Call me a hermit or a recluse but that is me. The idea behind opening up a consignment shop for tack next door to our flooring store seemed to be the incentive I needed to get back out of the house after 3 ½ years, and run both the family business full time again and embark on my new one as well. I would be in my own element working with all kinds of tack, and I’d have my own paycheck again to support my horses. Perfect.
So they said if I built it they would come… so I did.
At first I was pumped. I had a nasty dirty great big concrete block room that I transformed into what I think is now a very nice country quaint little shop. Keep in mind there is just so much a person can do with a concrete block room and on a zero $ budget. I shampooed the ugly brown carpet on the floor and painted the walls a fresh coat of white paint. I bought blue and white checkered gingham valances for the windows and continued the same blue gingham accents here and there throughout. I was lucky to find table cloths in the same blue gingham for my banquet size table where I display videos and books all learning stuff; some are in baskets filled with a little hay or raffia. I call it my “Equine Education Center.” I made a trip to Dollar General and purchased some silk greenery vines for a buck a piece and added that to soften up that nasty concrete above the windows. At Goodwill, I found silk baskets of seasonal florals and even a large silk ficus tree all for a song to place around. I punched the whole place up with county red accessories: a couple of red chairs for the customers, a little red table and even a red wagon to display more merchandise. The dulcimer music is playing on in low in the background and I activated some nice scents so the shop smells nice and homey. I have one entire wall set up with racks for hanging up clothing, two long saddle racks, and two bridle racks ten feet long hanging up on the walls. The coffee pot is on and I bring in cookies for the customers that I bake late at night. This was my vision and I am very proud of this transformation that I achieved on a dime. Its not wonderful or perfect or professional but I think it’s really a nice clean looking pleasant shop, a place where I would enjoy to look for tack. There’s a little front porch (old loading dock) which is an eyesore so a neighbor gave me an old wicker chair and some of her plants to dress it up outside. You know me, I’ll decorate anything, loading dock and all.
Then one of my very dear and closest friends stopped by to see how it was coming together and notified me that coming to work in my sweat suits and sleeper pants is not an option if I am seriously going to resume my roll as a respected business woman in this town. HUH? Never really thought about that now, but I used to wear suits and long dresses in the flooring store. However, this is now and these are my best sweat suits, my dress-up ones, the ones with no tears or stains on them and as for having to defend my sleeper pants, they are very nice looking plaids; ok one has pink bunnies but they are very cozy and I pair them up with some very nice sweaters. Heck, you couldn’t really even see my Christmas socks inside my hot pink crocks, but darn it, she did! I want to leave my couturier alone and come summer, I’ll wear my long dresses, but that wasn’t good enough for dear friend. Alas, she ragged me out a good one and hauled me off to the store kicking and screaming what fer’. I was trapped in a two by four of a dressing room hopping up and down from one leg to the other with one hand bracing myself against the wall trying on about 8 pairs of jeans while whining to her that nothing fits me right except sweat pants. I insisted on big oversized and baggy jeans. She said “fitted”. So she’s outside the dressing room hollering for me to “shut up and push, pull, and jam it ” and on that note I swore if she had attracted a crowd thinking I was giving birth in there, or something else, I’d kill her. Well she won and I was forced to get a couple pairs of dress jeans that are fitted, then some brown leather fashion ankle boots with a 2 ½” heel to my horror, and a ton of make up to experiment with. Gads, make up too? Back home she then attacked my closet jerking out my blazers and pull overs and throwing them all over the bed. If that wasn’t enough adding insult to injury, she drug out my jewelry chest looking for “the good stuff” and instructed me to make some decent outfits or else. OK, game on. Off I went packing the next day to work in one of these new outfits and Dan and Hus agreed I was styling and looked good but I don’t like it much. The “fitted” jeans look great as long as breathing isn’t required and I don’t have to move and inch, sit down or bend over. I tried to walk in those jeans but it was like a Charlie Chaplin kind of walk-scoot and it hurt! If I attempt to walk in those jeans my vitals take a nose dive and my respiratory system will completely shut down. So there I stand. Still. Frozen in time. Can’t move in the jeans. The fashion boots are indeed a wonderful statement for Kim Kardashian, not me. They look terrific on my klutzy feet as long as I don’t have to walk one inch or stand up because I know I will tip over. I tried to come out from behind my desk holding onto it with the death grip, but honestly, the only comfortable position for me in this whole get-up seems to be laying down flat on the floor. That’s out too because I’d need help getting up and our forklift is usually busy lifting other things back in the warehouse. The only thing that doesn’t hurt is the nail polish. As for the makeup, I tried. Yes I tried to apply make up her way,…….then I began to hear voices.
So back to business, I put flyers out all over town and the town responded as I had hoped and soon my store was filling up here and there with merchandise. I saw old friends who I missed, and was scared poop-less of meeting new people, but everyone was coming in and saying how they loved this shop. I had a little bit of everything you’d expect to find in a tack shop and this was going great. All the show clothing went the first two days and I made $102.00!!!Yup, I was pumped! Horse money! Then it got quiet after that, barely a browser, and no one bringing me any more of anything to put on consignment, but at least, the word was out that I was there. A week later I began to get browsers even from surrounding counties and everyone was complimenting me on what a nice shop I had, but I wasn’t making any sales. None. I kept a wish list where you list your name and number and what you are looking for and when that item shows up, I’d call----- but no one really seemed to want to do anything except to look around. But lucky me, I acquired regular groupies because people I don’t know come by to sit down and chat about everything from horses to their cheating daughter in laws. I sure do get an earful. And since the shop is located on the same road as the Sheriff’s department I have cops stopping in left and right daily for coffee and cookies and to play with my trusty German Shepherd Amy. She is milking that for everything its worth with her cutesy routine. She thinks all the people are coming in just to play with her.
As it stands to date, its more than slow but people are still coming in dribs and drabs and I am still gaining new stock here and there for consignment as well. I may have three days in a row without one customer then the next day I’ll have about five people come in at once who at least eat the cookies. I did get lucky this week because I sold a bridle and a brush and I cleared a whopping $8.50, so it’s confirmed: I’m really not a very good sales person. I couldn’t sell my way out of a paper bag no matter how low the prices are. So what on earth am I doing here? Not even covering gas expenses that’s for sure. I have had suggestions of taking the business online which I absolutely will not get involved in with shipping and all and another website, no thank you. Another idea was to put out a monthly newsletter of handy horse tips and feature the store’s latest merchandise which I am considering.
Frankly, I’m tired of cleaning clean saddles over and over again for nothing. I’ve already wanted to close down a couple of times and it’s only been a little over a month. Given my “poor small town” location, I know this tack consignment shop is a good idea in theory because there are so many horses here, but perhaps this is the wrong time when people don’t have any extra money to spend on horse related items. My friends are all telling me I need to give this a lot more time before I retreat. Its still cold winter weather here; we’ve had snow again just last week, lots of rain storms and no one is really doing horses yet, so I am on the fence at this time whether to cut my losses now and head back to the mountain where my sleeper pants rule, or stay a little longer and give it one more shot. I did put a lot of work and heart into creating that little shop and I don’t like the idea of giving up too soon. With the visions of $$$ for vaccines, worming, and farrier coming due again sooner that I can say April Showers, it is a motivation to hang in a little while longer, but if I remain open I swear I’m going to find something spandex and wear my crocs. They said if I built it they would come and so they did, they just don’t spend any money. And that’s how the new business is going.
(Disclaimer: This is not an advertisement in any way shape or form. The name of this store and location is not disclosed and all links to any online movies have been disabled.)And wild horses couldn't get me to do this business online. Thanks ML
So they said if I built it they would come… so I did.
At first I was pumped. I had a nasty dirty great big concrete block room that I transformed into what I think is now a very nice country quaint little shop. Keep in mind there is just so much a person can do with a concrete block room and on a zero $ budget. I shampooed the ugly brown carpet on the floor and painted the walls a fresh coat of white paint. I bought blue and white checkered gingham valances for the windows and continued the same blue gingham accents here and there throughout. I was lucky to find table cloths in the same blue gingham for my banquet size table where I display videos and books all learning stuff; some are in baskets filled with a little hay or raffia. I call it my “Equine Education Center.” I made a trip to Dollar General and purchased some silk greenery vines for a buck a piece and added that to soften up that nasty concrete above the windows. At Goodwill, I found silk baskets of seasonal florals and even a large silk ficus tree all for a song to place around. I punched the whole place up with county red accessories: a couple of red chairs for the customers, a little red table and even a red wagon to display more merchandise. The dulcimer music is playing on in low in the background and I activated some nice scents so the shop smells nice and homey. I have one entire wall set up with racks for hanging up clothing, two long saddle racks, and two bridle racks ten feet long hanging up on the walls. The coffee pot is on and I bring in cookies for the customers that I bake late at night. This was my vision and I am very proud of this transformation that I achieved on a dime. Its not wonderful or perfect or professional but I think it’s really a nice clean looking pleasant shop, a place where I would enjoy to look for tack. There’s a little front porch (old loading dock) which is an eyesore so a neighbor gave me an old wicker chair and some of her plants to dress it up outside. You know me, I’ll decorate anything, loading dock and all.
Then one of my very dear and closest friends stopped by to see how it was coming together and notified me that coming to work in my sweat suits and sleeper pants is not an option if I am seriously going to resume my roll as a respected business woman in this town. HUH? Never really thought about that now, but I used to wear suits and long dresses in the flooring store. However, this is now and these are my best sweat suits, my dress-up ones, the ones with no tears or stains on them and as for having to defend my sleeper pants, they are very nice looking plaids; ok one has pink bunnies but they are very cozy and I pair them up with some very nice sweaters. Heck, you couldn’t really even see my Christmas socks inside my hot pink crocks, but darn it, she did! I want to leave my couturier alone and come summer, I’ll wear my long dresses, but that wasn’t good enough for dear friend. Alas, she ragged me out a good one and hauled me off to the store kicking and screaming what fer’. I was trapped in a two by four of a dressing room hopping up and down from one leg to the other with one hand bracing myself against the wall trying on about 8 pairs of jeans while whining to her that nothing fits me right except sweat pants. I insisted on big oversized and baggy jeans. She said “fitted”. So she’s outside the dressing room hollering for me to “shut up and push, pull, and jam it ” and on that note I swore if she had attracted a crowd thinking I was giving birth in there, or something else, I’d kill her. Well she won and I was forced to get a couple pairs of dress jeans that are fitted, then some brown leather fashion ankle boots with a 2 ½” heel to my horror, and a ton of make up to experiment with. Gads, make up too? Back home she then attacked my closet jerking out my blazers and pull overs and throwing them all over the bed. If that wasn’t enough adding insult to injury, she drug out my jewelry chest looking for “the good stuff” and instructed me to make some decent outfits or else. OK, game on. Off I went packing the next day to work in one of these new outfits and Dan and Hus agreed I was styling and looked good but I don’t like it much. The “fitted” jeans look great as long as breathing isn’t required and I don’t have to move and inch, sit down or bend over. I tried to walk in those jeans but it was like a Charlie Chaplin kind of walk-scoot and it hurt! If I attempt to walk in those jeans my vitals take a nose dive and my respiratory system will completely shut down. So there I stand. Still. Frozen in time. Can’t move in the jeans. The fashion boots are indeed a wonderful statement for Kim Kardashian, not me. They look terrific on my klutzy feet as long as I don’t have to walk one inch or stand up because I know I will tip over. I tried to come out from behind my desk holding onto it with the death grip, but honestly, the only comfortable position for me in this whole get-up seems to be laying down flat on the floor. That’s out too because I’d need help getting up and our forklift is usually busy lifting other things back in the warehouse. The only thing that doesn’t hurt is the nail polish. As for the makeup, I tried. Yes I tried to apply make up her way,…….then I began to hear voices.
So back to business, I put flyers out all over town and the town responded as I had hoped and soon my store was filling up here and there with merchandise. I saw old friends who I missed, and was scared poop-less of meeting new people, but everyone was coming in and saying how they loved this shop. I had a little bit of everything you’d expect to find in a tack shop and this was going great. All the show clothing went the first two days and I made $102.00!!!Yup, I was pumped! Horse money! Then it got quiet after that, barely a browser, and no one bringing me any more of anything to put on consignment, but at least, the word was out that I was there. A week later I began to get browsers even from surrounding counties and everyone was complimenting me on what a nice shop I had, but I wasn’t making any sales. None. I kept a wish list where you list your name and number and what you are looking for and when that item shows up, I’d call----- but no one really seemed to want to do anything except to look around. But lucky me, I acquired regular groupies because people I don’t know come by to sit down and chat about everything from horses to their cheating daughter in laws. I sure do get an earful. And since the shop is located on the same road as the Sheriff’s department I have cops stopping in left and right daily for coffee and cookies and to play with my trusty German Shepherd Amy. She is milking that for everything its worth with her cutesy routine. She thinks all the people are coming in just to play with her.
As it stands to date, its more than slow but people are still coming in dribs and drabs and I am still gaining new stock here and there for consignment as well. I may have three days in a row without one customer then the next day I’ll have about five people come in at once who at least eat the cookies. I did get lucky this week because I sold a bridle and a brush and I cleared a whopping $8.50, so it’s confirmed: I’m really not a very good sales person. I couldn’t sell my way out of a paper bag no matter how low the prices are. So what on earth am I doing here? Not even covering gas expenses that’s for sure. I have had suggestions of taking the business online which I absolutely will not get involved in with shipping and all and another website, no thank you. Another idea was to put out a monthly newsletter of handy horse tips and feature the store’s latest merchandise which I am considering.
Frankly, I’m tired of cleaning clean saddles over and over again for nothing. I’ve already wanted to close down a couple of times and it’s only been a little over a month. Given my “poor small town” location, I know this tack consignment shop is a good idea in theory because there are so many horses here, but perhaps this is the wrong time when people don’t have any extra money to spend on horse related items. My friends are all telling me I need to give this a lot more time before I retreat. Its still cold winter weather here; we’ve had snow again just last week, lots of rain storms and no one is really doing horses yet, so I am on the fence at this time whether to cut my losses now and head back to the mountain where my sleeper pants rule, or stay a little longer and give it one more shot. I did put a lot of work and heart into creating that little shop and I don’t like the idea of giving up too soon. With the visions of $$$ for vaccines, worming, and farrier coming due again sooner that I can say April Showers, it is a motivation to hang in a little while longer, but if I remain open I swear I’m going to find something spandex and wear my crocs. They said if I built it they would come and so they did, they just don’t spend any money. And that’s how the new business is going.
(Disclaimer: This is not an advertisement in any way shape or form. The name of this store and location is not disclosed and all links to any online movies have been disabled.)And wild horses couldn't get me to do this business online. Thanks ML
