Sitting here at the Atlanta Gift Show on a Sunday morning I wanted to take a minute and reflect a bit upon the latter part of my week. Thursday (after living through my harrowing night in Greenwood, SC) I headed to check on existing customers and found one nearby (the buyer had already told me she couldn't see me that day but to check with her in late April, since she couldn't buy now) and wanted to see what the nature of the store was. It was a huge, eclectic mix of antiques, gifts, kitchen and a 'wine cellar' room (not actually a cellar); it also appeared to be the local gathering place for the retired fellows around Greenwood to find fresh coffee - not really our demographic, but can hope their wives also frequent the store! I went on to Abbeville, where I found a 'customer' to be a house in a very rural area - my guess was they made some personal purchases at a gift show at one time or another. I did find another potential new customer in downtown Abbeville who hopes to be able to purchase by the end of April, before their street festival the first week of May. I will check back in late April with her. I then headed towards Batesburg to see a customer who had also told me that she would not be available, but I wanted to get a read on the store where I saw several retired items on an old wooden Heritage display, but they had Gala valances hanging in their windows across the front of the store and they looked great - gives me thoughts for my plan of attack at a later date! The woman working the store said their business was decent and they were holding their own, so I want to see them again in late April and make some suggestions for a good update to the products. Moving on to Lexington to see an inactive customer, I saw a great barn type building general store and went inside to meet the owner who told me things are tough for them right now and to check back . . . in September. They really did have inventory stacked to the rafters and we would be a great match, but not until they move some products out! I made it to our inactive Bed & Breakfast and restaurant in Lexington (the two pictures are of this place with Heritage Lace in every window) and unfortunately I JUST missed the impressive Southern Lunch Buffet (now this should make your mouth water as I list the menu, although I feel certain they don't serve all of this every day, but maybe they do...): fried chicken, pork chops, baked ham, pot roast with carrots and potatoes, chicken and dumplings, meat loaf, early peas, lima beans, green beans with new potatoes, mac n cheese, cabbage, corn, fried green tomatoes, sweet potatoes, broccoli casserole, creamed potatoes & gravy, rice, coleslaw, potato salad, pasta salad, corn salad, southern bread salad, fruit salad, corn muffins, biscuits and a dessert selection....hungry?? Price is $8.95 per person. The owner was very gracious as he was counting large stacks of bills, so I believe the lunch crowd is coming in. He just recently started serving lunch again and said it is really picking up. Unfortunately, the buffet is where the gift shop used to be, so we have lost our real estate. He did invite me to come back, skip breakfast, enjoy the buffet and after lunch he would let me make a presentation. He loves our window treatments, and says he does pull a catalog out to order if anyone asks. He loves the quality and the price; I just have to find a spot to get products into that house somewhere! I called on a customer in Irmo, who is in a 150 year old house with a beautiful shop. She only does a bit of business with us, but isn't really interested right now in 'growing her business' as her main focus is the upcoming construction to add on to her shop! Wow, I will check back after construction is complete and try to claim some additional space for our line. On to West Columbia to see a couple more inactive customers; one was a small house (personal order again more than likely) and the other was a gift shop / hair salon - the owner was not in, as she was taking her elderly mother to the doctor. I asked when I could check back and see the owner and was told that Mondays and Tuesdays were good, but the rest of the week she 'does hair' . . . I have to admit when I got to my car I did have a good chuckle over that one. Friday I saw a couple potential window coverings prospects, one in Columbia where I will need to check back because I will need to present to all three folks and the second in Aiken who was a really nice man who loved the product. His wife recently passed away quickly with a brain tumor but his business was really booming after a few months of being closed with a combination of grieving and Walgreen's construction next door. He said now that Walgreen's is open, the additional traffic was giving him even more exposure and business. He had an award on the wall for 2008 Aiken's best window designs. He told me to see him again in late April when he hopes to purchase the launch kit and the portable countertop display, but first he had to hire more help! He is taking three extra days at Easter to hike another portion of the Appalachian Trail - he is 72 and his goal at 75 is to take several months and do the whole thing! I have a feeling he will also sell some Provinaire. It was an interesting week, lots of prospects, but not one order - I think that will come though.
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Hi Barb,
ReplyDeleteHope the show is going well! I enjoy your "travelogue" a lot - especially where NOT to stay.
Candace
Hey Barb, tell that old guy that if he needs some company on the Trail I'd be happy to come along and provide some musical interludes on my harmonica!
ReplyDeleteBarb, forgot to mention.....if you meet anyone named Norman Bates at one of the B&Bs........RUN!!!!!!!!!
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