The Internet occasionally presents a conundrum to me..
For example, support a local shop that might be a mildly more expensive - or buy direct and save money - at the cost of the local shop.
.
This example is Empire Coffee and Tea. As you can see from the picture to the left, they have been in their location since 1918. Their location is right around the corner from my house. They are on 9th Ave,and have lasted through the depression, the bad neighborhood, the Port Authority Bus Terminal moving in, bums and Starbucks!
.
Yesterday, I thought I discovered this quaint new shop (the web site left me humbled - I discovered a store that was 90 years old :-), I went in to get loose leaf green tea.
.
I drink a lot of loose leaf tea. It's healthier than coffee and loose leaf green has almost as much caffeine. In the morning I have green tea - and I brew black loose leaf for ice tea that I drink during the day.
.
So (get to the point!), the loose leaf was $6.95 a 1/4 pound ($13.95 for a pound so next time I can save money). And it is quite good.
.
This on the other hand is Boba Tea Direct's web site. Where I can get tea a lot cheaper, but without the girl to tell me what is stronger, which she likes and the human touch.
.
I have decided to pay a little more to hopefully keep the shop there (and not turn it into another wireless cell phone store or $.99 pizza shop). But I understand how hard it is to make money with overhead when competing against the Internet. If the shop was 6 blocks away,instead of right around the corner - I would have no problem turning to the Internet in the winter.
.
hummmm