Visiting the Irish Design Center on Craig Street this afternoon, we met owner Tom Petrone who took us through the history and operations of the retail gift shop. Tom is the most Irish-passionate Italian I have ever met; the accounts he gave of his fourteen trips to Ireland showed us the amount of love he has for the culture that he married into. As a business owner, Tom prioritizes quality over quantity always and has created a loyal customer base that trusts his products. He knows exactly where every item comes from, its symbolic message, and its cultural ties to Ireland. And as a consumer, I absolutely bought into the story. Tom took us down memory lane, portraying Ireland as a Mecca for luxurious fabrics, foods, and culture. He had us feeling the texture of each different sweater and kilt. He explained the significance of each and every product on the shelves. Tom’s storytelling absolutely made me want to buy an exorbitant amount of Irish pottery, scone mix, and jewelry. His sales pitch was that effective. To that end, I can see how his business would thrive; his passion and elevator pitch combined compel people to spend money. This leads me to believe that any good business requires charismatic leaders, people to attract people. However, Tom also disclosed that the current economic state makes importing goods incredibly challenging. He faces charges that double the worth of the product shipments he buys due to the current economic/political landscape. For that reason, many retail stores like his have closed their doors. The costs are growing and people’s will to shop in person has drooped. The trend of online shopping is extremely damaging to these small businesses. Therefore, it is crucial for these shops to use a strong referral system and keep a social media presence, two topics we hope to bring to Carrigart in a few days.