[Harp-L] Elk River Harmonicas closing down stock Seydel business

[David Payne <dmatthew@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Gang, 

It's gotten to the point where it is impossible for me to keep up with everything, get things out in a timely fashion, etc. A lot of this was due to the two months I was battling the swine flu and was unable and felt it unethical to work on anybody's harmonicas while in that condition. 
Last week I had a situation where the computer was down and I was working and my wife's car broke down and she was working, too and had to take my car, other stuff came up and in the end, I was unavailable by e-mail for six days. You can't run a business like that. Also, for the past few weeks, whatever "free" time I might have found, was spent dealing with stock harmonica orders, which by necessity, need to be handled at a faster pace and in the end, little time was left for the repair orders that are still hanging around the shop from the swine flu ordeal. Mailing stuff several times a week is a nightmare, especially these days. The Postal Service is impossible... I can't leave valuable stuff in my mailbox, you can't put anything over 13 ounces in a regular mailbox, or they will send it back, and every day there's a line at the post office. 
It's not so much that I'm reeling from not having a day off in three years, I'm simply not able to maintain the stock business anymore and I need to slow down what is coming in.
This is important: It's not that I am throwing my hands up in the air and walking away today or anything like that. There are still people who have outstanding orders and my decision was primarily so that I can take care of those folks. 

In a nutshell, I'm not actively selling stock Seydels anymore. 
The repair business will stay open, but won't be taking any new repairs until all the current repairs are finished... around Jan. 1. 
The custom business will remain open. 


Thanks
Dave