Editorial, continued.

business as the enemy and recognize that businesses are the source of jobs and local prosperity.

   This does not mean that local businesses can relax and assume the recovery will bring them back to previous levels of profitability.  Local businesses must make changes to the way they are doing business if they are to survive and prosper.

   Change will be the topic of several editorials during the coming months, but I will not dwell on it in this editorial.  This editorial will be to hope that everyone had prosperous holidays and to wish the best on the business community during the coming year.

      The final two months of the year are very difficult ones for the writer of a business journal.  Industrial companies are focused on the coming fiscal year and retail companies are focused on the coming holiday shopping season.

   It is almost impossible to get access to local businesses during the last months of the year and it is especially difficult during the month of December so we decided to rerun two feature articles of companies that generated a lot of reader response during the year.

   The first is to again feature Tracy Shooting Supplies, Inc.  Tracy Shooting Supplies is typical of many small businesses here in Tracy.  It has an owner who is behind the counter every day the store is open and his traditional values place product knowledge ahead of profits.

      The article we ran last August generated a lot of e-mail from people who were not aware the company had changed owners about two years ago and were glad to hear that a native Tracy man now owns and runs the company.

   Located on Eleventh street just east of Central, Tracy Shooting Supplies is a Tracy Treasure.

   Another popular feature was the one we ran last September on Summit Mountain Sports.  Summit Mountain Sports is nearly a year old and people had not been aware of its existence.

   Summit Mountain Sports is located in the Longs shopping center on Tracy Blvd about a block from the 205 freeway. 

   I am sorry to announce that The American Dog has closed its doors after the rent was raised.  Ray Rhead could no longer operate out of that facility and is still catering events.  We wish Ray the best and hope he finds a new facility soon.  We will happily cover his grand reopening.

Keith T. Chiles MBA

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