Thursday, April 11, 2013

All in all it's just A-nother Brick in The Wall...

 Am I showing my age with this blog title? Probably. Great song. However in this case, I am talking about the wall that makes my new, second shop exist - because it is a third or so of an originally bigger space.
 See the floor plan below, shops 1 and 2, top left corner? They used to be one shop. My shop is No. 1. Yay for being No. 1!!

This is a close up crop of our space. Note how deep and narrow my shop* is? 
I am totally OK with a long, narrow space. Lots of wall space is just what we need. However, in order to have enough variety to make this shop work, we also need floor space for displays and racks.
It was meant to be 3.5m wide. When I turned up on Friday to see it for the first time after the wall went up, it was 3.25m wide. This is quite a difference when it comes to wheelchairs and pushchairs, and that sense of not having to sidle sideways past things. Such claustrophobia does not appeal to customers, or to me!
And so, we had to make a call. Insist they move it, which it turns out would mean moving sprinklers and lights, or find a way to live with it. We chose the latter.
As a result, I have been buying old tea trolleys, ladders and other quirky display options that are nice and narrow. Nothing over 400mm!
Until we actually get to move in next week and start painting and putting up slat wall and shelving, we'll not know how it's going to work.
Confession? I don't know that I mind. Experience has taught me that you can only plan so much - there is little certainty in this world and in retail there is NONE. I am big on planning, but as there are so many uncontrollable factors - like where the wall gets built, when suppliers deliver and where (boxes that were ordered to go directly to the new shop have been piling up at the old one grrr) and how many reels we can fit on the shelves without them spilling over. I have no idea.
So, wish us luck!
PS I am very inspired by the Haberdashery in the Great British Sewing Bee and have already changed my colour scheme from white to that lovely neutral rice colour, among other...surprises :)

*I just love typing "my shop," can you tell? ;-)

11 comments:

  1. I can hear the excitement go your "voice". Sounds like you have a positive attitude to all the upheaval! best wishes for your shop!

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    1. Hehehe.I think I've just surrendered to it, instead of fighting it. It's a good place to be!

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  2. Best wishes to your shop.. Sounds fantastic..

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  3. Aww. Small place management! Something I know familiarly, and mostly fail at. :-) Good luck with yours - it sounds like it's going to be a fun, quirky, inspirative place. Sometimes, smaller space can be good for creative things, I think - you get to see them all side by side and inspiration strikes!

    And no, I don't think you're showing your age. After all, I regularly listen to a song from 1977-1978 without giving a second thought to the fact that it's a decade older than myself... and what should I say about listening to all those 15th century songs?! :D
    Basically, whatever.

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    1. I can imagine you listening to late '70's music. It's one of my favourite eras for music too! SO much happening! Confession - I love small spaces for living. They force me to be organised in ways that large ones don't, and the constraint focusses my creativity.
      And less cleaning ;-)

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  4. Wow this is getting real then. You're buying things and have done the final 'yes'. Bugger about the smaller than anticipated space but you're so right about planning. Oh well all do. Your new shop is going to be fab. Can't wait to see it ...

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    1. Just think when you are a wage slave again you can come and take refuge at lunchtimes! ;-)

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    2. I thought of that the minute I saw your post :) as I rarely get down to the Marion St end of town nowdays, when I am in the city that is. And I'm already job hunting too.

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  5. Dear Mrs. C.,

    What a nice discovery, to walk into a new wall, so to speak :)

    Still, you've got such the right outlook for retail, and I have a sense that the "let's make this space work by going vertical" take may have some payoff in that the space may feel special and cozy, and the colors going up the wall like murals painted in alleys: a private art exhibit, just for the close passersby.

    Cascading rolls of ribbon.

    Whoof, it's gone pink in the east, while the west, where the sun is setting, is cloudy. A strange sensation. Must be a sun leak somewhere. Quite a show.

    Very best,

    Natalie

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    1. What a glorious word picture of your spring world, Natalie! :) We re losing the sun and winter has arrived, unpacked it suitcase and is settled in well and truly. Rain, cold, th lot. Bizarre that it was so very sudden!
      Our space is looking amazing - we've changed our plans for decorating, losing a bunch of wall papering so it is much simpler as it looks fine as it is, and thus finishing faster and being able to stock sooner, find out what we still need sooner, getting that organised sooner, and generally making money sooner, I hope! :)

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