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72TOBACCOOUTLETBUSINESSSEPTEMBEROCTOBER2009x1ehechainalsodoeswellwithaccesso-riessuchasLa-x1eee-DaEusionLampsandpremiumlightersreportsDrottwhocontinuallytrollsornewproductcategoriesinaneorttoaddhigher-marginproductstohisassortment.Adoptingnewretailtechnologyisanotherwayx1eownCrierhopestoboostproitability.x1ehecompanyisintheprocessoinstallingacustomizedpoint-o-salesystemthatwillstreamlineinventorymanagementandcurtailthet.x1cInventorycontrolismoreimportantintodayx19seconomyx1dsaysDrott.x1cWehavetosell10cartonstomakeuporeveryonecartonlosttothet.x1dx1ehenewsystemenablesthecompanytoplaceorderselectronicallyandspottrendsinconsumerbuyinghabits.x1cItx19salreadyprovedtobeagreatassetx1dre-portsDrottwhostudiedinormationsystemsanddecisionsscienceenroutetogettinghisbachelorx19sdegreeineco-nomics.x1cWecaughtacashiertakingapackocigaretteswithinhoursoithappening.x1dGettinGintheSpiritInadditiontoinvestingintechnologyDrottisalsorethinkingthemerchan-disemix.x1cWeoerasmanyimpulseandspecialtyitemsaswecanx1dhesays.x1cWehaveamuchwidervarietythanasupermarketorgasstationandisome-onewantsaparticularbrandwex19llgetitorthem.x1dx1ehoughcigarettesstillaccountorap-proximately90percentoitstotalsalesinrecentyearsx1eownCrierhassoughttobuildupsalesinhigher-marginareasbymovingintothecigarwinespiritsandbeerbusinesses.x1cWithcigarswestartedoutwithaewglassstand-uphumidorsmaybe6eetatthemostx1dsaysDrottwhonotesthatwhilestoresizevariesbylocationatypicalx1eownCrierlocationoccupiesabout1200squareeetoretailspace.x1cNowsevenoour10storeshavewalk-inhumidors.x1dServingitsgrowingbaseocigarcustomerspresentedsomethingoalearningcurveorx1eownCrierx19sem-ployeesandtheDrottswhoattendedcigarshowsandquizzedmanuactur-erstoboneuponthecategory.x1cx1eherex19sawholedierentlanguageassociatedwithcigarsmokingx1dsaysDrott.x1cAndwhencustomersaskquestionsyouneedtobeabletohaveanintelligentconver-sation.x1dx1ehechainisnowpassingtheknowl-edgeDrotthasgleanedaboutbothci-garsandwinetocustomersthroughitsWebsitewww.thetowncrier.net.Cus-tomerscanalsopurchasecigarsonlineataseparatesitewww.towncriercigar.com.AServiceAbleSitex1cx1ehesitehasbeenagreattoolorcustomersx1dsaysDrottwholaunchedthesiteinJanuary2009.x1cx1eheycanindinormationaskquestionsbrowseourproductsandplaceordersorin-storepickup.x1dx1ehesitealsooerscustomersawayFightingtheGoodFightLikemanyretailersJonathanDrottviewsgovernmentinterventionasahugethreattobothdailybusinessandhiscompanyx19suture.Recentlywhenlegisla-torsinhisstateintroducedabilltohikecigarettetaxesby1perpackDrottlostnotimetakingaction.Hisresultsox2eragreatexampleohowretailerscancombattheunairlegislationplaguingthetobaccoretailindustrytoday.WhenthetaxbillwasintroducedDrottpennedalettertoLouisianalaw-makersoutliningtheimpactthetaxwouldhaveonhisbusinessandheusedhisWebsiteandstorestorallycustomersaroundthecause.x1cWeareontheeveoaederaltaxincreaseandpossiblyastatetaxincreaseontobaccoproductsx1dDrottwroteinanopenlettertoLouisianalawmakers.x1cWeareasmallmulti-storecompanyoperatinginourparishesoLouisiana.Weemployalmost50citizensinthoseourparishes.Tisisnotthetimeoranotherincreaseonthetaxotheproductswesell.Icanguaranteethose50citizenswillnothavejobsbytheendo2009ithisindustryhasanotherincrease.x1dDrottalsowrotedirectlytoLouisianaHouseRepresentativeKarenCarterPetersonandatersherepliedpostedhisexchangewiththelegislatoronwww.thetowncrier.netalongwithacalltoactionorhiscustomers.x1cIx19msorrytoinormeveryonethatLouisianawillbeintroducingaproposalorataxincreaseo1perpackoncigarettesx1dDrottwrotegoingontoox2ersmokersatemplatetousetofghtortheirrights.x1cIx19veincludedanalternatetaxproposalcreatedbyx1eownCrier.Alsolistedarethee-mailaddressesoallrepsandsenatorsorthestateoLouisiana.Pleasetakethetimetocopyandpastetheaddressintoane-mailandvoiceyouropinion.Pleasecheckbacktowww.thetowncrier.netorup-to-dateinormation.x1dTeex2ortsoDrottandhiscustomersandindustrypeersinLouisianawererewarded.Teproposedtaxhikewasdeeatedandthestateisnowsaeromatobaccotaxincreasex14ornow.x1cLouisianalawonlyallowstheintroductionoanewtaxbilleverytwoyearsx1dsaysDrott.x1cWex19llbeseeinganothertaxbillatthattimeguaranteed.x1dFormoredetailsvisitwww.thetowncrier.netnewsletter.aspx.