Grand Opening

So, my shop has been open basically since Thanksgiving and honestly, it's doing SO much better than we expected. We aren't rolling in dough or anything, but the response has been wonderful and we are making sales every day. The beading classes have been GREAT and our classroom space is going to be used for acting classes, journaling and creative workshops, crocheting classes....lectures on animal health :p and alternative therapies.

So anyway, I'm going to post pictures from the Grand Opening, which is this Friday night from 5-9pm. For those who remember, the catalyst for my new business was the murder of my friend and business partner and this Friday is her birthday. So the grand opening is also a celebration and memorial for her birthday.

Here are a few pictures of our shop after it first opened. I may post a picture of me with my co-conspirators :p from our first day, but I haven't decided b/c it's a pretty crappy picture of me! :o


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The classroom space is an open room area behind the checkout counter wall there with the big magnolia painting on it. The woman in the last picture is the one who teaches the beading classes and makes all the jewelry/sells the beads....

Whoa Ep! That looks soooo cool!!! Congrats on your new place!!!! :D

Are those stars suncatcher photo frames? How much?

AWESOME Beth.....
I am so proud of you for how you got all of this together!!!!
Much success and good blessing to you!
I may want to send you down a few pieces too if you'd like to look at them....I think they'd fit right in (for the ele's you know).
Hey, I LOVE the picture of the "hobbit" tree!!!
Is it for sale?
Love, J

Oh and, if you would....put a Ganash in there for luck!

Whoops...nevermind....saw him lol :o

Congratulations, Eponavet. It has a lovely feel to it. :yes:

Congrats!!! You did it, you got it going... I for one am very impressed!!!

I love it! :bgrin2: Congratulations!

Thanks guys for your support....

TD, you will appreciate the fact that I have already become a beading addict! I learned basic stringing and then took the peyote stitch class. This is my first peyote bracelet. I love the intricate stitches! :w00t:

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OOoooooh, it looks LOVELY! Totally a store I'd love to shop at! Congrats!

Wow, great job!!!
It's beautiful!
And, as you've found out, if your head is clear enough to visualize a design, which in my case lately, sometimes it's not :rolleyes:.....it is an awesome stress reliever :yes:
BTW, what a fantastic tribute to your friend!!!
Beth, I really am very amazed by all you've done!
Love, J

Glad to hear it's going well, hope it continues to. :)

Good going Epo! :cool:I wish you continued success:yes:

Your shop looks lovely. Best wishes for success.

Beth wow..looks fantastic!

It looks very nice. I wish you all the best on this new adventure and I admire you so much for doing this in honor of your friend.

beautiful!
amazing!
wishing you much success! your friend would be so proud....

I'm soooooooooooooooooooo tired. Tomorrow night is the night. I think we will have a good turnout, but then I get scared and think only like 5 people will show up. If that's the case, we will have a LOT of wine to drown our sorrow in (although I am working my way through one of those bottles tonight!) :p

Yay!!! It looks cool Epo!!!

I really like the space you have there, Epo. From the pictures..it looks very open and uncluttered and relaxing!

I think your opening will be a big success, and I hope one day you get a webpage where we can order online!!!!

your shop looks beautiful, eponavet!:)

Congratulations and I wish much success for you! :D

I love it, Beth! That is so awesome! I'd love to have my own shop - and I know I'd shop at your place, too! (You should go online, as well!):yes:

Beth,

It's a lovely store and best wishes on a peaceful and meaningful Grand Opening. May you find comfort tomorrow in knowing that you chased a dream in her honor and that her spirit lives through you.

~ Angel

It looks wonderful!!!

Congrats!!!

I have a couple of gifts left to buy. No clue for David. I actually was shopping the pictures, imagine if I was there in person! :yes:

its gonna go fine!!!!

its a very peaceful, attractive space...the energy is good!!

how'd it go???

It went perfect....honestly it couldn't have gone better. I'll post more later, but 2 things....one - I didn't take the first picture b/c it was one big whirlwind! But others did, so hopefully I'll see some! Two - I'm bummed today b/c I put so much energy into getting the shop open and having the grand opening for Angie's birthday that today was a big downer....sort of like all the wind is out of my sails. I knew to expect that, but still sorta sucks....:o

*H* i understand completely... all the energy, the big event... now what.
i am glad it went so well though...

Epo, your shop has a very comforting look and feel to it!

I know your business will continue to be successful!!

Sorry to hear how you feel today. Even though you expected it, we never know exactly how it is going to make us feel. You're right, it sucks.

Big Hug,
Fae

Ok...so yea, I was a little down today, but I felt Angie's energy sort of help get my thoughts back on track....whether it is "actually" her energy, or how she affected my life isn't really important. As the day went on, I was able to work through some of the emotions that I felt AFTER the big day. and I'm doing better.....AND - it's almost like she WAS there today, because as I was thinking the whole shop was going to implode now that the "Grand Opening" was past, we had our best day yet! And no one who came in today was even AT the opening!

So, besides the party having the perfect amount of food - and everyone had plenty of wine and beer and socializing, we also sold over $700 worth of things in 4 hours! Which is REALLY good for a little gift/book shop!

And then today...over $400. And only $75 of those sales were Christmas shoppers! And such cool people....I can't emphasize enough that although I need the shop to gnenerate enough income to keep me from going bankrupt, it hasn't been about the money. It's all these neat people, with their own energy, interests....and they are LOVING the store! The woman who spent over $200 today was all about the animal books - and she bought the print you can see in the 4th photo....the one closest to the bookcase on the left side of the picture - one of the Santa Fe River prints.

So, although I am still a little sad and I knew none of this would bring my friend back, I am slowly becoming okay with moving forward and actually ENJOYING this little endeavor....

Thanks for the well wishes! :)

Again....I just so amazed and proud of you lady!!!!

My newest necklace...I beaded this today while I was working at the shop.....:w00t:


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I'm late...(as usual) just wanted to tell you it looks amazing!

So, although I am still a little sad and I knew none of this would bring my friend back, I am slowly becoming okay with moving forward and actually ENJOYING this little endeavor....


Aww, man, I'm so happy for you! I hope it carries on working out like this. :)

Beth, you already know that you MUST stay in touch with me right????
Love you lady!

Beth, you already know that you MUST stay in touch with me right????
Love you lady!

Of course :)

Aww, man, I'm so happy for you! I hope it carries on working out like this. :)

Thanks again! Everyone has been so supportive! It means a lot!

Happy Hoildays everyone and I hope 2008 is wonderful for us all!

:grouphug:

Just the type of shop I love!!! It is a bit of a commute for me to get down there, so when you move into on-line sales, please post the URL ASAP.

Lovely shop! I wish you much success. I love small shops. They are so much more appealing.

I hope to get my own little one some day. A friend and I used to have a Christmas shop at Christmas time. I absolutely loved it.

BTW- you're beading is absolutely beautiful. We could use someone around here to do that.

Just a little update....

We had a really amazing December - for a new business, it was a perfect time to open (just before Christmas). Honestly, we were so surprised and did almost 3 times what we expected.

I predicted we would be totally dead in January - no one spends money in January. But I also planned for this shop to take anywhere from 1 to 2 years to get to a place where it was self sufficient, where we had recouped our start up costs and were actually making money.

But - we HAVEN'T been dead! :D WE have done really well - not Christmas shopping well, but SOOOOOO much better than I expected! If things stay close to this level, I will actually be able to get my credit cards paid off in like 6 months - a YEAR ahead of schedule!

Plus, the vibe is so cool in here - nothing but positive response. The beading classes have taken OFF. It's just everything I wanted and was hoping for. Truly something positive out of such a horrible tragedy. I hope things keep going well....

I'm very happy for you Epo! I hope you have continued success!! :D

wonderful news!

Sounds like such a fun business. I am glad things are going great... and the good vibes, it is a reflection of your good vibes. Yes yes.

Epo PLEASE go online!! I would SO buy stuff from you, and especially your beading! SO beautiful! Maybe even just on ebay? You should really give folks that don't live there an option. I would so like to support someone I "know" in their business. :)

Majorly cool Epo!! I'm glad it all fell together so well!!

Right on!!!!! :bgrin2:

Beth am so proud of you!!!
This is awesome news!!!
Love, J

Epo PLEASE go online!! I would SO buy stuff from you, and especially your beading! SO beautiful! Maybe even just on ebay? You should really give folks that don't live there an option. I would so like to support someone I "know" in their business. :)

Thanks everyone! :)

I am actually getting inspired by Jodey and SpecialK with the ebay thing.....I've been on this kick, making the spiral necklaces with different gemstones woven in. The finished ones in these pictures are fluorite, rhodonite and rose quartz. The unfinished one has lampwork "wedding cake" beads woven in. I need to get off the spiral kick, but it's so relaxing! :p


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