02.14.08
A photo essay…
Nathan took these last Christmas… the store was plump and happy ;)
… and that’s how I’ll remember you…
… and that’s how I’ll remember you…
02.13.08
growl… soapbox time
Okay… so, I’m getting a lot of people coming in and saying things like…
“I’ve never been here but I see you are going out of business… WHY?”
So, you’ve never been here… I see you aren’t buying anything… but you are foaming at the mouth to find out why this failed and you aren’t afraid to ask? Well, next time I see a funeral, I’ll just hop out of the car and ask them why the ol’ bloke passed? Okay, so that’s not the same (sorry, runaway fingers)… but for something like this… all I have to say is… if you aren’t a regular and know me, you aren’t going to get the entire tale.
“Oh, I told you that this location wasn’t any good”
Well, actually… this location served its purpose. I don’t get the foot traffic that say… Montrose gets, but I’m not paying $4 a square foot, either. This was “low risk” to me. I could move forward and give it another year or two or three, but I’m ready to move on. But honestly, I’m sick of explaining it 50 times a day. Literally, I’ve told the “why” story over 400 times… probably more. So, please excuse my lack of enthusiasm when you tell me how to do business or that I did something wrong, in your opinion.
“North Carolina?!?!? Why on EARTH would you EVER want to move there?”
Everyone who shrieks at the North Carolina idea has NEVER been there. I repeat, they have NEVER been there. It is NOT the “deep south” and I have checked it out, thought it through and wait… how is it going to effect you, anyway?
So, yes… I’m a tad tired. Please excuse my ranting…
Anyone else out there who had a store… can you give me some pointers? ;)
On the other side… from the first wave of true, loyal, loving customers, I’ve received nothing but praise, good wishes and hugs. So, I shouldn’t complain ;) So, thank you from the warmest part of my heart, which is in hiding right now ;)
**Thank you for putting up with me**
02.04.08
And they’re off!
Wow. A sale. Normally, a sale takes time to prepare for and it’s a tad chaotic.
A clearance sale. Now, that’s something that strikes fear in the hearts of retail workers everywhere.
But… a “going out of business” Sale. Holy Cow. Run for the hills.
I have never ever ever been as busy as I was this weekend. Ever. EVER.
I told the “We’re moving… adventure… website business… mental breakdown in December” story… about 150 times and 14 different ways. By the end I was just saying “Moving, sorry… miss you”. Tina thinks I’ll be down to one word by the end of this week ;)
The store looks so strange. Things strewn everywhere. Very distinct sections are now not so. Stuff on the floor, furniture missing… gaps everywhere.
I’m not sad yet, but I’m sure it’s going to hit me soon. A very french-sounding Amelie song came on and I was trying to get misty and nostalgic… as the accordion played, little toy piano notes danced, I tilted my head and leaned up against the wall… just waiting to embrace a little moment with the store… customers happily hunting for treasures and enjoying the music… I looked round with a slight girlish grin… then two kids started fighting, a very loud something crashed to the floor about 20 feet away followed by an audible “oops!”, someone complained that a piece of furniture they wanted was sold and then the phone ring. I snapped out of it very quickly, and reality set in ;)
I’m being teased by a certain someone that I should write a book about owning a store. Start out with beautiful pictures and optimistic quotes and anecdotes, then slowly progress into the chaotic, time consuming, Holiday-loathing truth that it is ;) I’m exaggerating… but you’d buy that book, wouldn’t you? ;)
I must take pictures. I must document how quickly the store is selling off… piece by piece. 5 years in the making, 24 days in the taking-down.
Reminder… 30% off Friday the 1st of February until Thursday the 14th… then on Friday the 15th, items will be marked down 40%. Also, as things clear out we are putting out more things from storage and also working our way into art supplies (Mosaic stuff, soap-making supplies etc)… so you will definitely see NEW things every time you visit!
Have a wonderful week… thanks for reading :)
01.26.08
And I kind of skirted the issue… didn’t I.
Yes, I am closing the store.
Yes, I’m going to be in a puddle, on the floor the days leading up to closing the doors. I’ve already had some surprise tears hit me for no reason. The way the floor squeaks, a nail that I remember nailing in the wall at an odd angle, the way the store smells… locking the door after a long day and standing back to view a window display I’ve been working on for hours and hours.
I’m not sure how I’m going to do it…
There was this one day in December… something happened. On my 25th day of working almost every day…. I snapped. I had to get out of the store and look at the sky. Sit and sip a latte. Be by myself. I realized at that very moment that I couldn’t do it anymore… it was overwhelming. Normally, a decision has a 1 or 2 year shelf life for me. An idea/change/opportunity is presented to me and I have to sit on it for 12-24 months. With the store, everything was easy. I wanted a store, I wanted to expand. There was no question in my mind that I couldn’t make it work. But on this day in December… I knew that this chapter was over. And it has felt right ever since. A few people have asked if I’ve lost weight… “Yes, about 60 tons!” (How much does a building weigh, anyway?) If you have ever owned a store, you are nodding right now.
As the news spread (fast)… I have been getting the most beautiful emails. Not one has been angry. All… supportive. Sweet, thoughtful and kind words. And even messages on my answering machine! I well up just thinking about it. You get it… you get all the love I put into this space. You get that with the energy I put into all of this… every tiny square inch has been delicately thought out at one time or another. My spirit lives there.
I wouldn’t call this a mid-midlife crisis… but with that change, a flood of change came with it. I eloped last December. Nathan and I have been together 8 years… engaged almost 3… it was time. And it was perfect, in my humble opinion :) The drive-thru wedding chapel in Las Vegas on a Sunday night. Spontaneous, simple… I wore jeans. It felt right, and it was so “us”.
The other huge change is that we are moving to North Carolina. This has been a subject of conversation for over a year now. My cousin is there with her family, two of our best friends are in the area, too… but that wasn’t the reason to go. Two visits, both with me hugely reluctant and pouting like a baby… the first visit left me hating the place. The second one, even with a terrible cold… I could see the beauty and opportunity of the area. Young families everywhere. It’s really clean, safe…. making all sorts of lists as one of the best places to live in the United States. I’m normally freaked out by any little change… so, I had to push those fears aside. For the first time in my life, I’m taking a leap of faith that this will be good for us. If it isn’t, heck… California isn’t going anywhere. I could go on and on about North Carolina, the Durham/Raleigh area more specifically… only because I’ve done SO much research.
I will continue to blog and list on my website. And, I’m really excited to get back into my art. I’ve been talking about a wholesale line forever, I think this finally gives me the opportunity to give it the time it needs.
I hope that you will all keep in touch, and I can receive updates on things happening in La Crescenta :) There is so much I’ll miss about the store, this little city, California… but deep down, I know I’m doing the right thing for me :)
So, here is the postcard I sent out… click on the pictures to see them larger…
I’m going to miss everyone so much! I’ve made so many friends, and many have become quite dear to me… I’m calling this the best learning experience of my life, and best opportunity of my life. Thank you for taking this journey with me, I really couldn’t have done any of it without all of you :)
01.23.08
Coming to a mailbox near you….
The latest postcard… (I’ll add the art when I get home!) is reaching mailboxes everywhere today… and I’ve already gotten quite a few calls.
The big news is… I’m closing the store :(
It’s hard to explain, especially because there are so many emotions attached and pulling them out to make a final decision truly proved itself difficult. I’ve been thinking about this for over a year now. There are so many reasons, and I’ll try to explain them the best that I can.
geesh, it’s hard to get sentimental while surrounded by people asking questions about drawer pulls… I’ll finish this tonight
*update: 3:30 am… I think I broke my toe so no update… bah. Debating urgent care… I’ll blog tomorrow night, I promise :)*
*update: 5:35 am… yep… confirmation that it’s broken. 2-6 weeks to heal, keep elevated and go easy on it. Awesome! I just kept thinking of Elliot from Scrubs… saying “Frick!” and her bangs convulsing. The boys in urgent care were keeping it real and bumping… possibly Grandmaster Flash… my x-ray tech looked like Vin Diesel… awesome. So, heads up yo, I’m not going to be at the shop today because a south paw digit has snapped… yo.*** End update :)
12.26.07
50% off After Christmas Sale!!!
Go to my website and all the Christmas and Holiday candles are 50% off!!! Also, all Colonial Candles are 40% off and the Webkinz are 50% off!
Please note, due to fast-moving inventory on the web and in the store, it’s possible something you buy will not be available when you purchase it. I will let you know immediately what is not available and your credit card will NOT be charged until I get authorization from you :)
Thanks!! And Merry Merry!!! :)
12.11.07
Lost
I feel like I’ve been in the jungle and I’m writing on an ancient typewriter, face smeared with dirt, wearing weather-beaten khakis, a pith helmet while surrounded by man-eating plants and various monkeys. The past week has been such a blur of gift wrapping, hors d’œuvre making, coffee brewing, tagging and find-the-last-ornament-on-the-tree playing that I have neglected so many other things! yeesh! :) But, I’m so very grateful that we have been busy & the Holidays are finally in full swing… I was worried there for a moment :)
Quick side note, before I forget… we are out of pooping sheep & penguin candy dispenser things. All the pretty hand-dipped chocolate goodies… still here… pooping plastic animals… “Ewww, that’s disgusting! I’ll take three!” Seriously. Please tell me who you are buying these things for. I want reactions.
Holiday open house… check. Cathi Milligan’s demo days and bead sale… check. I can’t believe they are wrapped up! Pics below:
close quarters!
The backside of water… I mean of the counter :)
we made 100’s of tags…
And now… Cathi Milligan on the torch!
I love those pictures!
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Gratuitous Meg-a-moo picture :) |
11.29.07
Overuse of the word “recently”
When rushing… you tend to agonize on things that don’t need agonizing then forget that you used the word “recently” more than once in less than a 2 sentence radius. But the postcard looks cute!
Saturday December 8 is our open house from 10 am - 7 pm… if you come up to the store you get the above card which gives you directions to Babs’ Historical Home. You get to wander over and get a tour of her beautiful home! (The one that was in Cottage Style Magazine) We’re going to have a few artists up at the shop for the open house, Tracee Falkow of Classic Vintage Treasures will be up here with her jewelry and we’ll have a few other surprises :)
On Sunday, December 9 from 12 pm - 3 pm, you can see artist Cathi Milligan work magic with fire and glass! Her beads are awesome and she’s been making cupcake BUTTONS and other new things that are squeal-worthy!!!! Come check it out! It’s very rare that we sell her beads loose, so you won’t want to miss this!
In other news… I have new purses, tons of jewelry, scarves and more… we’re bursting at the seams with stuff!!! Also, our website is slowly being stocked with new things… please check it out!
More pictures, news, my attempt at an advent calendar and more, coming soon!
Sandy!!! (Author of this amazing blog) Where are you?? Come up and visit again! :)