i love pictures.  and i love picture frames.  but i have an odd aversion to nails.  i think it must have been from an old landlord who disallowed me to hammer a nail into the wall.  thankfully – there are products that get around that and still allow us the whimsy of our photo collections on display.  I happen to think the Butch & Howard Stickr collections are pretty rad (yes, i said “rad”).

i love these!!  i think they are so much fun and would have so many applications.  you could display a  customer of the month (with something they bought in your store, natch).  you could display ideas for how to style various items in your shop.  you could showcase your weekly favorites.  you could put up pictures of your family!  or you could use them to display a local artist who makes teensy art.   or for the more practical gal, how about using them for prices or name tags for designers?

use them over and over – move them around, that’s what they do.

but wait!  that’s not all!  you could sell them too.  i’d think they’d sell pretty darn well in many different stores – especially if you were using them as a chic example.

great for modern stores with an eclectic flair.  i also love the kids styles (in fact – i need these for Oscar!  what a great way to teach him the names and faces of his extended family).

Stickr packets wholesale for $9.95 – $12.45.  contact Butch & Howard for more info.  perfect for back to school and holiday gifts!

mmmm…i discovered Kelly Lane  towards the end of my tenure at ooma.  her designs were fresh, eclectic, eco-friendly and original.  exactly what i was looking for.  Kelly got her start in graphic design (she has not one – but two degrees!) - and you can see the energy of color and graphics come through in her clothing designs.  in fact – one of the things that attracted me most about her line was the tag line , “clothing with color“,  as most of you know how i utterly adore color.

Her collections are small, well-edited and fun.  the intersection of bold solids and colorful prints breaths wonderful life into her garments.  i especially love that she provides 3-4 color ways per garment which all hang together beautifully.

the Fall 09 collection is inspired by the colorful whimsy of carousels.  now that’s inspiring to me!  perhaps a little different than the trends in the mags – but that’s what excites me about indie designers (and boutiques!) following their own vision.  

the quality and attention to detail is phenomenal.  prices range from $45 – $110 wholesale.  minimum opening order is $750.

and don’t worry!  if you’ve just discovered Kelly Lane – there is still time to place an order for Fall.  email Kelly  quickly – as the deadline is 8/15 for 9/15 delivery and 9/3 for 10/15 delivery.  the full collection of 16 sillouettes can be ordered in any color for the delivery of your choosing. 

if you’re like most retailers – you likely ordered light for Fall – given the uncertainties of the economy.  this is a great time to try out a proven designer that may be new to your neighborhood!  it’s like trying a new flavor of ice cream – you’re almost always pleasantly surprised.

small business owners often run our own shows from top to bottom.  and some of us are lucky/successful/large enough to warrant the hiring of employees.

and lets face it: retail and design are very enticing fields for the lovers of fashion & style.  however, it’s no secret that the pay is usually low – pretty darn close to that minimum wage. 

times are tough all around – so how can you attract and keep the most fabulous employees – even when your business may be suffering due to the economy?

i’m sure there any many ideas out there – and i’d certainly love to hear them.  but i’ll start with my own experience in paying employees that was affordable, fair and at times – quite lucrative.

first of all – if you want the savvy, smart, stylish sales person- you’ll need to pony up.  and it will be worth it when they sell the bejeezus out of your merchandise and your clients sing her (or his!) praise.  after all, this person is representing your business.  you’re worth top dollar, right?

margins are tight  – so what’s the best way to manage your employee compensation?  I say a base hourly rate + commission.  I used to pay above minimum wage for my hourly rate (because otherwise, it just seems a little insulting).  commission was paid once they reached a particular sales goal.  For example, 5% of all sales over $$$.  this encourages their ambitions and allows you to cover your expenses.  and believe me – if your salesperson hits the jackpot – you’ll be excited because that means you had a killer day.  everyone wins!

a generous merchandise discount is essential as well (especially since many of us work in retail so we can get more clothes/shoes/jewelry/etc).

i’d love to hear about unique ways to compensate employees:  any ideas?

do you ever wake up and suddenly decide you hate your hair, nothing in your closet is even remotely wearable, and you desperately need a new lipstick?  i think we all have our own versions of the need for a makeover. 

boutiques are no different.  after all, your boutique is likely an extension of you.  you change:  your style may shift as you get older or your lifestyle changes.  you may get sick of your haircut and decide to go for a new ‘do.  it’s a natural part of personal evolution.  while we can make some quick, easy changes to our personal appearance, changing the look of your store may seem like a daunting (and expensive) task.

not necessarily so.

when i first opened ooma, i had this grand vision that my shop would be divided by style “moods” separated by bright, vivid colors.  it was nothing short of delicious.  everyone who walked in the door for the first time always had a pleasant, wondrous reaction.    smiles abound as they perused the fun, colorful prints and the bright walls of sass.

 

ooma - the early days

after 5 years, i found that i was drawn to a more sophisticated look and as i planned my retro chic black & white wedding – i found that i was especially drawn to the simplicity of the graphic boldness of the palette. 

so i decided to mix things up – just a tad.  i painted all the walls white  (except the pink wall behind the cash wrap) and wallpapered my dividers in a graphic b&w print.

ooma: after makeover

i removed the carpet in the dressing rooms and added pergo floors with FLOR tiles.  i painted my dressing room chairs black and re-covered the seats with black & white fabric.

i painted the exterior and got a new outdoor hanging sign.

and i moved everything around got a few new shelves, painted some old ones – and VOILA!  it was like my store got a fun new makeover.  it still felt essentially like ooma – but with a new sensibility that reflected the subtle changes in my merchandise selection.  some of the changes were gradual – which made is easier to budget in terms of time and money (not once did i close my store on a day when i was usually open).

ooma: spruced up

does your store need a little spruce up or makeover?  i do offer consulting in this realm and would quite love to help you.  as the economy shapes up – perhaps now is the best time to reintroduce yourself?  email me if you’d like my assistance.

i love being me.  i have a great business acumen, i think i’m a pretty stylish and fun gal, and i’m thrilled that being a mom seems to come pretty naturally.  but oh how i wish i was a craftier person!  i get giddy when i see what other folks create and yet – i seemed to have missed the boat when those skills were passed out.  thank goodness for gals like Mallory aka MissMalaprop.  not only does she report on wonderful indie designers – but she has amazing creative skills to create DIY yumminess.  and did i mention she’s friend of the earth!  that makes me happy.  so without further ado – here’s MissMalaprop reporting on ideas for sustainable & eco-friendly displays.

 

I also love the idea of using vintage suitcasesfor displaying jewelry, small accessories, or even cards and stationery. Most vintage suitcases have some sort of fabric lining that’s great for hanging earrings on or attaching hooks and pins for hanging other jewelry pieces. If you’re going to be doing traveling shows or local events to help promote your business, suitcases do double duty as both display at the event and storage to and from. Both Etsy and eBay, as well as your local thrift stores and flea markets, can be great sources for affordable vintage suitcases. (note from Kate:  how cute are these for a kids store or area?)

Clothing racks are another fixture where the recycled possibilities are endless. I’ve seen great displays done with fallen tree branches strung up from the ceiling with sturdy chain. At home, my landlord used recycled metal piping for our closets, and it’s a subtle touch that I love. Most areas have hardware salvage stores where you can find unique fixtures taken from demolished older homes.

These salvage stores can also be a great location to find vintage chandeliers and lighting fixtures. The store I used to work for, Trashy Diva, used vintage chandeliers to bring a great retro ambiance to the shop, which specialized in clothing based on styles from the 1930s-1950s. I also found another ingenious tutorial on Instructables for building an  eye-catching lighting fixture using tumbleweeds or fallen branches and LED Christmas lights. Brilliant!

There really is no limit to what you can do with a little imagination. Vintage and recycled materials bring charm and can often be found for cheaper than new fixtures and displays. Keep an open mind while you browse your local thrift stores and flea markets, and you never know what you might find to transform your store!

thank you MissMalaprop for your great ideas!  i’d love to hear your ideas for recycled or DIY displays.