Local Convenience Store
 

Local gas station convenience store on Route 25
as of 01/21/2021

The paper typed/printed sign on entry door states:

NO:
RADICAL LEFT WINGERS
COMMUNISTS OR
SOCIALISTS

ALLOWED WITHIN THIS
STORE.

TURN AROUND
YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
DO NOT ENTER. DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT
TOUCHING THAT DOOR HANDLE

As many have said “a private business can do what they wish”. Sad to think we may see more of this in the future


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Well, I’m to the best of my knowledge none of those things, but I sure wouldn’t take the chance of entering. No worries, they’ll go out of business and another will take their place. That’s how the free market works.


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I wonder if this is the sentiment of the owner or an employee.

During my tenure as a business owner I never let on what my political leanings were.

It makes no business sense to alienate 50% or more of the clientele.

By the way, wouldn’t it make more sense to take money from the opposition?

I agree with this, and wish it applied to where I live. Here, customers want to know your political point-of-view before they "fund your beliefs"!

After analyzing what the sign says, I don't think it pertains to anyone on this forum. And whoever wrote the sign is simply looking out for their business.

SOCIALISTS - Have no money; the government will provide
COMMUNISTS - Just socialists with weapons. [Still no money.]
RADICAL LEFT WINGERS - Loot and burn.

The sign makes no mention of non-radical left wingers (who have money and remain capitalists).

products?
 

Convenience--Do they sell ammo? If they sell guns and ammo, the unwanted will stay away.

Our local gun shop sign on the door says "NO MASKS". I guess their camera doesn't have x-ray vision...

That sign proves a point as to how hopelessly moronic, numbskull certain groups of people are.

Now if we could just put a sign like that at the NH border.

They don't have to worry about me. I would never patronize a place with such prejudice views regardless if any of them pertained to me or not.
Did they have a confederate flag hanging out front? Sounds like a return to the 50's and 60's in the south.


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Why the tease?
 

Who is it? I hear it is the old Fuller's?

Masks?
 

I'm guessing that masks are either optional or prohibited. :rolleye1:

Dave

I know that place. Been there a few too many times. ��

https://i.redd.it/sjtfquxsgh241.jpg

Was this picture taken in front of that store.

Owner or employee?? If I owned the place and someone hung that up I'd rip it down so fast their head would spin! Right before tearing the person a new one. Sure maybe "their" beliefs also matter but hang signs in your own front yard not on somebody else's place of business.

And the sign said Long Haired Freaky People, need not apply.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HE17...ohn1948TwelveC

i will less likely go to a place that bans anyone and more likely go to a place that gets banned .

What about radical right wingers who hate everybody that doesn’t think the way they do? The point I’m trying to make is that both ends of the spectrum are hopefully the minority....aren’t most of us just hard working, decent people who want a better life for our kids and grandkids where everyone can just be civil to each other and accept that we are all different, but all the same?

Motörhead, guessing this is more of your taste
Attachment 16695


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Bad for Business
 

Several businesses in my town decided to publicly support Trump by hanging banners when he ran in 2016. They also saw a steady decline in their business once they let their political affiliations known. Interesting that the third business of the same type (all within 1/2 mile of each other) who has never gotten into politics, saw their business increase substantially since then.
The lesson is it does not pay to alienate 1/2 or more of your customers!

Yes, much better than this, no?


https://sociologyisascience.files.wo...n-500x375.jpeg

But, that individual can be vaccinated today here in NH due to his BMI is over 30%. Just saying


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:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:: laugh::laugh::laugh:

Thank you for that.

He's wearing his bullet proof fat jacket.:)

Yes, very sad, and very un-American in spirit.

Pete Buttigieg, who we all know is gay, had a great response when asked what he thought of the famously anti-gay Chik-Fil-A. Something along the lines of "I definitely am not in favor of their politics...but I kind of am in favor of their chicken".

Agreed.

If the owner is not around they would not be aware of the sign.

One of the more scary things about owning a business with a large public presence is having an employee who does something so unwise that it could not be anticipated or prevented.

And soon the law will be that Whether that employee helps you build your business or takes actions that destroy it you will have to pay them $15 an hour for their contribution.

Stay tuned for more to come.

....... nearby minimum wage hourly rates
 

Minimum wage rates as of January 1, 2021:

New Hampshire .......... $7.25 ...... :eek2: ouch-y ouch ouch! ..... http://www.globalnews.ca/news/637795...-suicide-rate/

Maine ...................... $12.15 ...... :)

Massachusetts .......... $13.50 ...... :)

Vermont ................... $11.75 ..... ;)

.................................................. ............................ Canada border to stop the corona virus .................................................. ..............

Province Quebec ......... On May 1, 2021 it will increase from $13.10 to $13.50, (U.S. dollar value) ....... :)

No Hippies Filching Snacks...?
 

If clientele numbers are too great, and the store suffers from petty theft, overcrowding would be reduced by half. :cool:

As for "taking money from the opposition", most people just use their credit card at the pump.
:look:

FYI......Not to worry.....the marketplace takes care of itself. Bob House had trouble finding even a dishwasher for $14 per hour. Wages are up due to supply and demand. No one is making $7.25. Landscapers were offering $15 to start with no experience this year.......It's all ok

agree with Bob let the market set the wage. I don't think I could go by any restaurant or store ;last summer that didn't have a for hire sign.

It always does
 

I remember back in the 70's when athletes salaries were "skyrocketing" right along with ticket prices, there were many discussions with friends about how will people be able to afford to go to games. The consensus was that wages will rise. We all pretty much agreed that was true, but we also agreed we may not be that much better off; that loaf of bread that cost 30 cents would end up costing us $2.

Well, guess what? However, I agree, somehow it's ok.

Dave

Most of those sports tickets are bought by Corporations now and given out as perks. If you had to pay the full freight to take a family of 4 to Fenway your looking a a bare minimum of $600, with parking and food.
The average family might be able to afford that a couple times a years.

I agree, I think the minimum wage should be set by the State.
$15.00 per hours doesn't go a long way in Boston but you could probably live pretty well on $15.00 in Wheeling WV.

Unless I missed it somewhere, what town? or better yet what store?

Summer hires are still a problem. Business needs the help when lots of people are here, but my grandkids...who have worked at a local food store, only made $7.50 their first year and when we tried to get them to come back a second year, max was $10...and it was a "maybe". Instead the kids can work at home for $13.50. At 40 hrs a week for 8 weeks, that is a difference of an extra $1100 for the summer. Hard to argue, except we continue to advocate for the beauty of being at the lakes region. Seems money will beat out grandpa's campaign !

work at the lake?
 

If stores have help wanted signs in the window, the sign may really be saying "We don't pay well". In my day, summer jobs were all 6 days a week, so there was some overtime, but if you wanted to make more money, you asked for longer hours. And everybody worked through Labor Day-nobody left in mid-August if they wanted a job next year.

Agree, but summer help is much different then it was just 20 years ago. Colleges are starting weeks earlier then ever before. HS starts a week before Labor Day. Give the kids a week off before they go back and we are talking mid Aug when you lose them. Don’t see this changing so your business model needs to adjust for loosing this labor


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that's why much of the summer help was foreign born( they also don't expect to stop working the beginning of August). By the way i know there were restrictions on visas this past summer which may have caused more of the signs

Restrictions on Visas was true. Unsure how that will change this summer. But, full time summer help of old is gone forever, I believe. I must say, business today need to be more flexible with hours and labor. Many retirees in the area would love to hold a part time gig. But, many businesses have a difficult time with retirees. We need days off more then most. Can’t tackle all jobs. All day shifts on your feet don’t work. Injuries do occur. Adapt to survive


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flexible staffing
 

Agreed--I know of several businesses that have a workforce pool to draw from and a full time position to make the work assignments. It takes a certain level of employment to make this work such as owning several fast food places. Walmart has a reputation for hiring retirfees. I talked to a boat captain at Disney World awhile back. Retiree from Alton NH, once he had been hired and trained (to say "Magical" in every other sentence), he signed up for when he wanted to work, next three weeks or next three months, whatever and they worked him into the schedule. There's probably off the shelf software for this, but hiring is still tough for a small business on a short season.

I'm guessing that you mean Canadians. As a tourist every year to the
Granite State I think you should be a tad more receptive and welcoming to
out-of-staters who spend $$$ up there regardless of political slants. You
should also be a bit more grateful for those out-of-staters who own property
and pay their taxes like you. Close-minded thinking like that is why this country is where we're at right now. I'm looking forward to vacationing up north this summer!:)

It's the BP-gasoline and convenience on Rt 25, Moultonborough, opposite Lake Kanasatka.

Oh well ...... what the heck ...... people are all a wee bit edgy right now and it's probably just someone at work with too much free time and a creative mind, or something.

After all, the only thing that makes any difference with gasoline is the price .... gas is gas is gas.

The owner and family work in the store.

Too late. NH has been changed already.

Yes it has, and certainly not for the better.
:(

I do not know the owner of the store but my guess is he has been serving "radical left wingers, commies and socialists" for years. He would probably continue to do so if they were willing to live and let live. The left has changed though and for them its not enough to just disagree, now they must crush anyone who isn't fully on board. This was his small way of saying "go to hell" to the people who want to use the power of govt, big tech and corporations to silence him. A bit over the top I agree but can't say I don't understand.

Everyone has their own point of view.
My father inlaw use to say, "the good old days weren't so good".

Beg to differ.

Beg away to your heart’s content. You have your opinion, I have mine.

The expression that 'everyone has their own point of view' or is entitled to it is a nice thought and one I whole heartedly agree with but it is quickly going the way of a small family cabin on Winni. Todays left allows only one view and uses the power of the state to enforce it and crush anyone who dares to disagree. Thats where the store owners frustration comes from

I have not been in the store, since we do not go in stores during the Covid issues. But I have bought gas there. From what I have been told, the owners are a husband/wife and are young, trying to make a go of things. They are hard working and even make great pizza. Before everyone goes off and makes a lot of assumptions and maybe hurts them and their business, it might be a good idea for someone to stop in and ask them about the sign. Maybe some assumptions are not true. Let's not call them "guilty" and ruin their hard work without fully understanding what the facts might be. This is a relatively new small business that should be encouraged, not discouraged unless there is solid reason. Sometimes the cancel culture of today can be very unfair. Just my opinion.....

Like I said, " everyone has their own point of view".

I guess I'm interested in what "assumptions" you think are being made. I mean, the sign's pretty clear.

Also, I'd love to know how they define socialism. If it's like most people, it would be incredibly ironic that they sell fuel for people to drive their cars on socialist roads patrolled by socialist police and responded to by socialist fire departments who have all been educated at socialist schools (by indoctrinating teachers, of course).

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Gee, looks like some assumptions to me. Maybe you can stop in and see what is really going on.

Why should we have to go in and ask for an explanation? The confrontation is not worth it. There are too many businesses that are welcoming to everyone.
I was in business for 35 years and I would never hang such a sign on the door. Why would you want to alienate 50% of your customers? Sent from my SM-G950U using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

I'm serious, friend: what do you think can possibly be going on that the sign would be anything but obvious? How can "NO: RADICAL LEFT WINGERS COMMUNISTS OR SOCIALISTS ALLOWED WITHIN THIS STORE" be misread?

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It's hypocritical for you to accuse the left of intolerance while defending an intolerant sign from the right.

Also, accusing the left of wanting to "crush" anyone who isn't fully onboard is kind of weird when it appears the same week that the right has censured Liz Cheney and Cindy McCain.

Those who believe themselves to be reasonable should be distancing themselves both from those who describe themselves as socialists (as in--the government should control the means of production) and those who demonize "socialists" (as in--good affordable healthcare should be available for all).

When ever there is a political argument people blame the far left or the far right when in reality most Americans are somewhat in the middle. They just bend the argument to fit their narative.

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Cancel That Sign...!
 

My suggestion to family store members is to replace the sign with the simpler sign,
"The Left is after your Rights".

(Although most "undecideds" would become confused, and not know which door to enter!)
:laugh:

How about "if you're left you can't be right"?[emoji16]Sent from my SM-G950U using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

...... time to upgrade the store's name?
 

My suggestion to this store, as a way to boost their business, is to downplay the name, BP, and go with a more personal, New Hampshire friendly, local name.

For example JoJo's Country Store, the seasonal local store on Moultonborough Neck Rd has a super-duper name for itself ..... JoJo's.

Maybe switch away from just BP to some short, easy to remember, individual name like Mary's Country Store, or Wayne's Country Store, or Yogi's Country Store, or Shorty's Country Store. Calling it BP doesn't do much too identify what's inside the store?

While BP is British Petroleum, a huge oil producer, and most widely help stock in Great Britain, known for its large dividend, it's not such a good name, all by itself, for a store like this in Moultonborough, NH.

Gasoline is gasoline, and the only thing that matters about it is the price so I would suggest you upgrade the business with a more personal store name. Maybe something like Marty's Country Store, or Mary's Country Store ...... whoops ..... already said that ..... or if you want to give it some attitude ...... call it Fast Mary's Country Store ..... or Slow Louie's Country Store ..... or something.

................

Some other names:

Kanasatka Pizza & Subs

Kanasatka Kountry Store

Kanasatka Kountry Kitchen
..................

Above the gasoline pumps, there's a large roof canopy that has a large white triangular vertical wall that directly faces the roadway. That's a good place to put up the store name so it's seen from the road.

Go to Royea's Signs in Center Harbor and get like big, bold 12" vinyl, bright green letters, that are easy to read, and put the name of the store up there. Then add four or five similar name signs, but much much smaller, all across the outside on existing posts and walls and everywhere to brand the business. A store really needs a simple, easy to remember name, so's people will recognize it, and just calling it BP doesn't do it.

Imagine someone driving past who has never driven past before, and what is the sign message they see.
......................

Moultonborough has the four best tennis courts, anywhere around, all things considered, and I've driven past the BP probably 200-times in the last five years, and have never, not even once stopped at the BP store. Last time I was inside was like ten years ago? So, the name and the sign could use an upgrade.

I usually stop at Heath's Supermarket on the way over there, or the way back, for prepared food to go. What Heath's doesn't have is indoor table seating, a place to eat a sub or pizza.

The opposite group kicked Sarah Sanders and her family out of a restaurant for being associated with the former president. How about that group?

This one should do it
 

I’ll make this short....years ago. c. 1960, there was a sign in front of a convenience store with a sign EAT HERE and GET GAS that we all thought was hilarious and I have never forgotten it. It was in the middle of nowhere on the way to Cornell. It either proves that the sign was catchy or some people are easily amused. �� So.....how would that sign resonate at the local BP?

This seems just as un-American as the sign at the store.
Saddens me to see this posted here as well as the folks that gave it Thanks.

Really?

I'll try to forget I saw it.

I bet some folks here would not object to “Whites Only” sign.

Which might say that wages are so low they can't retain help.

If most places are paying competitive wages what harm is there in having a minimum wage to avoid abuses it outlier situations.

When I was young if a Left leaning candidate won, I was happy. If a right leaning candidate won, I was not happy, nor was I upset. I figured it was a good balance and the right would clean up anything to far to left and the left would clean anything to far to the right.

But I always hoped either candidate would turn into a good leader, period.

We all need to take a step back so we can get back to that place in the middle and have a beer by the side of the lake.

I don't think anyone likes the extremes.

Wow! Seriously nasty comments here......
 

Please, everyone....let’s all take a deep breath and lighten up. If I had to guess, one of the comments that got people going is the one about the sign at the NH border. This is my interpretation, made as a non native who has owned property here for over 40 years: the natives resent outsiders coming into NH because they love its beauty and simplicity, and then trying to make their town into a replica of the one they left in MA, RI, CT, or wherever. I don’t blame the locals for resenting many of the attempts to change what already works. Not everyone wants sidewalks, street lights, traffic lights and macadam everywhere.

I don't doubt that happens but I doubt it happens that often. I'm also a non-native and owned for 35 years in NH and now work in NH and might retire in NH. The last thing I want is side walks and street lights.

In fact, the private road I was on, neighbors (some native) wanted it paved because because it would wash out often and my house abutted it and it was a right of way over my property. I bought a tractor and kept that gravel road in shape for nearly 20 years on my own dime. I felt like if it was paved it was a step closer to like my home in MA. We didn't allow a TV at the lake either. We figured why bother to come to lake and just watch TV. I was attracted to NH because it was different from my home in MA and last thing I wanted was to make it more the same. I suspect a lot of non Natives think that way. But sure many want the city creature comforts too.

Look at Squam lake, I think of it as a lot of left leaning liberals (protectionists). Speed limits on the lake etc. It was almost too left leaning for my taste. But they push hard to preserve things with lots of rules.

I personally do like a quant downtown area, like Wolfborough is a nice balance in my opinion. I like Meredith down near the town docks too. But I love isolated untouched areas too, like around lots of Squam and many parts of Winni. It's hard to strike a good balance. Laconia is way to commercial and no different than say a Worcester MA type town. But it's been that way before my time. But that sort of thing is hard to stop.

It's ok for us to take some trees down to build a lake house (or buy a house where all trees once stood) but we don't want the two neighboring lots to be built on. Right?

We want everything to freeze once WE arrive :) (arrive could be interpreted as born their or moved their).

I suspect most of us all want the same thing. You have to be realistic that there needs to be a balance. Putting up signs to "Keep out" won't solve anything. And like was discussed in some other threads, some "progress" is good. Like many parts of the lakes are cleaner than they were 30 years ago. Even with lots of build up over the past few decades.

Pretty piss poor post MotorHead and for mswlogo to thank that post, come on man.

Yeah, the problem with a sign like that is, I might feel "left-ish" but extreme right folks might feel I'm far left if I'm even 1% left of the middle.

So I'd read that sign as, they might mean me and I'm not gonna "Touch that door handle" to ask.

As pointed out. If you want to run a public business, keep your political views down a notch. You certainly shouldn't feel you have to completely hide them. You might even have a sign that is right or left leaning on a up coming vote. And I don't think that would stop most people from entering. But a sign like that is just foolish.

The really sad truth is, I think he COULD be right. And I think he made a good point and the sign in store is that far from what MotorHead posted IMHO.

Maybe your native right leaning joe (which I respect), and not as offended by the store sign or recommending it be put at the border.
But that sign makes me feel like when I cross the NH line or enter this forum, he thinks I belong on the "Back of the Bus" because I'm not Native or Right leaning.
Well, I take that back, he doesn't want me on the bus at all !!

I really, honestly, hope it would be extremely few (and a few more that would not admit it), but that far fetched, sorry, but that's a no. Not happy to say that either.

But I was a bit shocked when I saw 6 folks give thumbs up to tell all your neighboring folks to not enter the state. I think labeling everyone outside the state is horrible.

And I can guarantee there are tons of Native builders had no problem raping some of the shorelines of the lakes to make a buck and could care less about anything else.

I think most of this site are full of really good folks. And what folks do online they might not do in person (part of the problem).

But I'm sure there are a few extremists on this forum. They might have never even visited NH.

We were over some good friends house for dinner at the lake. It was around the time there was controversy over some speech Obama was giving to kids in schools (a traditional thing presidents have done for decades). We commented something positive about it.

The host, our friend said, you voted for that Nazi? Silence for the rest of dinner.
And this was 10 years ago or so. I'm sure part of that comment was due to the color of his skin.

We are still good friends and careful not to bring up politics. And they would do anything for us and we would for them as well.

Seems better than what the right (Extremists) came up with, no?

One step in the direction of deescalating political divisions is to talk issues rather than casting broad generalizations about each other.

If people find common ground on a handful of issues then the debate can focus on the few points of disagreement rather than disparaging the whole group.

MotorHead and 8gv
 

MotorHead probably chose the wrong venue for his comment and could have worded it more sensitively. Having said that, I'd like to expand a little bit on what I think 8gv is getting at and how I feel it relates to MotorHead's post.

We can no longer push topics and opinions like these out of the broader conversation - burying them as has been done for centuries. Solving problems doesn't mean avoiding the elephant in the room, it means engaging with others about it. That takes people who, because they trust one another (as I believe most on this forum do), have the courage to listen to the opinions of others while assuming positive intent and responding in kind.

The convenience store sign (assuming it was genuinely put there by the owner) is an example of someone who desires only to 'tell' versus 'listen'. There's no trust there and it certainly isn't courageous. It's "my way or the highway."

Diversity and inclusion are huge issues right now in America. This isn't going away, nor should it. Only through engaging on topics like these can we hope to get to the root of opposing opinions...hopefully finding answers that improve our tolerance of one another.