i'm not trying to piss on anybodys parade but i don't think you guys have a clue about what it takes to run a small business.
if you have a store front, you will need a vendors permit and the tax man will want his taxes(corporate tax) whether you are making money or not, and he will make you collect the hst from your customers and remit it to him, and the rent man will want money every month and he will insist you have an insurance man, and the hydro man will want some, as will the gas man, the water man, and the suppliers, and the bookkeeper, and the accountant, and the lawyer, and the internet man, and the phone man, and the brokerman, and the license man, and if your going to hold down a job while doing it then you will have to pay an employee man and then you get the wsib man, the ei man, and the list goes on man, oh yah, don't forget the bank man, and all these mans want to make some money off you, the businessman.
i've owned and operated 2 businesses in my life, one was successful, and one was not, both took an enomous amount of work and money to get started, and it really does take five years to make it or less to break it.
it sounds to me like the lfs stores in windsor are struggling with a depressed economy, long hours and a lot of hard work just to make ends meet, he needs to make some profit so he can pay the bills and everybody wants rockbottom(no profit for the businessman) prices.
who goes to a lfs to buy water anyway, why not go there and buy a rodi unit and some salt, he can't make any money selling water.
and once you get started, your competitors will be crawling out of the woodwork, they will be undercutting your prices and everybody will be whining at you, your prices are too high, why can't you give a better deal, and then they will go somewhere else to buy their stuff.
and as for all the people on this forum who want to help, what do they really want, they want some place that has all the best stuff, the cleanest store, the greatest selection and the lowest prices
to be honest, it will be a lot easier and cheaper to support your lfs so he can make a profit, hire an employee, get things cleaned up, and contribute to the community
i'm not looking to start a fight, just my 2 cents.
Cal