Posted on October 9th, 2026

Years ago, I owned a retail pharmacy in Friend, Nebraska. It was a small-town pharmacy in a town of about 1,000 people, and I owned and operated it for 17 years.

One thing I learned during those years was fairly straightforward:

You need to pay attention to what your customers are telling you.

Sometimes, they're telling you without saying a word.

It Started with Greeting Cards

We had a small section of greeting cards and gift wrap—about 20 feet of rack space.

And we couldn't keep it in stock.

That got my attention.

People in the community were buying cards. They were buying gift wrap. And they were coming into our store to do it.

So instead of looking at that as just another small department, I started thinking:

What if we gave our customers more of what they were already telling us they wanted?

We eventually remodeled the store and expanded that little card section into about 100 feet of Hallmark cards and party goods, along with a complete gift shop.

And it wasn't just about selling more cards.

It was about understanding the community.

Anniversaries Were a Big Deal

In a small rural town, anniversaries were important.

Really important.

Especially 25th, 40th and 50th anniversaries.

I remember one particularly challenging aspect regarding 50th anniversaries. At the time, Hallmark only offered four designs of cards specifically for a 50th anniversary.

That sounds like plenty—until you realize that we might have two or three 50th anniversaries within a couple of months.  And everyone knew everyone and wanted to say congratulations.

In a town of about 1,000 people.

So if Hallmark had four designs, we couldn't just order one or two of each.

We might have to stock 30 of each design.

Why?

Because when someone came into our store looking for a 50th anniversary card for someone they cared about, I wanted them to find it.

Not hear:

"Sorry, we are out."

We Learned What People Were Looking For

The same thing happened with gifts.

We carried imported crystal and glass gifts, including pieces designed around anniversary traditions.

Silver for the 25th.
Red for the 40th.
Gold for the 50th.

We weren't just selling merchandise.

We were helping people celebrate important milestones.

And because we understood what people in our community were looking for, we became a place they thought of when they needed something special.

Need a 50th anniversary card? Go to the pharmacy.

Need a gift? Go to the pharmacy.

Need party goods or a card for ANY occasion? Go to the pharmacy.

That's not what most people would expect from a pharmacy.

But that's exactly the point.

Become the Go-To Destination

The lesson isn't really about greeting cards, Hallmark, or gift shops.

It's a lesson that applies to almost any business.

Whatever business you're in, learn what your customers want.

Pay attention to what they're asking for.

Pay attention to what they're buying.

Pay attention to what they're having trouble finding.

And when you find something your customers want, don't just dabble in it.

Consider becoming the place they know they can count on.

You don't necessarily have to be the biggest business in town.

You just need to be the business place people think of when they need what you do.

That's how you become the go-to destination.

And sometimes, the best business opportunities are sitting right in front of you.

You just need to pay attention.

A Lesson That Applies to Every Small Business

Your customers are constantly giving you information.

Your sales tell you what they're buying.

Your questions tell you what they need.

Your requests tell you what they're having trouble finding.

And your financial reports tell you which of those opportunities are actually making money.

Listen to your customers. Watch your numbers. Then give people more of what they want.

That lesson served me well in retail—and it's one I still believe applies to many small businesses today.

At Ahern Bookkeeping, I help business owners understand what their financial reports are telling them so they can make better decisions about where to focus their time and money.