I suppose it depends how much, or if you care at all who ends up getting the money you spent, Dave.
If, like you say 'you don't give a shit', and all that matters is a good price, then yeah it doesn't really matter. But as is evident here and has been repeated already, there's a lot of treeworkers who do care where they spend there money, and feel like they're contributing to a companies evolution and continuity when they repeatedly shop there. An investment, call it. And that's just the customers....not to mention the actual Product Manufacturers who make a similar investment by offering access of their product line to the company (in this case treestuff), thinking it was a secure and long term relationship. And then, one day without any prior indication or warning, you read on treebuzz that Treestuff just sold out to Sherrill....and that's that.
I think its a matter of principle. Some people will feel it, others wont. Right and wrong is just a personal perception really. I dont like how some of my personal designs have been distributed and controlled through treestuff for a couple years at least....only to discover and realise through an impersonal thread on a public forum that this 'buy-out' has taken place. Dress it up as 'business' if you want, but to me its not cool....being mislead that is.
Incidentally, the guys at Stein are really looking forward to working with Sherrill, apparently. They steer the boat, and I trust in their judgement, so whatever. Sherrill have a dealer here in Victoria now too, I may have said that already. In a small city on an island its like a blessing. I tell all the local guys to shop there because we need them to stay open.
