With 2012 officially behind us, it’s time to pack up what’s
left of the holiday season. My mom and I spent days packing up the holiday
decorations in the store and throwing together our new display window. As we
struggled to spray paint MDF letters reading “THE REALLY BIG SALE” in twenty
degree weather, it finally hit me that we survived our first holiday season in
our own store. Sure, we’ve had an online store for a bit, but it feels much
more real now. This didn’t happen overnight. I spent nearly two years planning,
researching, and being told no before I finally got the brick-and-mortar store
off the ground. From the moment we signed the lease back in late August, there hasn’t
been a second to reflect on the magnitude of what we’ve been doing. I’m immensely
proud of the business we are building, but with the last few days to reflect
and look forward, the fear has finally started to set in.
This is my first post-holiday season that I haven’t worked
for a corporate retailer, so I don’t really know what to expect. All I know is
that it’s that weird, in-between time of the year when the sale shoppers come out
and customer loyalty goes away for a month or two. Those of you who have worked
in corporate retail know what I’m talking about…the “sale shopper.” You know,
those people who would never set foot in the store on a normal day, who venture
out in the frigid winter months with one thing in mind: steals and deals. Now, don’t
get me wrong, I love a good deal as much as the next person, but the “sale
shopper” takes it to a new level. I’ve had customers try to haggle over blazers,
barter beds, and my favorite, the ones who intentionally damage items to get a
deeper discount. Yes, people actually do this.
I’m not really afraid that anyone would do these things in
my store. It’s more a fear that I don’t know what the next year will bring. Working
for someone else, I generally knew what to expect every day. I could
merchandise a room or count a till in my sleep, but it feels different now. Owning
a business is hard. There, I said it. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I can’t
help but think about one of the more poignant episodes of Gilmore Girls (one of
my favorite shows). When Lorelei is struggling to open the Inn, she vents to
Luke about her business woes and asks him how long it took before he started
having fun at his Diner. His response: “about a year.” Well, I am having fun,
but I totally get what he meant. There’s a feeling of ease that comes when you
are having fun…and I’m not there yet. I guess I’ll revisit this topic in 41
weeks when we mark our one year anniversary, but in the meantime, I’ll get back
to packing away the ornaments at the store and (maybe) get started on the ones
at home.
