"Beer Summit" leaves out a green beer

Photo by Matthew Levine


It seems like everyone is chiming in with what they would like to see served at the "Beer Summit," as they are calling the upcoming informal meeting at the White House. Apparently the choices of those appearing have left out our local small brews and they have everyone second-guessing Pres. Obama'a choice of a Bud Light. Now that Bud is owned by a non-American company, apparently it is a big deal. Don't get me wrong - I got through college on cheap beer, and Barack is free to keep on drinking that stuff if he likes. A cold light beer on a hot day sure hits the spot. However, I have recently learned some info about one of my favorite "grown-up" beers that I feel makes it a much better choice.

Growing up in Texas has its perks and bordering Louisiana has them as well. Heading down to New Orleans to get some culture, me and my brother discovered a little Louisiana brewery called Abita Beer. They make such brews as the popular Amber, Purple Haze, but my absolute favorite (which just happens to be on tap at New World Brewery) is Turbo Dog. I don't know how they named it, but I like to picture some little cajun kid with a super fast three-legged dog hollerin' "Come on Turbo Dog, less git goin!" as they walk down a railroad track.

Anyway, the point of all this back story... Abita has been quietly working to make beer as green as possible and not just on St. Paddy's day! They have a beer brewing system that captures the steam and reduces the energy used by something like 70%. They also use recycled and reduced packaging sizes and supply the local farmers with leftovers from some of the grains and hops used for feed. They even built their own wastewater treatment plant where they can convert a lot of the waste to bio-gas for their own boilers and reduce the water sent to the local sewer plant by 85%. On top of all that, they added auxilliary power units to their delivery trucks which cut down on idling when the trucks are sitting still!

I'm not sure why I would drink anything else, but just try it for yourself. Maybe you'll even feel a little better about that brew in your glass. You'll not only be supporting an independent brewer, but also a rare green leader in the not-so-eco-friendly world of beer.

By the way, if you see Pres. Obama, why don't you offer him a beer, and maybe something with some flavor?

Display is Like Playing Dominoes...... Everything Moves!

Early yesterday morning and late last night, I worked on new product displays at Poppyseeds. Temps here in the Seattle area have been in the high 90's all week, so we are all making adjustments to how and when we work each day.

This might seem like a strange time to choose to restyle retail displays, but it was just time for a change... the existing look had been there for two months, and that's just too long! Variety is needed each month to keep customers interested and returning. The photos above show the final product: a sunny, bright, cheerful mid-summer look as soon as you enter this darling boutique.

Another reason for the change was that new product had also arrived, so it was time to feature it in the front room. In a small shop, when you move one item, it affects everything else. The product that was here was relocated to another room - which meant that everything in that room had to be rearranged as well, to accommodate the merchandise. It's like lining up dominoes and watching them fall! I'm not sure if it's an 'official' industry term, but 'Domino Effect' certainly applies here...

So, I'd like to know: how often do you change the displays in your store? Windows? Front of Store/Entry? Interiors? Point of Purchase? Have things been the same for longer than a month? Two months? THREE months? Hey, folks, retail is change! If we never brought in new products, we'd be outta' business. Same is true with displays - you have to mix it up, move it around, make it fresh & new to stop your customers in their tracks. Otherwise, they just walk on past, thinking 'Been there, seen that.' Yes, it's work... it's time... it's effort..... but it's a foolproof way to increase customer awareness of what you offer. Isn't that worth it?!

To see the Before and After of this room, PLUS where the 'Before' product ended up in a new room and new display, check out the slideshow below... the first pink & black GLAM look is the Before, the aqua & orange is the After, and then the pink & black moves to a new location in the last photos.

If you are in the Seattle area, stop by Poppyseeds this weekend for the Furniture Fair event, running in conjunction with the Stanwood-Camano Community Fair. You'll find lots of furniture & home decor available direct from local designers, under a tent in the parking lot from Friday through Sunday, 10 AM to 5 PM.

It's easy to find: Located between Marysville and Mt. Vernon. Exit 212 from I-5, East onto Hwy 532 and 6 miles East to Stanwood. Poppyseeds is located at 26915-98th Drive NW Stanwood, Washington, on the right side of Hwy. 532 next to John L. Scott Realty (and just past Starbucks!) 360.629.73339

My Point (and I DO Have One....)

I was contacted the other day by Dennis Eros, the promoter of the Sand Point Antique & Design Market here in Seattle. He asked me to redesign his existing blog. What he didn't know he was in for was a total redesign of his brand image! It just makes sense to tackle them together... since he didn't really have any identifying elements of the show brand, I developed them. Using some vintage clip art images and replicating the feeling of old-time ads with black, white, and charcoal tones and some interesting fonts, I was able to express the qualities of the show in a way that will appeal to a wide demographic.
This is essential in businesses of this type - it's not just collectors of antiques that come to the show. It's decorators & designers, with their clients who have seen rooms in magazines and books that include antiques - and they want them. It's newlyweds and first-time homeowners, looking for affordable and interesting objects to decorate their rooms. It's Earth-conscious NorthWesterners, looking to recycle furniture and ideas. It's even dealers who sell antique & vintage goods, looking for a great find at a great price that they can pass on to their own customers. Reaching out to all of these people is important for the success of this show.

I created a custom blog background, banner, blog button, and then uploaded it all and added new functions to the blog. I also created an entire portfolio of marketing material, including fliers, postcards, business cards, sign graphics, and more, so that everything related to this show will be consistent and tell the brand story.


I worked on the graphics for four hours to complete them. Then it took me two hours to upload the new blog content, add a post, add sidebar content, create a slideshow and upload it, and create the blog button code. In six hours, Dennis got a whole new image for his business. Since I've already seen an influx of page hits on his stats, I'd say he's on his way to revitalizing this show that is so important here in Seattle.

And the funny part of the story, which I have to tell you, is that about halfway through the process of creating the graphics, I let out a laugh. I suddenly realized that the vintage hand graphics I had chosen were a pun: Sand POINT Market. Get it?! ugh..... it took me awhile!

Need help with your brand image? Let me point you in the right direction......

Why Did the Chick Cross the Road?

Because she saw a FABULOUS display, of course!
Walking down the sidewalk, talking with my hubby, enjoying a sunny day.... and this little piece of funny jumped out at me! TOO fabulous. A broom used as a mannequin - and it's the sunglasses that just make you laugh out loud. This is right up my alley - fast, cheap, easy, simple, and effective. The shop owners at Amaryllis in LaConner, Washington are smart to utilize a visual merchandising trick like this! They don't have a web link, but here's some info on them:

• Amaryllis 717 South First Street, La Conner, WA 98257, 360-466-1499, This women's shop specializes in hand-designed and unique items.
  

The next interesting thing I saw on our walk was this darling shrub topiary, trimmed to look like a teapot...

Wanna' guess what kind of shop it sat outside of?

Ruby Sue's Teas & Treasures

Tea Room also!

625 S. First Street
La Conner, WA 98257
360-466-9948
Open daily

Just some simple little things people are doing to grab passerby attention..... give you any ideas? Send them to me! You might find your shop here on my blog!

Cinci Goes Green?

Photo courtesy of Treehugger.com

(I'm so jealous of this beautiful storefront just so you know.)

Amy calls me and says, "You're not gonna believe this, but I'm standing in a green shop in Cincinnati!" Amy's from Cinci and is up there having a "girl's weekend" as I write this. Although we have seen some suppliers from the Ohio area with cool green stuff, for the most part, I would need some convincing to think Cinci had embraced "enviros." The funny thing is, we were crazy enough to start an eco-friendly store in Tampa which is know for what... cigars? So why not start one in the home of hills and chili on your spaghetti?!

If you get a chance, check out the site at Park and Vine. It looks great and if you're in the neighborhood, show 'em some love. We are already considering adding to our offerings based on her scouting trip. Mix-it-yourself cleaning products, bath and body, and kitchen supplies are just a few of the categories that we are working to flesh out. We'll keep you posted.

Here's the link----> http://www.parkandvine.com/

-Charles

I'm Just Setting That Monitor By The Road!

So my friend at works says "Do you guys take in things to recycle?" Well, yes and no. We recycle things that we can use, so wood and metal pieces are useful to me when I'm making furniture. What isn't really desirable are things like computers and old monitors or even old cell phones. I must not be alone in feeling that way because these are rapidly becoming a ticking time-bomb in our landfills. We must consider that most of these devices contain heavy metals and batteries when dropping them in the trash or hiding them in a black bag on the curb.

From the EPA's site:

"Of the 2.25 million tons of TVs, cell phones and computer products ready for end-of-life (EOL) management, 18% (414,000 tons) was collected for recycling and 82% (1.84 million tons) was disposed of, primarily in landfills.

A lot of arm-twisting is leading to companies accepting back some of the electronics they sell, such as Best Buy and Dell. The other interesting development is companies that are making money from these castoffs. That same friend sent me a link to a website called http://www.myboneyard.com/ that pays you based on a schedule of the type of equipment and condition.

Kind of cool, although we both agreed we can't figure out how these guys make any money because they pay for the shipping as well. So they give you a shipping label and then cut you a check. It doesn't seem like they pay much, but for an old Ipod that just keeps getting moved around the home office maybe it's worth it to get a check for $13. If it would have gotten tossed in the trash instead of in the mail, I'm sure the planet thinks it is worth it.

-Charles

We Need A Price on Register Three...

I stopped at a local fresh produce market a week ago - not just to grab a handful of fresh flowers and a box of berries, but because I was drawn in by an antique yard sale taking place out in front. (You know me, I just can't resist the old peely stuff...) Before I bought my produce, I wandered around for about ten minutes, looking at the large array of items of every kind that the dealer had on display. (I use that term as a generality, really.... this stuff wasn't displayed).

I must have picked up at least half a dozen items that I was interested in: a large old soda bottle, a few rusty tin cans, some old feed bags, and others that caught my eye. In every case, there was no price tag. I had to try to catch the eye of the seller to ask about a price - but he was busily shuffling boxes around and avoiding eye contact with me. Even though I was the only person there, I was ignored. I walked up to him to inquire about the price of the soda bottle, and he stared at it and said "Well, I really like that one, it's unique. So I guess I'd charge five bucks." Being too much for me, I sat it back where I had found it.

Then I picked up two old torn dirty feed sacks that had been tossed across a rocking chair, lifted them up, looked at him, and asked "And these?" He replied, "Ahhhhhh.. well, those are from the forties. My dad had those in his barn. They're really old. So, maybe, ten each." He did this on every single item I expressed interest in. Acted hesitant, as if he really didn't want to part with it, then quoted a ridiculously high price. The high price hit me this way: either he has no idea what it is he has and what it's really worth, he's desperate to make money but doesn't know how to sell, or he is using an old sales tactic that treats customers like hapless idiots who know nothing about what they are buying. He was, in effect, almost ensuring that I wouldn't buy anything at all.

And I didn't.

I just bought my berries and a bunch of daisies and left. I was thinking all the way home that he just blew not only a sale, but also prevented me from ever stopping to look at his wares again. Even if I had found something absolutely amazing there, I would not have bought it...I felt like he had not priced his wares simply so he could 'size up' each customer and charge them accordingly. I hate that attitude, I really do. It irks me! As a customer, I've made the effort to stop and look at your products, so don't jack them up on me just because I drive a decent car and look nice. (I look like I'm far better off than I am, actually, but that's not the point.) The point is that in any business, every product has a value to the seller and the buyer. Sellers/dealers/retailers have to determine that value and price the item. Then the buyer can decide if it's what they value the product at, and either buy it or pass on it. Or, bargain on the price in some cases - but there has to be a starting point.

If you offer products for sale, no matter where or how you sell them, price them clearly. It will go a long way in making your customer see the value in what you are offering them - and the value you place on their business and their time, as well.

Image Credit: http://www.flicker.com/photos/littlepinkstudio
(These price tags were for sale on her site back in March.... what a GREAT way to price your merchandise!)

Breaking Retail Trade Show News

There is a lot happening in the trade show industry, with sales, mergers, acquisitions, and closings taking place everywhere. Locally, the Seattle Gift Show has been sold to Atlanta-based Urban Expositions - ditto for the San Francisco International Gift Faire. From what I've read, big improvements are in store. (Hallelujah). Read more here.

The Portland Gift Show has been placed back into the capable management hands of Western Exhibitors, tho ownership remains with Canadian company dmg/GLM. It has also seen a reschedule to a fall date, which will combine it with the existing fall cash & carry market. Read about that here.

For more information on all kinds of trade shows in multiple industries, check out this web site.

2 Weeks Left for Passport to Indies Challenge

Photo courtesy of garden.org

There are two weeks left for the Passport to Indies Challenge. Make sure you don't miss this chance to rack up some gift certificates from our local independent businesses. The next time you buy your mom lunch at the Taco Bus, she won't have to know that you paid for it just by visiting places that support the local economy! Talk about a win-win! We have the Passports in our shop or you can download them from Creative Loafing. Click here ---->
http://tampa.creativeloafing.com/tiba/TIBA.pdf

Some of the basics about the benefits of buying local from our friends at Vinyl Fever:

"So, use Independents Week (month) to explore your local independent businesses and see how much of your purchasing for that week (month) you can do with them. You'll keep your money circulating in your community three times as long or more than when spent at chains, where it leaves immediately for "the home office". Studies prove that when your money is spent at a locally-owned, independent business, 45 cents of every dollar gets recirculated within the community, vs. just 13 cents from a chain store. This enriches everybody. " - from Vinyl Fever's awesome weekly email -

That's right folks, the money stays right here in the bay area. So get out and discover some of those indies that you have been resisting. Skip your regular Starbucks and go find Cafe Hey this week - we know you've been thinking about it...

What the heck is Cap and Trade anyway?

So we have this huge climate bill going through the Senate right now. I know, hopefully you all know about it, but if you don't, now's the chance to catch up on your reading. So what is this that has our esteemed Sarah Palin writing for the Washington Post? Yep, if you didn't catch that - riveting... in the ghostwriter for a lame duck governor sort of way. Anyhow, she doesn't like it. Pretty much, no republicans like it. The biggest problem people seem to have with this is that energy prices go up. And they might. There's a good chance that the utilities will start charging more for what they have to do to deal with it. Keep in mind that here in Florida, Progress Energy customers have a surcharge on their bills for a nuclear plant that isn't even starting construction yet. But besides pesky little raises like that - they always do the right thing, right?

So...We will build an artificial market with a cap on the total amount of pollution and force companies to trade credits (buy and sell) in order to keep from producing more pollution than the country should on the whole. The money generated, hopefully gets funneled toward energy projects that keep us from generating even more pollution like wind, solar, geothermal, and all that. The arguments against it really don't get into what is the most basic issue - not doing something is not an option when it comes to carbon dioxide emissions. They mostly avoid it and just say something that sounds like - Don't tax us! We'll find some more cheap oil! We promise!

So anyhow, to avoid this becoming a rant, I found this video a few months ago and if you can handle this geek's rapid fire delivery, it is a pretty basic explanation of cap and trade. Hope it helps.

-Charles

Retail Display Tips from Country Business Magazine

The article I wrote for the current issue of Country Business Magazine includes a lot of display inspiration from three very talented participants. They were chosen by the magazine for the Display Challenge, and include Paige King of Hodgepodge in Clarksville, Tennessee, Teri Martin of Precious Memories - Our Designer in San Bruno, California, and Nancy Borsodi, pro stylist for Country Business Magazine.

Nancy very generously provided me with a wealth great information for this article, in addition to answering my questions about her experience with the challenge. In the interest of space in the magazine, it wasn't included in the final print version. I know the information will help you in your pursuit of building better displays, so here are some very helpful tips & tricks from one of the best stylists in the biz:

“I create displays for a wide scope of merchandise and different styles, because many of our readers own country stores, and many of our advertisers carry merchandise that does well in any type of retail store, or crossed merchandised with country product in a display. I feel stores that successfully incorporate different styles of merchandise increase their appeal to a larger group of consumers. Even if your store fills a very specific niche market, don't rule out other styles of merchandise. Some products that you'd normally overlook will not only complement your products but actually enhance your original items! "

Nancy continued: "When I create displays, I do keep in mind the parameters that retailers are under and try to work within those guidelines. Usually displays can be altered to accommodate your specific needs. The size of the display, props, colors, all factor into personalizing your displays to fit your stores’ style. The key to incorporating different styles is having some kind of common element between them.”

This professional stylist also offers these additional ideas for creating a few different looks for similar product displays:
Garden Store: Base could be a potting table or flagstone, risers could be flowerpots or more flagstone, props may include watering cans, garden tools, wheelbarrow, moss, grapevine, bee-keeping related items, i.e. wooden bee hives, bee skeps,
Cottage Antiques Shop: lighter, more neutral, pastel wood tones. (I suggest using metal floral-motif furniture and chandeliers, and garden trellises & fences, as well).
Contemporary Store: Brighter colors, simple, fun or whimsical props such as oversized flowers, colorful flower pots and bees.

I’d like to express my appreciation to Paige, Teri, and Nancy for so generously providing information on their creative processes for the article. They have helped us to see what imaginative displays can do for our stores: Great display design starts with inspiration, so be inspired by the products you sell! Let them guide you into developing a story or a theme that is as unique as your store is, and design an interesting display with a timely mix of merchandise to catch your customers’ eye. In the process, you’ll inspire your customer as you express your store’s creative, artistic vision!

Links: (sorry, embedding them was causing a Blogger meltdown... not sure why.... just copy & paste to use)
Paige King: www.hodgepodge-home.com
Teri Martin: www.ourdesigner.com
Country Business Magazine July/August 2009 Issue: http://www.country-business.com/magazine/default.aspx

Image Credit: Country Business Magazine July/August 2009 Issue, pg. 59

Yep. She's Part of My Tribe!

Meet Tamara. She's the owner of a business, designer of floral plantings, marvelous writer, and grandma-to-be. Tamara and I read each others' blogs - hers is The Greenhouse Diaries, and on it she shares a lot of info about her experiences in business. (There's also an occasional reference to her daughter and the impending arrival of Tamara's first grandchild... and I can't blame her a bit for popping those posts in there!)

Tamara was just on a tour of greenhouses/garden centers, and she wrote a great post talking about what she saw and how it affected her. She titled it 'In Business, Change is Constant'. O, sistah, you are preachin' my sermon! Love it! She GETS it, the importance of change and impact and presentation, and that makes her part of my tribe. Her insight had me nodding my head in agreement as I read along - it was interesting to see her perspective in her words & photos. I had to smile as I recognized some merchandising tricks with plants that I've used in the past, when creating displays at local retailer Molbaks Garden + Home.

Tamara also very kindly mentioned me in her post, as well, and I thank her for sending some new readers my way! So, I'm returning the favor. We all need good info and inspiration these days, and I'm happy to share a great resource with you. (I swiped the photo from Tamara's blog, BTW... she's as pretty and colorful as the flowers she grows!)

Composting stinks!

So we started composting this last year in hopes of doing some real gardening. We do have a small garden (six plants so far) and a pile of compost. We started composting really naively with a pile of leaves in the yard a few years ago. Then I read to mix in compost and manure mix from the garden center. That seemed to help break down the leaves. This year we found a little book called, appropriately, The Little Book of Compost. This book has recipes for compost and lots of help on how to do it right, including what should and should not be composted. Veggies good. Cooked food - not good. Coffee grounds - good. Meat scraps - not good. So at first we just dumped this stuff on the pile. Then came the ants and then the flies. Not so good. I got the feeling we were doing something wrong. Then some veteran composters at the shop suggested I get a bucket to dump the stuff in first and let it break down a little first. So now we have a plastic lidded trash can outside for the compost. We also have a small plastic bin on the counter for scraps when cooking or changing the coffee. That's when it started to stink. The key is, I think, to not let that little bin on the counter sit too long. Dump it more than once a week. We also bought some Bio Bag Composter bins we are going to try. They say it helps evaporate the water and keep the compost from getting sludgy and too wet. We have some in the shop now so if you want to join the experiment, just stop by and pick one up.

Virtual Review: 'Prince & Co.'

I just can't proceed with this series of reviewing stores in films without first tipping my hat to the only one that celebrates the talents of window dressers/visual merchandisers/ display stylists. Mannequin was released in 1987 and stars Andrew McCarthy and a very young Kim Cattral (long before she was Samantha on 'Sex and the City'). While completely campy, madcap, and overacted, it is still a fun look behind the 'employee only' doors of a department store. For those of us in the display biz, it proves what we've always suspected: Strange things happen after hours. ;0)
If you haven't seen this movie, I'll try to give you the short version:
Guy (Jonathan) makes Girl (Emmy, in a mannequin factory) and then gets fired, guy gets new job as window dresser and finds his creation in the window. One night, girl comes to life. She's actually an ancient Egyptian Princess imprisoned by some kind of magic. She only comes alive when they are alone - so everyone else sees her as a mannequin and thinks Jonathan is a bit 'off' when he's caught talking to her. Emmy helps Jonathan come up with some killer window displays, which of course help to save the store from certain demise - people come in droves to see the windows, and end up shopping. (Any wonder why I love this flick?!)

Now, my review: Let's look at that window display behind the actors in the scene above. This is window dressing taken as far as it could in the 80's. A nice scenic wallpaper is paired with a pvc pipe 'railing' and life preserver to evoke an ocean liner. It's big, it's colorful, it draws attention from the street. Excellent. If you did this in your store windows, you could then add either a mannequin (and I'm just guessing that one who comes to life each night isn't gonna' happen......) or a teak lounge chair to use as props that are ALSO fixtures. Load them up with apparel, accessories, etc. to sell your summer wares. This shot shows a lot of small things - they did that for interest on camera. Don't do it in your windows. Small stuff gets lost. Keep it in the medium to large size range, and don't crowd it.
Jonathan and Emmy are shown here in another scene, this time in the sporting goods department. They have crashed into the display of boxed soccer balls that was stacked in the center of the space.... my position on displays like that is that they tend to incite exactly that behavior instead of purchases. 'Nuff said.

Behind the actors, you see two mainstream ways to merchandise product: Slatwall on the left, shelving on the right. Slatwall is a necessary evil in retail, as it offers excellent use of vertical space and ease of rearranging shelving & hooks to display product on. My big pet peeve with this material is that for some reason, it came in the most godawful colors originally, and no one ever paints it. So too many stores now have mauve, sickly green, and gray-blue slatwall. This does nothing for your products or your store image. Nothing. Tip: PAINT IT! Get some KILZ primer and roll it on. Then roll on two coats of a color that has something to do with your brand image or at least store decor - bright, neutral, black, whatever. Then, if you are using particle board shelving on the metal brackets, paint the shelves too. Make the whole thing one color so that the wall is not the point - the PRODUCT is. Glass shelves work nicely here because they allow light to reach every area.

Shelving is another basic fixture in every store, but there are some tricks to using it effectively. First, most shelf units are too deep. You don't have to stock product allllllll the way to the back - does anyone ever really reach all the way back into a cubby shelf? Just keep the front half of the shelf full. Second, shelves prevent light from hitting products. ...they become small black holes. Back your shelves with mirror (use mirror tiles in built-in units, and a full mirror panel if they are free standing) or paint the wall white behind the shelves so it shows through. This will bounce light and make the shelving seem less foreboding. Mount track light fixtures on the ceiling 3 feet in front of your shelving, and aim the spots into the cubbies.... this will do wonders for your products.
OK, here's the BEST part of the film.... actor Meshach Taylor plays an eccentric window dresser named 'HollyWOOD Montrose' (that's HIS emphasis). He plays this role as a hilarious, drama-prone, flamboyant, and comical character - yet reminds us all of someone we know in retail! Behind monsieur Montrose is a glimpse of the store, 'Prince and Company'. The actual setting is Macy's Department store in Philadelphia (circa 1986, remember), which inhabits the historic Wanamaker Building. And what a building it IS...
When a building has this much history, architectural detail, and style, you simply have to make it part of your brand image. You have no choice. To ignore it and try to go for a cheap disco funk look (like competitor 'Elektra' in the film) would be a death knell to your business. Now, I realize that the building your stores are in likely do not feature their own ORGAN (see center of photo above) nor wall to wall marble colonnades. Not many do! But you have to look at your setting to determine how you can make it speak your language and tell your story. Just as in a film, the environment talks. What is it saying to your customers? Casual, or elegant? Masculine, or feminine? Expansive, or cozy? Opulent, or conservative?
This shot of the sales floor brings up a few important points:
*Note that white is the predominant color here. This is used as a neutral backdrop to set off the products, and to bounce light through the windowless space. Accents of black and dark wood warm it up, and provide delineation of areas.

*See the lamps sitting on the glass countertops? We talked in my last virtual review about how incandescent light is necessary to counteract the cooling effect of fluorescent. These fixtures are at eye level for customers, drawing them closer to the display fixtures with their warmth. They also splash warm light downward onto the jewelry below, making it sparkle. As a matter of fact, do you see how all of the warm ambient lighting is located at low levels in the store? It focuses attention on the merchandise.

*Notice the wide aisles. People need room to walk, stop, browse, turn, and bend. There's a principle in retail called the 'Butt Brush Factor' (thank you very much, Paco Underhill!) and it has to do with our aversion to having people encroach on our personal space while we shop. We don't like an arm touch, we avoid shoulder to shoulder contact, and if we are bending over and someone should by chance brush against our posterior - well, we are OUTTA' there. Shopping ceases. So, give people room! Aisles should be 3' wide at a minimum - and I see so much less than that in many stores I visit. For safety and stocking ease alone, this rule is important.
This overhead shot from the mezzanine level shows repetition of shapes and symmetry in the layout - important in making the store easy to navigate & understand. Their consistent height also keeps the visual sightline open, so that customers can see where things are located as they walk through the space. You can also see some large-scale florals on the tops of pedestals... this is a lovely addition that will bring life and nature into your store, and help you soften the effect of all the hard surfaces. Using large branches, plants, log rounds, grasses, or even fresh flowers is an inexpensive way to express seasonal interest and personality in your store. (And usually, the materials are free!)

Looking thru the arches on the right, you can see some tables arranged as fixtures... they all match. All of the tables are the same wood finish, and are available in varied sizes. This allows for them to be easily combined in many different configurations as the need arises from week to week, season to season. The focus remains on the merchandise, not the fixtures. If you have fixtures that are a mismatch of colors, materials, woods, think about how much fresher and crisper they would all look if painted one color. Black, white, or one of your logo colors (subtle!) would enable you to create new combinations all over your store, using everything you have. Just add a prop and a lot of merchandise, and you have a successful display. (Again, start with a good primer like KILZ on metal and lacquered wood, then paint.)

One last tip: mannequins can be plaster, resin, wire, moss, paper, or metal. You can use anything to create a 'body' form to show off product. You can take old plaster mannequins and paint them hot colors or collage old paper to them or hot glue pennies all over them. Again, it's all about expressing your business' personality and brand image. Be consistent and innovative.

Whether you ever see this film or not, the tips gained from this review can help you build a better business. So now you have no excuse for being a dummy! BahdumPUM.

Photo Credits: Film Poster and production stills from IMDB, property of Gladden Entertainment. Buy a copy of the movie at Amazon.

Make It Easy

Writer Anne DiNardo at VMSD has written a micro-article about what retail customers REALLY want, and it may just get her elected for president. If the 'teeming masses of shoppers yearning to spend freely' ever read it, she'll be on the ballot ASAP. Check it out - it's smart.

Then look around your store to see if you are following Anne's plea to 'just show me how to spend it'...

(Anne also has another article on the site which speaks to the importance and state of the visual merchandising industry in today's retail economy. Excellent news!)

Recycling Green Toys

Recycling is synonymous with Tampa Street Market. If I had to explain how we ended up doing what we do now, I could probably boil it down to: we saw a truck carrying off a perfectly good _____ and decided to give it another life. Insert dresser, wood plank, or metal scrap in the blank and you'll get the idea. Furniture reincarnation is alive and well at our house. An antique dresser that is old-fashioned but solid might get a new color. Heart pine beams might become the legs to a beautiful new desk.

Anyway, we love recycling and we're not ashamed of it. So this week I came across some toys from a company called Green Toys. These are bright colored incarnations of some classic toys, such as a gardening set with little yellow pots or a cook set with multicolored plates and tea cups. They use recycled milk jugs (HDPE) to make these and go out of their way to keep them non-toxic. Heck, they're made to California standards in California! Seriously! I especially like the recycled cardboard packaging - no twist ties and no plastic bags needed. According to their website, I guess you can get these at Toys R Us or Learning Express, but I've never seen them there. I have to believe that's because those big chains are just so crowded with junk!

Come see what else is new this week and pick up your Passport to Indies. In addition to whatever Creative Loafing hands out in prizes, we've decided to give a $25 gift certificate to the TSM customer that gets the most stamps by the end of July!

-Charles

Today's 'Note from the Universe':

But Deb, what if you did have the power, the reach, and the glory?

What if you were given dominion over all things?

And what if eternity lay before you, brimming with love, friends, and laughter?

Yet still, one day, in all your radiance, bubbling over with giddy excitement, you tripped, fell, and got hurt - really hurt.

Would you give up on all of your dreams? Would you hate yourself? Would you forget life's magic and promise?

Or would you shrug it off, look ahead, and exclaim that it's "just a flesh wound"?

Touché,
The Universe

Those 'flesh wounds' are tough ones, both professionally and personally. But they are inevitable, and when faced with them, we live, we learn, we grow. Eventually, we heal. You know what they say about wounds: 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger...' I have a friend who embodies that mantra, and she amazes me with her strength. Looking ahead......

((I get these empowering and uplifting 'Notes from the Universe' each day in my email inbox. Based on some keywords I entered when I signed up for them, they bring words of wisdom, revelation, and thought-provoking insight to my desktop. Days like today, they literally make me wonder 'How do they DO that?' when they hit the nail on the head so directly. Click on the words 'The Universe' after the quote to sign up for your own!))

On Display: Trade Show Tips

Are you going to be exhibiting jewelry at a gift or retail trade show this season? Do you plan to submit your product to a showcase display (often referred to as 'Launching Pad', 'New Product Display', etc.)? If so, here are a few tips to help you maximize the visual impact of your product, and make the most of this marketing opportunity:

1. Make sure that you choose STUNNING pieces of your work for the showcase. Think scale, color, composition, and uniqueness. You want items that will make people take notice. Don't be conservative! Go for 'WOW' factor.
2. Provide plenty of product for display designers to work with. 3 or 5 pieces are perfect for a display, so give them six items: Two large, two medium, and two small.

Here's the important thing: Your choices should coordinate, because the display designers can do MUCH more with a cohesive grouping than a slapdash bunch of leftovers. Provide six items that are all in gold metal, or turquoise stones, but each one has a different 'personality'... one is chunky and modern, another is dangly and feminine, yet another is classic and simple. You want impact here, not a hodgepodge of items. Get customers to notice your product, drive them to your booth with this display - then show them your selection firsthand.
3. Provide props or fixtures to enhance the presentation and viewing angles of your products. If you use neck forms, paint them your logo colors to tell your brand story. If you use natural materials - rough stones, metals, woods, shells - in your creations, provide rocks, sand, chunks of wood, or moss to enhance the elements of your designs. If your jewelry is modern, send glass blocks or bubble wrap rolls or tall glass vases to hang the necklaces & bracelets on. Display stylists will love you, AND your products will look better.
4. Be creative when you show off your products. If your jewelry is small, dainty, and hard to see, provide papers, cards, anything you can to help focus attention onto it. Photograph your delicate items and send large photos along with just one perfect item on a neck form. Better to show detail in large scale for impact than to have it overlooked.
5. This may seem to be a no-brainer, but when you drop off or send in items for the displays, make sure that your information is with your product! You company name, booth number, and show division should be included in the container. The name and cell phone number of a person at the show who can be contacted is very helpful - if something is broken, missing, or there are any questions about your product, you want the display stylists to be able to contact you/your employee on site for a solution. Calling the home office two states away isn't really helpful when a replacement part is needed.

6. Beat the submission deadline. If your items are supposed to be there by noon, get them there at 9 AM. If you are supposed to mail them in by the 10th, get them there by the first. Be prepared. Be early. Why? First come, first served. Your position on a list means nothing when it comes down to fitting it all into a small area. All trade show display stylists can tell you that the early birds get the best spots. (And no amount of wheelin', dealin', whining or bitching is going to make up for the fact that you brought us your product two hours after the deadline. Or on your way out of the show hall that night. Or worse, early on the morning that the show opens. You're in the back row, lower level, baby. And we don't care HOW many years you've been selling at this gift show - in which case, you really should know better.) This is your marketing.... take it seriously.

7. Check on your product. Early on the morning the show opens, go over to the display and look at your product. Make sure it is displayed properly (not upside down, etc.) and that your information is correct - your business name, booth number, and show division are all correct on the tent card provided by the show. If there is something that needs to be corrected, let the stylist know. NOW is the time to correct it, not in three hours when the stylist is done and gone.
Please do not walk into the display to do it yourself. Do not move another vendor's items to give yours more space. Do not add or swap items once the display is set. These are professional stylists who work hard to make your product and every other exhibitor's products look their very best. Respect their work, and thank them for their efforts.

8. Look at your competitor's products in this display. What did they send? How is it displayed? Does it express their image well? Does it catch the eye and stand out? Learn from what you see others doing.

Many of these tips apply to other kinds of products as well, helping to elevate your merchandise above the ordinary. With a little preparation and planning, you can take advantage of many free and low-cost marketing opportunities like display showcases at trade shows. It's a great way to add to your presence and square footage at a show.

Photo Credits: all taken by DWK at SGS & SFIGF 2007-8, of product displays created by DWK.

Four Star Displays!

To celebrate the Fourth of July, let's indulge in a bit of red, white, and blue eye candy:
Window Display above at Ralph Lauren; Photo credit and flag created by Swell Dame.
Vignette display by Today's Country Store.
Lifestyle display by Seabold Vintage Market.Vignette Displays at Poppyseeds Boutique.

Happy Independence Day to all of you independent retailers out there... you make America great!

Photo Credits: all but first one (credited in post) by DWK 2009, taken & used with permission of retailer.

No bike helmets for Dr. Jones

Okay so bike helmets are dorky, I get it! I hate them too. It's not like when I bike and booze (bike home from a porch party) that I want to muss my hear with one of those futuristic wind tunnel looking guys. Okay, I'll give you that it's pretty difficult to muss my hair anyway, but my buddy Brook is having no part of it. So, I'm saving up for a Yakkay! They apparently don't sell these in the U.S. yet, or I haven't found them yet. Instead of the Hannah Montana nerf ball helmet type that I usually recommend, this one is cool looking. I submit exhibit A - see photo --->

So I'm still working on cool one's we can afford. These go for $150 bucks or more. Considering that less than half of us wear a helmet, I say there is plenty of work to do to get these looking cool. If you want to see the tweed one that Dr. Jones would wear, you'll have to go to the website. These are basically a base helmet with fitted covers. Good for cold weather, I'm guessing. Keep in mind though, you only get one brain and it doesn't heal itself very well. If you're biking in the hood, well, you've seen how people drive.

Independents Week Starts Today!

And you're saying to yourself a) What the heck is independents week and why haven't I heard of it? or hopefully b) How can I help?


First I'll start with "A" for some backstory... Independent businesses caught on that they were being edged out about the time it was too late. Right after I walked out of Wal-mart and wondered, what used to be here? Wasn't there an office supply store and a bike shop and a garden supply in my town? The businesses that weren't obliterated in the first few years and those crazy enough to start new one's like us, started getting together. Independent Business Associations started to crop up with one of the most popular coming out of Austin, Texas. Anybody heard of "Keep Austin Weird"? That's the kind of slogan that Target and Best Buy just can't help with. So anyway, to get the word out, these business groups needed a rallying week and when better than the heat of summer? July 4th - Independents Day was born! Unless we want chain stores from sea to shining sea then we'd better get out and support these guys!



So then question B) How can I help?

TIBA - The Tampa Independent Business Association is running a promotion with the help of Creative Loafing that involves getting stamps on a "passport" this month. If you get the most, then you are entered in a drawing for $500 in gift certificates. One of those will be from Tampa Street Market, so make sure you get this done! Find the "Passport to Indies" in this issue of Creative Loafing.

If that is a little too much structure for your independent self, then just get out and support your favorite indies! Eat at Nicko's, Cappy's, Bungalow Bistro, Taconazo, and Grassroots. Get down to Vinyl Fever and buy Wilco's new album. Head over to Inkwood Books and get an autograph from Carl Hiaasen. Get over to the Old Tampa Book Company and pick out a classic. Get out to Skipper's Smokehouse and catch a band and some fish dip. Or try to do three - at the same time - go to New World Brewery, drink an indie brew, and listen to a local band - all in one night! This is what makes a town worth living in folks! Remember the hardware store that burned down in the Heights last year? Those are the places that make a neighborhood...



Here's the link to get your passport - Don't wait, my little brother started on Saturday!
http://tampa.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/page?oid=752147

-Charles