Apr 27, 2009
“Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag and smile, smile, smile . . .” With the current economic conditions lingering, when the “retreat” theme for American Quilt Retailer, Issue 87, started to formulate, the words to this 1915 World War I song came to mind. (Thanks Dad, I just knew my knowledge of old song lyrics would come in handy some day!) With the world at my fingertips, I “googled” the verse and one of the first “hits” was a YouTube version sung by Olive Riley, 108, of New South Wales. Not only was I positively charmed by Olive’s vocal presentation of “Pack up your troubles,” (you really must go listen to her!) I was also struck by the years of life I could see in Olive’s face. She knew good times and bad times, she knew the bad times passed, and she was still smiling and singing!
“Retreats” are a fabulous way to help you and your customers “pack up their troubles” and have a lot of fun. The business profile in this issue is about Scottie Dog Quilts in Eureka, Calif. BrendaLou Scott and her daughter, Liz Scott Adams, host off-site retreats, on-site retreats, and they are taking quilters on an Alaskan cruise this summer. Roseann Kermes, in “Make it happen,” shows you how to put the “treat” in retreat, and in a separate story she tells you how to organize your own retreats. Retreats are great ways of building community with your customers, making quilting a social activity, and giving quilters a respite from daily life. Doesn’t this sound good? “Ship Shape,” the FREE-to-use pattern, further ties the theme together with images of “sailing away” and “summer breezes.” Then, Beth Ferrier, in “Off-Grain,” goes right ahead and tells you to just do it — run away! Sometimes it’s exactly what’s needed. I love you, Beth!
I’ve always related making each issue of American Quilt Retailer to “giving birth,” and this is baby number 87! Oh my goodness! It’s our largest issue ever at 64 pages and there’s a lot more to see and read. Issue 87 went to press last Thursday and we saw the proofs on Friday. It’s amazing how all the ads, editorial and art comes together and it all looks so beautiful. Your copy will mail May 1, so it should arrive sometime next week!
Apr 14, 2009
The May 2009 issue of Country Living magazine arrived this past weekend. On the masthead where magazines list staff members, everyone is listed as their mothers’ son or daughter. After all everyone is their own special mother’s son or daughter and the phrasing gave the honor of their “being” to the moms. (Maybe dads will get their turn in the June issue!) The magazine includes photos of some of the staff members with their mothers. What a lovely way to pay tribute to the moms in our lives!
Why not try doing something similar in your shop? Start with your staff. Set up a bulletin board — fabric covered, of course. Ask each staff member to bring in a photo of themselves and a separate photo of their mom. Your staff member’s photo should be labeled “Mary Smith, daughter of Hazel Jones.” Leave the mothers’ photos unlabeled (but numbered), and see if your customers can match up the mothers and daughters! Print out a form for customers to do the matching. Completed forms are entered for a doorprize to be drawn on the Saturday before Mother’s Day. As a prize, maybe you could convince a local tea room to donate a gift certificate for a Mother’s Day lunch for two.
Give everyone who participates a copy of “Make Momma Happy!,” American Quilt Retailer’s FREE-to-use pattern from Vol. 14, Issue 80 (copies of this issue are still available for $7 each, plus shipping) or another free pattern.
Increase the fun by asking customers to bring in a photo of themselves with their mom. Hang these in a display featuring ideas for Mother’s Day gifts and projects.
Susan, daughter of Nancy Crofoot
Apr 3, 2009
Check out “Unchained success,” by Irene Sege, a story in yesterday’s Boston Globe.
There are other businesses out there where the neighborhood independent is doing just fine. The 12,600 square-foot Barnes & Noble in Boston’s Brookline neighborhood recently closed while nearby independent booksellers, like Brookline Booksmith, and a handful of others “are holding their own.”
The article said “In the 16 years Booksmith competed with Barnes & Noble in Brookline, the number of independent bookstores [in the country] plummeted from about 6,000 in the early 1990s to 2,200 today, according to the American Booksellers Association, the trade organization for independent shops. Although the overall number continues to fall, the rate of decline has slowed substantially, with more than 350 shops opening since 2005.”
“Independent booksellers in the United States, while things are very tough and even tougher in the current environment, have figured out a model that works,” said Oren Teicher, who heads the American Booksellers Association. “We don’t have any evidence that in the tough times more stores are going out of business.”
The model that works: an inviting, non-corporate environment that encourages long visits, personalized service, catering to customers needs, asking for customer input, hosting events, adding merchandise categories like gifts and used books, community involvement and offering e-commerce. Sound familiar?
“I do think there’s a swing back to valuing local and independent,” said Booksmith manager Dana Brigham. “Small and local can be good places to do business and very healthy for your community.”
Be sure to read the whole article, and you’ll find you’re in good company. Keep on keeping on!
Susan
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