![]() Ratner’s Northampton store manager, Shannon Durand, said her shop has been swamped with angry phone calls. In an interview with the Globe, Ratner was moved to tears several times. Some have called him a scumbag or a fool. Comments on the company website and on social media have been brutal. “I absolutely abhor what he did, and I would not have been there had I known what was happening,” Ratner said.įor some customers, that is not good enough. Trump’s order was swiftly followed Thursday by a second move, halting a subsidy that makes health coverage affordable for many low-income citizens - an action that drew a lawsuit from Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey. He said he had no idea about the scope of the rollback of the ACA included in the executive order. He didn’t think long or hard about whether to attend. “My first reaction was ‘Holy smokes, he’s doing something good,’ ” Ratner said. Ratner received a call from the federation, inviting him to a ceremony in which Trump would sign an order restoring that power to small businesses. Since then, he has trekked to Washington, D.C., annually, talking to anyone who will listen about how unfair that is.įast-forward to two weeks ago. With the 2010 passage of the Affordable Care Act, this negotiating power vanished. For years through this federation, his company and others negotiated for cheaper group insurance rates, giving them some of the advantages large companies have. He has tried to explain this to his customers, and he’s pained that many of them won’t even listen.įor those willing to hear it, here’s the back story: Ratner is an active member of the National Retail Federation, a trade association supportive of small businesses. He said his wife now tells him that was naive, and he’s deeply regretful of his actions. Ratner said he didn’t fully understand what he was going to the White House to witness. He tracks purchases in order to provide better service. His recorded distinctive voice answers the phone at all the stores, from Stafford Springs, Conn., to Agawam, Ware, Northampton, Ludlow, and Hadley. He makes robo-calls to a large customer base - it’s not uncommon for his customers to come home from work to a message with Dave’s voice informing them of a sale. ![]() He appears in zany television commercials, prompting strangers to stop him on the street to say hello. Indeed, Ratner is a presence in Western Massachusetts. “My theory on doing business is that all things being equal, people do business with people they like,” he said. Ratner, a Springfield native who opened his first store in Hadley in 1975, said he built his brand on the idea that customers want to feel connected to the owners of the shops they patronize. The owner of Dave’s Soda and Pet City has received a lot of blowback after he was at the White House when President Trump signed an order on health care. Rouse your inner explorer, and discover what’s in store at a location near you.Read Story Cullen: Somebody throw this poor guy a bone Our name may have changed, but we continue to set the bar of quality and service established by our founders - with a fresh, friendly perspective. We are your local advantage – the premier supplier for lawn, garden and pet products through every season. Smithland Supply and myAGWAY take pride in this legacy, and our teams continue to exemplify the spirit of those who first explored and shaped New England. ![]() Smithland Supply Pet Centers in Massachusetts and Connecticut, formerly known as Dave’s Soda & Pet City, employ the same inventory and staff from its previous incarnation, and generations of customers continue to entrust us with their pets’ health and well-being. Our 12 locations have become the trusted source for customers seeking lawn, garden and pet supplies, along with competitive pricing and expert in-store advice. The Smithland Supply and myAGWAY brands are Lawn, Garden, & Pet Centers built on strong foundations, serving our New England neighbors for more than 30 years. ![]() We live by this premise, and serve communities that embody this rugged, industrious, and resolute spirit. ![]()
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