, devoid of the 6 yards of linen it should have been carrying.  A stick-on-velcro reel that was missing half its contents--soft side only.  The hook side was left on the reel.  A snap fastener card tucked in the terry cloth, snaps removed.  Two tree-style cupcake holder boxes, empty.  Five quilting precut bundles that should have 6 pieces of fabric per bundle, neatly stacked with one piece removed from each one.  More button cards than I can count with one button removed from each--we find at least one of these a day.  A set of five sizes of knitting needle with one size removed.  A set of five sizes of crochet needle with one size removed.  Contrary to popular opinion, we cannot (and do not) sell damaged or partial packages at a discount.  We take the loss, and swear under our breath, and go back to face the thieving public with smiles on our faces.  And the Big Corporate Bosses mark up our merchandise to cover the losses.

Quit stealing stuff, people.  Just quit it.