Something - and someone - was conspicuously absent in the November edition of The Extra. This month marked the first time in almost ten years that Tina Chapman has not advertised her shop in our monthly direct mailer. The doors closed on October 31st. Pachaug Aquarium & Reptiles Too had been open less than one hour in the summer of 2002 when I first called on Tina Chapman about advertising. Since then, she has been a model advertiser. She was so dependable that I would always start each month by calling on her aquarium on Route 138 in Griswold. In 2003 when Tina wanted to renew her lease, her landlord was surprised because no other business had ever lasted there longer than a year. The small store outlasted many of the startup businesses around her, but Tina finally decided it was time to pack it in. While the recession had impacted her business this year, I got the impression that being the sole proprietor was becoming a bit of a grind. She just wanted a break. Anyone who knows Tina can say that she is one of the most down to earth people you could meet. She spends much of her time close to home along the Route 138 corridor with a life full of friends and family. A big fan of the great outdoors, Tina has also been active in promoting the Griswold Fish & Game Club. As I hear the commercials about "shopping small" for November 26th on Small Business Saturday, I wish there were more people like Tina in business.
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