“Look, we got into the Philly markets—” Ryan began.
“Only three, and only on a provisional basis. It’s more expensive to ship there. If we had more customers it would make the cost of shipping maintainable, but we don’t. We also have more competition from bigger dairies closer to Philly, and they’ve snagged the spots in the farmer’s markets, places like that where we might have a shot. Yes, we can reach the sorts of customers who’d love a candied walnut and rosemary goat milk ice cream, but only if we find a place that will carry the products. All around, what Corinne’s been saying is the simple truth.” Patty turned to Corinne with a sigh. “Not enough growth. Guys, we have to face it. We’re going to have to shut it all down.”
Ryan sighed. He was in charge of product invention and testing. “We could go simpler. It doesn’t have to be so fancy, I guess. Get back to basics, come at it from the nostalgia angle. Stein and Sons has been around forever.”
“I don’t want to sell. I never have.” This came from Lynn, usually silent, which meant that when he did have something to say, everyone listened. Before anyone could chime in to agree or disagree, he held up a hand. Lynn had started off in the company working in the dairy barn. He knew more about the cows and goats than any of the others. His brother Dennis liked to tease that Lynn wore manure instead of cologne, and Corinne was privately inclined to agree, but no matter what he had caked on his boots, Lynn commanded respect. “But I think it’s time we seriously considered the offer again.”
The offer.
That’s how all the owners referred to it, usually in a disdainful undertone or with a casually anxious sneer. For a company with a history of staying in the same family for generations without so much as a hint of a power struggle, the idea of passing the Stein Brothers legacy into the hands of a stranger had always been unthinkable. They’d received and passed up plenty of offers for other buyouts in the past, unanimously voting to keep Stein and Sons in the hands of its grandsons and granddaughters.
Now, the offer.
It had come in two weeks ago. An insultingly terrible offer, laden with restrictions and caveats that would’ve essentially crippled the company in the long-term. It would’ve gone straight into Corinne’s trash file, but it hadn’t come directly to her.
Lynn shook his head. “I don’t know that we have any choice. Corinne’s given us the numbers. We’ve tried everything we can think of. Nothing we do is working. It’s time to let go.”
“But if we sold, we wouldn’t have the business anymore,” Jennifer said. “It would be totally gone.”
“It’s going to be gone soon anyway, if we don’t see some turnaround,” Corinne said gently. “Something has to change. Or there won’t be anything left to sell except the physical assets.”
The cousins shared a look. Dennis cleared his throat. Patty sighed. Lynn looked stoic, and Jennifer’s red eyes gave away her emotions. Only Ryan looked resigned.
“My dad always said to quit before you got fired,” he said. “I’m sorry, guys. I wish I’d been able to come up with something that had really taken off.”
Jennifer squeezed her cousin’s shoulder. “Nobody’s firing you. It’s not your fault we can’t convince anyone to expand their palates.”
“I set up a meeting with the guy for you this afternoon,” Lynn said to Corinne. “His name’s Tony Randolph, and he represents the buyer. We need to discuss the terms. The buyer’s intentions. I’ll need you to get a real handle on what’s going to be best for Stein and Sons.”
“His intentions are to throw a couple of bucks our way and make us seem grateful to have it.” Patty frowned. “That offer was almost worse than declaring bankruptcy.”
“It’s certainly nothing close to what we feel the business is worth, I know that.” Lynn shook his head. “But this might be the best thing. It could be good.”
“Not much about this can be good,” Jennifer put in, then quickly pressed her lips closed.
“We have Corinne looking out for us,” Lynn said.
Corinne slid a fingertip across her phone to bring up her calendar. “Thanks for the vote of confidence. Of course I’ll go to the meeting. What time?”
“I said you’d meet him at the StockYard Inn at two.” Lynn cracked his knuckles, then laid his hands flat on the table. “We trust you, Corinne. Hear what he has to say and bring it back to us. Help us figure it out.”
She nodded, looking at each of them in turn. Softly, she rapped her knuckles on the table. “Okay.”
Chapter Four