I went to JP Centre / South Main Streets on Wednesday, 23 February.
Ginger told me that there are 101 shops in Jamaica Plain. However, there are some shops which run 2nd floor. There are over 200 shops in this area as it includes these shops. I was surprised that a small area has so many businesses. In addition, each business runs by 4 or 5 people. The grocery store of City Feed and Supply provides local foods like chocolate and honey. This store also makes fair trade. It is a good place where people can buy local foods easily.
I went to “Boing Toy Shop.” this shop runs as a small business. Oner researched some toy companies before running. The accumulation of research leads to business success. The most impressing is that small businesses think about barriers. Some shops have a difference in level to enter. It is difficult for people who use wheelchairs. However, if people press the bells, the staff will help people who use a wheelchair enter the shop.
At the end of the trip, I asked Ginger the hardest thing about running a business. She said the issue of money was the most difficult thing because real estate was so expensive, so the rent of shops was also high.
This information is not related to my research topic much, but I learned Boing Toy Shop sells educational toys, which relates to education a little. I heard that each business runs by 4 or 5 people, so I worried about the overwork of each staff. Thus, my question is, how much time does each staff work per week? Also, I want to ask why she starts the organization. By the way, I recommend this research mission to someone who would like to start running a small business for the future and support local shops like Ginger.
Kirara Soya