Now that I’ve passed the one-year anniversary of opening the new shop, it’s a good time to reflect on what’s happened so far – the good, the bad and the ugly!
Overall, it’s been a great experience – I’ve learnt a lot, I’ve met some fabulous people, and the town of Malvern has been extremely welcoming. I get great compliments on the items that I buy, and I’m told my pricing is good. Of course, there have been challenges along the way but you can’t please everybody and as long as I keep buying what I like, I don’t think I’ll be too far of the mark!
Several groups of items have sold well – chairs, drawers, tables etc. The items where there is a defitnte 'need'. Purely decorative items are more of a complex sale. There must be that instant connection to make them want to buy - the same connection that I felt when I bought the item.
The customers themselves are always fascinating – some are rude, some are polite, some are lovely – but all of them are fascinating. Some want to engage and learn about certain items, whilst others only want to tell you that ‘they used to have one of those’. Some people just want to use the shop as a museum and take a trip down memory lane. Does that matter? No, not at all!
Even after one year, I’m still meeting local people who are only just discovering that I’m here. I’ve advertised regularly and I’ll maintain this to build awareness even further.
I look forward to everyday in the shop – each day is different and you never know what is going to happen!
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