In the interest of saving space, I won't quote TheKiltedWonder's above post...I always wonder how the business model works for small retailers who work in a niche market.

So one would think that, in the case of the custom woolen kilt business as it exists in the here and now, the business would be made up of regular local customers, mail order or internet generated business from outside a certain radius and the odd walk-in who just happens to be passing by and decides that he's interested in a kilt.

Of the "walk-ins" some what will be the percentage who will hear a price and think that they can make do with one of the 20£ kilts from down the block. You will get those who understand the difference and will opt for "the genuine article" because they see the value of wool versus a synthetic. I wonder what the percentages are?

There are obviously several other variables: do they do the rental/hire side of the business or do they have gift items other than kilt stuff available...etc. I wonder if there's anything in their having "off the rack" on hand...some of the proprietors might think that that would be unacceptable but I would think that it might sway the walk-in who wants to leave with a kilt and sees the value of going with a natural fiber instead of synthetic.

It's always a shame when things like this happen...the world is a little poorer for the loss of those special small businesses.

Best

AA