For The Love Of Fashion......

9 months now I have been a very proud boutique owner. I have settled into my routine nicely, I work 6 days a week and everything else now slots as well as possible in around this. I love the buzz of a sale, I love to meet new people and there is no feeling like knowing I have helped a customer get just what they were looking for.

I work very, very hard I take great pride in what I do - this means that on quiet days or before or after work I do get out and wash the windows and wash down all of the shop front (there are draw backs to being so close to the beach).
I have a slight obsession with my window display (it is my main source of advertising after all) I like to change it at least once a week. I also love to theme it to the season that we are in. At the moment it has a cute (almost tacky I have to say) summer theme. I bought a bunch of brightly coloured props including bunting that would be used at a village fete, kites, and parasols. The look is very eye-catching, just what I wanted it to be!

So, lately I have not been feeling so well, nothing major just very tired and run down. I took a cold a few weeks ago which led to a cough and I can not shift it. My body is telling me to slow down a little and take more care of myself. I like to tell my boyfriend that my body is telling me that I need a week in the sun somewhere!!!
I am slowly coming to terms with the fact that this is not going to happen - not until we head out to Florida in November. It is a long way off still, but I am very, very excited.

Until then, I am hopeful that the weather is summer like, I have a busy summer trading and I can make up for not getting away on holiday with spending lots of time in my garden. We moved into our house last year and we have the most fantastic garden, and this year I plan to make it even more so. I find being outside potting, pruning and generally pottering about very therapeutic.

I had better get back to it - I have to call my old friends at Business Post and pester them to find out where exactly my stock is?! But that one is a story for me to fill you in on another time.

Town V City.

I was on a stock buying trip yesterday for Autumn lines. For this I have to go to Manchester, as this is where the agent is for the north of England and Scotland.
The appointment went very smoothly and quickly and I was left with a few hours to wander around the shops.

I had not been to many shops when I noticed how busy it was. At first I put it down to the fact that it was lunch time and people must have popped out to run some errands! However, it did not get any quieter.

This got me to thinking about location. My shop has a fantastic location (I spent a lot of time finding the perfect place to open up). But, I have days where I maybe only have a handful of customers per day. There is no way this would be the case if I was in the city centre. But then I would almost definitely be crippled by rent, rates and the general wear and tear that all of the foot traffic!

I would love for my shop to have a steady stream of customers throughout the day everyday.
But, I want them to be coming into make a sale because they loved the garment that they purchased last week or month, or because they have heard such fabulous tales about my shop. I do not want it to be one of the never ending seas of shops that people trudge in and out of for something to do. They walk with no purpose, they are there just so that they are not at home!

Cities are very nice and I love the hustle and bustle but, for now, I am happy being a small boutique in a small town with customers that seek me, my shop and my brands out!