Can't believe all the changes this year unfolded, (so far). Just when you think you have it all figured out, life brings you something new, and I admit, I'll jump! Now operating as de'lea designs I am in an entirely new place, in all ways!
So back up...to last fall, As I was readjusting to my old space, Heidi moved in next door with Broken Broom. She brought with her Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. What a plus having the area stocklist right next door ! But in addition to the paint, our styles blended perfectly! Before we knew it our inventory was being staged together, so after a few months, deciding to share space, I moved in with her next door. So our styles meshed, inventory meshed, space meshed........ but not enough space. As our ideas grew so did our needs regarding our store. We started searching for a larger location.
Oh my, my! At first it seemed like we had so many options. but when it came down to it, not so much. One day we just decided to park the car at one end of Superior Street and walk up one side and down the other hoping to find a "Little Hidden Gem". As we got out of the car we stopped and looked at what was right in front of us, a tiny little "for lease" sign in the window! We called left a message, then continued down the street. After a few more left messages, and unsuccessful contacts we made it back to the car. But we spent a few minutes staring into the vacant store front, dreaming, planning and "what if-ing". A week later, we had a space!
Since then we made an all in one move! Trucks full, everything jammed in. Then started the work of getting things ready for opening; painting walls, cleaning, a new cash-wrap, there was so much to do! And we did it! Opened the middle of June, in time for Grandma Marathon! We still had somethings to do, signage, organizational things, but we kept working through the "to do" list.
With this move we also changed our business model. Once we were part of the occasional markets, open just one, 4 day, weekend a month, now we are open 4 days every week. We went from a quaint, off the beaten path location, to the main street (Superior Street) in downtown Duluth, MN. We have really kicked it up a notch!
Not to let any thing grow under our feet we are still tweaking our space, adding to our product lines, including stencils and...........
DRUM ROLL, PLEASE!
de'lea designs is now the area Certified Retailer for
Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint!!!!!! Yes, we now have another great tool to offer our creative DYI customers. Retail training is coming up in the first part of November and I can't wait to learn all I can so we can share with you!
So back up...to last fall, As I was readjusting to my old space, Heidi moved in next door with Broken Broom. She brought with her Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. What a plus having the area stocklist right next door ! But in addition to the paint, our styles blended perfectly! Before we knew it our inventory was being staged together, so after a few months, deciding to share space, I moved in with her next door. So our styles meshed, inventory meshed, space meshed........ but not enough space. As our ideas grew so did our needs regarding our store. We started searching for a larger location.
Oh my, my! At first it seemed like we had so many options. but when it came down to it, not so much. One day we just decided to park the car at one end of Superior Street and walk up one side and down the other hoping to find a "Little Hidden Gem". As we got out of the car we stopped and looked at what was right in front of us, a tiny little "for lease" sign in the window! We called left a message, then continued down the street. After a few more left messages, and unsuccessful contacts we made it back to the car. But we spent a few minutes staring into the vacant store front, dreaming, planning and "what if-ing". A week later, we had a space!
Since then we made an all in one move! Trucks full, everything jammed in. Then started the work of getting things ready for opening; painting walls, cleaning, a new cash-wrap, there was so much to do! And we did it! Opened the middle of June, in time for Grandma Marathon! We still had somethings to do, signage, organizational things, but we kept working through the "to do" list.
With this move we also changed our business model. Once we were part of the occasional markets, open just one, 4 day, weekend a month, now we are open 4 days every week. We went from a quaint, off the beaten path location, to the main street (Superior Street) in downtown Duluth, MN. We have really kicked it up a notch!Not to let any thing grow under our feet we are still tweaking our space, adding to our product lines, including stencils and...........
DRUM ROLL, PLEASE!
de'lea designs is now the area Certified Retailer for
Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint!!!!!! Yes, we now have another great tool to offer our creative DYI customers. Retail training is coming up in the first part of November and I can't wait to learn all I can so we can share with you!
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