Dobleve

In our town we have a Sombrereria – a hat store – complete with a hat maker.  Shannon and I both love costumes and a hat can help complete any costume perfectly.  A custom made hat even more so!

The hat maker and I hit it off from the first conversation we had about this hat.  He asked why I wanted it like that, was it for a wedding?  No, I just like hats and this one is fun!  Nowadays I may be his favorite customer in town.

Since then we talk frequently, of new hat designs (the current one is a secret project for an upcoming trip….), life, politics and travel.  For both of us its a great way to learn about the world the other is from.

  Anyway, a week ago a new hat arrived in the store that he had been telling me about for a while, he thought it would be perfect for me – and it was, so I bought it.   The pricetag on the hat said 90€ but as I went to pay he said 80€.  I told him he needs to make a living too and that the original price was fine.  He said no, its his store and he sets the prices and 80€ was the price for me.  

  He then asked if its normal to bargain for prices in the United States.  I told him not usually (and usually its not the owner demanding a lower price than the one listed), but that in my experience when a customer is really upset a store will sometimes reduce the price, is that normal in Spain I asked?  “No,”  he said, “If someone yells at me or isn’t nice I don’t want to do anything to encourage them to come back!”