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Thursday, August 16, 2007

Tales of a Shop Owner










October 16, 2007
Well, call me crazy but we are opening another store. I have been playing with the idea for the past 6 months but didn't really seriously look for a store front until a couple of months ago. This one actually came to me via my good friend Anne, she called and said I should see this space that was opening up in Glen Ellyn, it has a studio--that was all I needed. Jody just happened to be in town that week along with Sarah, my daughter the school teacher from Minnesota, so we all hopped in the car to look at the space and I fell in love with it... tall tin ceilings, hardwood floors, great display windows and did I mention a studio? So this is it....what do you think? Needs a few tweaks. Here is the inside just as we saw it...1600 sq feet, a lot smaller then Simply Posh but this is will be manageable.












Studio space
OK, the color is the first to go...pumpkin and bright green is not exactly going to showcase antiques....but look at the wonderful high tin ceilings and hardwood floors not to mention the studio space!






There are really 2 store fronts but they are connected by a large opening and few steps down. We painted the green side a Ralph Lauren called Homestead and I love it the other side is a linen color. I love Ralph Lauren paints...the color always accents the antiques, he doesn't start with that clean base that makes colors look so sherberty or clean, which tends to make antiques look dirty. At first his paint quality was bad but he has improved it and I am sold on the product.
This was somewhat of a hard move....I hired workmen and a truck to bring in the large stuff but the small stuff I packed in tubs and loaded my my SUV. I had just bought a new Envoy by GMC and was loving it...it didn't beat my van for loading but I didn't really plan on a shop again, so I thought it perfect for my needs. The day before the truck and men were to arrive I was taking a load to the shop in my 2 week old car and some gal decided she wanted to turn left right in front of me. Headed east bound going 45 mph...smack....they transported both of us (wouldn't do that again unless I was unconscious) I am a little claustrophobic and being strapped to a plastic board wasn't my idea of fun. We were both ok but not my new car...the doc said I would be sore and forget moving the next day--ha. I had to move the next day! It all turned out good, I really wasn't that bad the next day and got through the move. But my car was in the hospital for a month and $15,000 later. The gal didn't have insurance and that is a whole other story but I have All State and I have to say they handled it all great.
Things always have a way of working out in the end...even if it seems the end is not in sight.
Blessings
Rebecca