I think retailing is in my DNA. I come from a family of entrepreneurs and sales managers. My maternal grandparents owned Chandler's bookstore in Chicago in the 1940's and 50's, specializing in rare books and first editions. My paternal grandparents owned a chain of 12 Chicagoland meat markets around the same time. While I was growing up my father worked in sales management for the 7Up Company specializing in marketing their products in Chicago area restaurants, and my mom was a supervisor at Sears, Roebuck & Company at a time when chain stores were not open on Sundays (got me my first job there too -- if you don't count my brief stint at Chicken City, USA.) My brother owned a real estate sales business in Chicago throughout the 1970's and 80's, and my sister owned several gorgeous home decorating stores in Fort Collins, Colorado in the 1990's. So, as the baby of the family, it was no surprise that my career followed a similar course.
I love specialty stores -- there's something about walking into one that truly works that just soothes your soul. A great specialty store makes shopping really, really fun instead of just another chore to rush through. Yes, many independent retailers have fallen victim to tough economic times and big-box retailers moving into town. Yet many others are thriving because they are creating a unique shopping experience and a loyal repeat customer base that advertises their business for them.
I have always seen similarities between retailing and show business. Like the first time I saw Cats on Broadway, I want to be dazzled when I shop. I want a store to grab my attention with an excellent concept and design, and then hold it with superior merchandising, sales and service. I want it to tell me something about its owner and its location. This is what a good specialty store does. Just about anywhere in America I can go into a cavernous warehouse-looking store that appears every few miles and walk through frequently malfunctioning theft detectors, get inundated with orange store policy signs, ignored by sales staff (if I can find them), and end the dismal experience by checking myself out under the watchful eye of hidden security cameras. Sadly, this has become a common way for people to shop for everything from groceries to clothing to major appliances.
That being said, not all specialty stores are good at what they do. Specialty store retailing is an art that requires hard work, long hours, and a passion for the business. This blog will focus on helping you create the "wow factor" experience for your customers without breaking the bank. We won't be covering business plans and financial managment -- there are hundreds of books available on that topic. We will focus on helping you examine your concept and create a look and feel in your store that will turn your customers into evangelists for your business and make you a can't-miss destination. It will demonstrate how to inject some show-business into your business and will help you go from being a retailer to a being a Retail Rock Star!
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