(no subject)
Yesterday I signed a contract for a new display case, in the downtown Wisconsin Dells mall. I also signed a promisary note to rent their back room once they re-roof it. Their roof totally collapsed in several rooms of their store and has to get rebuilt. Once it happens, I have a store!
It is a huge room, with pegboard on the top half of the wall the entire way around the room. Plus, I also get an antique, huge, oak, locked display case -- it is beautiful! I am going to set up a Teacher's Supplies/ Paper Emporium there. The teacher's supplies will be vintage, not newer (this is an antique mall).
When I was doing antique shows a goodly portion of my sales were to teachers and homeschoolers. I know how to cater to that crowd, and it is a buying population which will SEEK OUT my store, not just impulse buy when they are being tourists. Of course I will also get the later, but my focus will be on building my own customer base. I can do that here, and I don't have to watch the shop because they do that for me. Having to keep regular hours was the biggest thing holding me back from opening my own store; I can't be reliable that way. Now, I don't have to be.
This is an absolute "Dream Come True", in so many ways I can't even express it all. I am excited, and nervous, and scared (I am always scared with sales -- did I already sell all the good stuff? Will anyone show up? Will anyone buy anything? ... these questions and more are always in my head before a sale; I now know to take them as they come and not get too worried.)
I have a lot of work to do ahead of me, and I believe I am up to the task. Now comes the time of putting one's effort into where they already put their money and their mouth. I offer gratitude to the universe for offering me this opportunity.
ps ... it is a nice distraction from the grieving; right after I signed the contract I went into a huge grieving binge. I am moving on; it is very difficult. On Wednesday and Thursday I woke up with serious nightmares; Friday and today I woke up excited and looking towards the future.
It is a huge room, with pegboard on the top half of the wall the entire way around the room. Plus, I also get an antique, huge, oak, locked display case -- it is beautiful! I am going to set up a Teacher's Supplies/ Paper Emporium there. The teacher's supplies will be vintage, not newer (this is an antique mall).
When I was doing antique shows a goodly portion of my sales were to teachers and homeschoolers. I know how to cater to that crowd, and it is a buying population which will SEEK OUT my store, not just impulse buy when they are being tourists. Of course I will also get the later, but my focus will be on building my own customer base. I can do that here, and I don't have to watch the shop because they do that for me. Having to keep regular hours was the biggest thing holding me back from opening my own store; I can't be reliable that way. Now, I don't have to be.
This is an absolute "Dream Come True", in so many ways I can't even express it all. I am excited, and nervous, and scared (I am always scared with sales -- did I already sell all the good stuff? Will anyone show up? Will anyone buy anything? ... these questions and more are always in my head before a sale; I now know to take them as they come and not get too worried.)
I have a lot of work to do ahead of me, and I believe I am up to the task. Now comes the time of putting one's effort into where they already put their money and their mouth. I offer gratitude to the universe for offering me this opportunity.
ps ... it is a nice distraction from the grieving; right after I signed the contract I went into a huge grieving binge. I am moving on; it is very difficult. On Wednesday and Thursday I woke up with serious nightmares; Friday and today I woke up excited and looking towards the future.