[Allan Senefelder]

Before my attempt to do the right thing after closing The Mercenarys Tailor heads completely down the road of epic mistake it apperas I should explain a few things so everybody can have a handle on how things are working.

I've gone through all the outstanding work, and under 25% of it was bought at 5 year out of date prices, leaving over 70% that would only sell at 20% off that. Translation, theres no support for the business. I plodded on longer than I should have, both out of a hope that things might change and a sense of resposibility to my part time guys. Thats on me. The lack of support for the business, and staying open a bit longer than I should have rather than acknowledging that theres not the interest to support making a living at it any more has resulted in A) debt for me, and B) me having to take on a different full time job. Upon closing I made the decision not to simply do the " armoury freakout " so common to all, where a maker gets in over thier head ( part of my reason for pulling the plug before the hole got deeper ) and simply disappeare with peoples cash never to be heard from again. I also decided against filing bankrupcy, which would have effectively left people in the same boat. I decided to work through peoples orders and be avaliable to get ahold of regarding that work.

That being said, working for some one else full time was going to remove at least 45 hours week from my schedual, between driving to and from work and actually being there, and thats assuming no overtime. After over 200 applications, and some 4 temp agencies, making looking for a job over these last weeks a full time job in and of itself, I have finally landed a job on an HVAC construction crew. Selling off my property on ebay to live off of while trying to cover shipping supplies, mail outs and small amounts of supplies to work on outstadning commsisons around job hunting has made that a very close thing. Construction means overtime, in the area of 50-60 hours a week and i'm driving closer to ten hours a week back and forth so out of the 80 hours a week I was working making armour i'm now down to between 10-20. Additionally, i'm working from before the post office opens till after it closes M-F so the only time I can deal with posting anything out is possibly Saturday, after spending my morning running around for packing supplies and actually packaging up items and taking them to the post office. Figure another 2-4 hours gone.

I will essentially have my weekends and an hour or two on some evenings to work. This is what happens when some one who can devote 80 hours a week, can no longer financially afford to do that, they have to work for some else and that means thier time is no longer thier own. I didn't want to have to quit armouring for a living but if the market won't bare it then it isn't feasible. Because my time now belongs to some one who will pay a living wage, there will be no "ETA's" because I have no idea how much of my time they will demand one week to the next and I need this job, no job, no house, no house no shop, no shop no finished orders. I will work as much as I am able to do to fullfill out standing work but it will simply take time to do, period. If there were still demand for what we did, then no problem but there wasn't so this is where we are. I will work on paying back single orders at a time, I will determine who, in order to shorten up getting this all finished up ASAP around my new job, as I wish to get out of this completely as soon as I can and close this chapter of my life for good. As i'm staring to get " ETA " emails in I thought it best to put forward the facts as they may not have all occured to folks and I wanted everyone to be on the same page.

I hope this makes everything clear for folks.

[Joe Fults]

Easy for me to say since I don't have anything outstanding with you, but I'm just glad to hear you managed to find work, and that the work is going to be enough for you to get on with taking care of yourself and your family. Good luck.

[Ray Guethler]

I'm glad to hear that you've found a new job. That is a tough task all on its own.

[Jean Thibodeau]

Allan: Yes this is very good news that you found a job and I'm still sad that you had to pack it in making armour.

I also understand that when a dream goes sour one is better off to move on completely as the joy of making the stuff probably was gone a long time ago.

Glad you didn't wait too long to pull the plug but you should be proud, in my opinion, that you are not a quitter and only succumbed to market realities when there was really no other sane option.

60 hours of work a week sounds possitively " relaxing " compared to the 80 hours you where putting in.

As far as I'm concerned you took the high road, and as you said didn't just fall off the map or declare bankrupcy and stiff your clients.

I also, understand why ETA(s) are now impossible but I have no doubts or worries about my orders being filled.

Proud to consider you a friend.
Jean