Sharing Space and Ideas to Beat the Economy
Lisa Quall and Kelly Gasparich aren’t sure what business will be like when the economy rebounds, but they’re working overtime to make this challenging environment work for them.
A year ago, Lisa opened Elegant Clutter, a small boutique in Mill Creek, Washington, about 30 miles outside Seattle. Kelly joined her quickly and the two created a shop designed for women who enjoy making their homes beautiful.
Lisa and Kelly say much of the store’s success relies on attractive price points that encourage impulse-buying. They are determined to hold to their average price tag of $25 to $100 and rely heavily on IMAX products to do so.
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Expanding a Good Idea
Fast on the heels of my column last month about a small-town newspaper’s efforts to help retailers comes news of a bigger effort.
It’s called 3/50 Project and it was created by Cinda Baxter, a gift and home retail consultant. News has spread rapidly throughout the industry.
The concept is simple: choose three local businesses you would miss if they closed, visit them and spend some money with them.
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In the Eye of the Storm
As I write this, I almost feel our economy, and our industry, are in the eye of a hurricane. As you know, the early stages of a hurricane are usually followed by a calm period in the eye of the storm and then the inevitable slap of the backside of the storm.
Everyone knew in the fall and early days of the year our economy was headed for serious trouble. Now, as a new administration and many new brains try to figure out what to do, there appears to be a bit of calm while everyone waits to see what’s coming. Regardless of what happens, some people will believe in the plan and some won’t. The backside of our storm will simply be the time it takes for things to improve.
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Stepping Up to the Challenge
The best thing about Americans, I think, is our ability to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and start all over again, as the song says.
Admittedly, that may seem pretty difficult in these challenging times. But I’m beginning to see and hear indications that there is more positive thinking out there – and more people deciding to actually do something, not just worry and fret.
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High Point Best Sellers
Buyers came to High Point Market last month ready to buy, albeit sometimes in smaller quantities, and eager for interesting products.
While everyone admits traffic was down, retailers reported they were pleased with product offerings and are managing well back home.
At the IMAX showroom, business was brisk and customers were seriously shopping. The top 10 Best Sellers this Spring focused on getting a lot of “Bang for the Buck” with both contemporary and traditional statement pieces dominating the list.
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Yes You Can!
If we’ve heard it once, we’ve heard it a thousand times: When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Being a retailer, you have probably experienced it another thousand times over.
As retailers, what do we need to do to get tough? Certainly not join in with the rest of the world that seems to be predicting the doomsday of retailing. Keeping company morale up is vital to the success of your business and weathering this storm. Make sure that your employees know that no matter how tough things get or what they might hear, never share that information with customers.
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