Retail Ramblings….. Over the nearly 10 years I have had my little gift store, I’ve learned a LOT about retail, owning and operating a gift store, the gift store market, procuring merchandise, producing handmade goods myself, finding and interacting with consignors, setting price points, keeping track of overheads, book keeping, taxes, etc., etc., etc.
Most of all I’ve learned so much about PEOPLE! All sorts of folks have walked through my door over the years. Most (I’d say about 99%) are pleasant, interesting, engaged and bring good karma with them. And then there are the 1% who mess with your mind, are rude, obnoxious, arrogant, spiteful, sometimes downright stupid and give you unprovoked lip and attitude…. and leave you feeling mad and angry. And if you’re like me, it takes time to settle down after one of these episodes and calm down again. Sometimes I can go two days over-thinking incidents. I know I shouldn’t, but that’s ME.
I’ve started this blog to share some of the trails and tribulations of the retail world and what I’ve learned (more often than not, the hard way) with whoever are interested in reading my ramblings.
I’m writing about the good, the bad and the ugly, the mind boggling, the “Bye Felicia” types, the ill-informed, the messy shoppers, the arrogant and overbearing ones, the “I’m the kid’s Best Friend” parents, the over-sharing, the alpha males, the submissive females, the shoplifters, the ones who cannot make eye contact, but also about the many beautiful friendships formed, the many new ideas born and discussed, the collaborations, those who have enriched my life forever……
Owning the gift store has been a wild ride at times for me. I had no prior retail experience when I started. I had a vague idea of what I wanted to do and a lot of arrogant ignorance, lacked a business plan, had to figure it out as I went… often searching the web late at night for solutions, ideas and general retail related information. But somehow I pulled it together and have survived for nearly 10 years now. Maybe it’s not long for you, but surviving for 10 years is more than what I expected when I started. Hopefully I’ll be going strong for another 10 years. I’m proud of that. I did not do it alone though…. every customer, every consignor and most of all, every friend and stranger who listened to me and provided valuable advice have helped me to survive and grow.
So, I hope you enjoy reading about my journey as I add more pages to this blog. And maybe, just maybe, some of the things I’ll share will be of value to someone somewhere or just provide a smile and a moment of reflection.
We’ve all been customers in many stores….. my blog will provide a view from “behind the counter” of what it’s like to deal with customers. Having the store has definitely made me much more mindful when I go shopping, be it in a tiny gift store, the corner cafe or Walmart.
Enjoy the ride down memory lane with me!
Retail Ramblings 