I thought todays post would be a good time to share my dream.....cause without dreams, your life is pretty dull!
My dream has been to own my own business. Over the years it has bounced around a bit. I wanted a used bookstore (that also carried best sellers), I did a lot of research on it, I mean lots. I love read alot!! i love books!! I hate paying the price for books! I had a couple problems with this idea though, that I could never get off my mind. Sure enough as soon as I open my store Some big book store would decide to open up in this town since it woulod have no competition for 30-35 miles. Second issue, is the library, when times get tough, why pay for something you can get for free?
That was the end of those thoughts until I started my second etsy store (oh, my second? yes I also make soaps, lotions, all natural beauty products. It was called Body Luxuries, never went any where, people make some really cool stuff in very large batches on there) I closed that shop up, but not before I started meeting other etsy atisans. What an absolutley amazing group of people! I soon learned to sew and started making clothes for my girls that would actually fit them, then discovered I was addicted. Something about seeing something I made on a child thrills me!! So I decided as soon as I had some free time again, I was reopening my etsy store. (Obviously I had to use a different name) My first 10 names were taken:( Very discouraging! I soon had things up and running, and I joined INCrowdteam ( an etsy group of Indiana Etsians) I met some of the people on there and chatted with many!
It was great to hear other people having the same issues as I was, and we all have the same goal of making our stores successful. Many of them travel to craft shows every weekend, others host parties, they all help promote each other and their shops.
Light Bulb!! I want in on this. I want to help my fellow etsians, as well as myself! I want as many people as possible seeing my dresses!! More views, means more sales right!! I want to support local artisans!! I'd love to help everone, but you have to start small.
Needles to say I knew what I had to do. I had to create an environment that would allow multiple artisans to sell there wares all in one place.. First thought is flea market style or booth rent... but I would prefer something more organized...I'm a mother of four, I don't need any more chaos!! Then I did some research to cover a cheap rent, insurance, advertising, utilities, etc...I would have to have excessive sales. It would take me 5 years to save up enough money to stock the store. Not a very feesible idea....not for someone that has to have things NOW!! I have no patience.
Then I spotted a building here in Greensburg that use to be place artists could display their art. I rememeber walking by it as a kid and looking at paintings in the window. This place is now split into two apartments (one in front and one in back) and I'm staring at it and picturing what I could do to make it into my shop!! It is about two blocks away from the square, but there are houses on both sides. Parking is street only. I bet I could get it for under $500.00 a month though!!
I tell my cousin, who has walked through this dream with me for a couple years now, about it, she comes down and we go look at it. On the way there I tell her I think 60/40 (40% I keep) consignment would be the way to go, to get it off the ground quicker. She says the same thing I do, the location isn't perfect for an unstablished business. Price is decent. If we did enough advertising, we could make a good go of it. We continued on walking and I showed her a place on the square I have had my eye on. (top picture, Where the Cookie Crumbles) they are moving by August 1st. The building will be vacant....hhhmmm I wonder how much more it will be? The traffic would be a lot better and you could get the visitors (yes, people actually come from all around to see our courthouse, it has a tree growing on top of it. I'm serious.) Anyway, it's not a very big place but that should make the rent less, right?? Of course no rent sign on it yet....
Then we notice teh building right next door (Nut Cases- see what I deal with in this town) they are moving to Batesville July 31st. I would love to be able to get that building it is a little bigger than the cookie place. So I'm getting very excited. Oh yeah did I mention I already had called about a store on the square about a year ago (I've been giving this alot of thought for a while) it is a very large space very clean office, storage. They wanted $700 a month. But he wanted a three year lease. So Dawn (my cousin) and I get to the house and we are discussing it. What we would need to do, I show her some figures I made abnout how much sales I would need yearly, monthly, weekly just to stay afloat. It comes down to about $100 a day in a 6 day week. For a $500 rent. We talk about trying for a grnt (this is daunting, I have looked into it before and took off running!! Very Scary and confusing!! She says she will check into it for me! Great!! I owe her already and it still just a concept:)
Anyway, my husband loves me, but he is terrified. He did admit this morning though that I have the passion to make it a success:) He does business financing, so all he sees is $$$.
Dawn and I discuss what if I went full force with this now, could I get it up and running in time for Christmas!! (November 1st opening date) that way I hit the busiest shopping season of the year. Possible add a little cusion to the slower months that might lay ahead. Wow, I got about 3 hours of sleep last night trying to figure out if its possible.
So today I walked up to the post office to drop off a couple of dressesand went around the corner to see if the "For Rent" sign is up yet, nope, but guess what another building is opening up, this one is perfect!! Except the price of course, of which I don't know what it is.( Third Picture) It was some kind of used clothing store I went into once and it was for old ladies, I think I know why it didn't suceed. Anyway, here is where things get tricky. All three of these businesses are attatched to each other with one other building in the middle(It's a restraunt, and I'm pretty sure the guy who runs it, owns that building.) So why are all three businesses closing or moving on the same date(or same two days) and no "For Rent" signs are posted??
Think the owner upped the rent? I'm pretty sure the cake place does a heck of a business ( they have really good "cheeseart" cheeseball dyed and decorated into art, no lie its pretty cool and inexpensive) they may be just upgrading. Nut Cases, just opened less than a year ago, and only sold nuts and a few candies. The place always looked like it was getting ready to close down, even when they first opened I thought well they just didn't get it finished, i went in one more time and it was the same. Not sure they planned that out real well. So, Am I just making excuses for them leaving, or is it the location. I think the square is the perfect location, if it is going to work. I'm not paying the $3000 dollar rent the strip malls want, it's not the right setting for my store either. I'm not looking to get rich, I just want to do something I love. But I don't want to drown in debt either?
I'll share my write up on what it would be like to be a customer walking into my shop, another time. P.s. I want the name to be Indy Made
Anybody else have a dream?? Please tell me yours?
