I come from a long line of shoe salesmen. My grandfather ran the shoe store in Pueblo, Colorado. I sold shoes. I sold shoes to pay for beer in college. I am not a retail artisan, but I love watching a person practice their craft.
Retail is a craft.
My grandfather was a retail artisan when it came to shoes. Unfortunately, many of us rarely get to witness a retail artisan. No hassles, competitive prices and no rude retail workers. Retail has its best answer to the Internet, but it's going to require a major shift in the retailer's philosophy. It's the combination of retailing and entertaining.