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This is probably one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make and I think I'm making the best one for me and my family at this time. After months of thinking it over and agonizing over a course of action, we have decided to close the retail side of berry sweet bath & body.
A big part of me is sadden by my decision, however, I must acknowledge that motherhood has really taken me by surprise with exactly how much work and dedication is needed to raise a healthy and happy baby. In fact, I'm still a little shell-shocked by the magnitude of it all. I didn't think that my priorities would change much after Kira arrived but they really have. I really thought that she'd be able to slide into my life after she was born but, as all mothers already know and I've learned the hard way, its not like that - your life needs to bend around your child's. She just seems to need me and a routine more than I originally thought she would. But as I see it, putting a dream on hold for a couple of years to raise a happy, healthy, confident and secure child is a small price to pay.
Now, where does that leave all of you? I haven't forgotten to plan for all of you in this mayhem. As of right now, we are planning to continue on with craft shows (which is where most of you visit us, anyway) and wholesale. We are also planning our own private events to be held periodically in which our customers can come to a location and purchase items. And at these events, we are also planning to have some classes and demos, which many of you have asked about throughout the year. Of course, our favorite Stampin' Up! gal, Teri, will be there with her own additions to our projects - just to make things more interesting.
As of right now, we are planning to be at the Islandwide Spring Show in May, Made in Hawai'i in August, Season's Best in October, Diamond Head (KCC) and Islandwide Craft & Food Expo in November. As for our own events, we're thinking about July and definitely December for this year - especially for those of you who need those last minute items around the holidays. We will post more information about these events as we know more here on our blog and for those of you on our mailing list, we'll send out the usual postcards. If you have email, as soon as I figure out the mass e-mail thing, I'll start using that, too.
We are currently looking for other little boutiques to carry some of our more popular items, so you can still get them on a regular basis. We currently have boutiques Maui, Kauai, California and Japan that carry some of our items. In the meantime, we are looking at creating a product catalog to be updated quarterly as well as an online catalog that can be viewed on our website once the dust from closing settles. So basically, mail order will become much easier (flat rate priority mail boxes are our friends!) and if you're relatively close to town, deliveries or drop offs can be arranged. If you are interested in the print catalog, please email me your name, if you are already on our mailing list. If not, please email me with your name, address and verify your email address for me. The phone number will stay the same even after our closure so you can still get a hold of us via phone.
I'm also thinking about house and office parties that would be similar to tupperware parties. I could come to your home or office (as long as your boss is cool with it!) and show off some of our products to you and your friends/colleagues. The orders would be delivered within a week or two after. Still in the process of trying to put it together in my head but if you're interested, please let me know so I think a little faster!
With the retail store closing, it will give me a chance to focus on the items that are unique to us and all of you love so much. Trim the fat, they say. I really think this is the best way and we'll look at doing a retail store again when Kira is a little older. I would say to keep checking here and on our actual website for updates as to what products we're keeping and what we're doing away with. If you have any products that you absolutely love, now would be the time to say so!
So with all of the above said, its time for a "fire" sale. Most of our stock will be at 25-50% off for this coming week. Most of our store fixtures will be available for sale, just talk to me about making arrangements for after the store closes. All of our beautiful shelving and floating shelves need to go (I have no place to store them). We will also be selling most our penny candy jars, "crackseed" jars, and display props, too.
As of right now, Tea Forte, Warm Whiskers, Cocoa Room, and rubber duckies are 50% off. The rest will be determined when I get back into the store on Tuesday. I would strongly suggest coming in and stocking up on some of your favorite items. Our next show is in May. Secretary's Day ( aka Administrative Assistant's Day) is coming up next month. May is Mother's Day, Graduations, and end of school in which many of you purchase little gift items for your children's teachers. Some of you also purchase little items for your children's friends at the end of school, too. Just some gift-giving occasions that are coming up that we won't be open for.
Anyway, I can't believe we're going into our last week of being open. This was such a hard decision to make in such a short period of time but I think its the right one for me and my family. I am so incredibly grateful to all of you who have stood by us the past couple of years. I really hope that you'll continue to think of us from time to time as I'll be thinking of all of you. This really isn't a goodbye, but hopefully, a way to make things work out for all of our benefit. Call it the "Kira Re-Structuring." Who knows? Maybe I'll get around to making jewelry again, too!
I hope to see most of you this coming week. If not, then hopefully at a future show. In the meantime, if you desperately need something between the closing of the store and the next show, feel free to call or email and I'll do my best to get it to you.
Thank you again for all of your aloha and support!
carri
A big part of me is sadden by my decision, however, I must acknowledge that motherhood has really taken me by surprise with exactly how much work and dedication is needed to raise a healthy and happy baby. In fact, I'm still a little shell-shocked by the magnitude of it all. I didn't think that my priorities would change much after Kira arrived but they really have. I really thought that she'd be able to slide into my life after she was born but, as all mothers already know and I've learned the hard way, its not like that - your life needs to bend around your child's. She just seems to need me and a routine more than I originally thought she would. But as I see it, putting a dream on hold for a couple of years to raise a happy, healthy, confident and secure child is a small price to pay.
Now, where does that leave all of you? I haven't forgotten to plan for all of you in this mayhem. As of right now, we are planning to continue on with craft shows (which is where most of you visit us, anyway) and wholesale. We are also planning our own private events to be held periodically in which our customers can come to a location and purchase items. And at these events, we are also planning to have some classes and demos, which many of you have asked about throughout the year. Of course, our favorite Stampin' Up! gal, Teri, will be there with her own additions to our projects - just to make things more interesting.
As of right now, we are planning to be at the Islandwide Spring Show in May, Made in Hawai'i in August, Season's Best in October, Diamond Head (KCC) and Islandwide Craft & Food Expo in November. As for our own events, we're thinking about July and definitely December for this year - especially for those of you who need those last minute items around the holidays. We will post more information about these events as we know more here on our blog and for those of you on our mailing list, we'll send out the usual postcards. If you have email, as soon as I figure out the mass e-mail thing, I'll start using that, too.
We are currently looking for other little boutiques to carry some of our more popular items, so you can still get them on a regular basis. We currently have boutiques Maui, Kauai, California and Japan that carry some of our items. In the meantime, we are looking at creating a product catalog to be updated quarterly as well as an online catalog that can be viewed on our website once the dust from closing settles. So basically, mail order will become much easier (flat rate priority mail boxes are our friends!) and if you're relatively close to town, deliveries or drop offs can be arranged. If you are interested in the print catalog, please email me your name, if you are already on our mailing list. If not, please email me with your name, address and verify your email address for me. The phone number will stay the same even after our closure so you can still get a hold of us via phone.
I'm also thinking about house and office parties that would be similar to tupperware parties. I could come to your home or office (as long as your boss is cool with it!) and show off some of our products to you and your friends/colleagues. The orders would be delivered within a week or two after. Still in the process of trying to put it together in my head but if you're interested, please let me know so I think a little faster!
With the retail store closing, it will give me a chance to focus on the items that are unique to us and all of you love so much. Trim the fat, they say. I really think this is the best way and we'll look at doing a retail store again when Kira is a little older. I would say to keep checking here and on our actual website for updates as to what products we're keeping and what we're doing away with. If you have any products that you absolutely love, now would be the time to say so!
So with all of the above said, its time for a "fire" sale. Most of our stock will be at 25-50% off for this coming week. Most of our store fixtures will be available for sale, just talk to me about making arrangements for after the store closes. All of our beautiful shelving and floating shelves need to go (I have no place to store them). We will also be selling most our penny candy jars, "crackseed" jars, and display props, too.
As of right now, Tea Forte, Warm Whiskers, Cocoa Room, and rubber duckies are 50% off. The rest will be determined when I get back into the store on Tuesday. I would strongly suggest coming in and stocking up on some of your favorite items. Our next show is in May. Secretary's Day ( aka Administrative Assistant's Day) is coming up next month. May is Mother's Day, Graduations, and end of school in which many of you purchase little gift items for your children's teachers. Some of you also purchase little items for your children's friends at the end of school, too. Just some gift-giving occasions that are coming up that we won't be open for.
Anyway, I can't believe we're going into our last week of being open. This was such a hard decision to make in such a short period of time but I think its the right one for me and my family. I am so incredibly grateful to all of you who have stood by us the past couple of years. I really hope that you'll continue to think of us from time to time as I'll be thinking of all of you. This really isn't a goodbye, but hopefully, a way to make things work out for all of our benefit. Call it the "Kira Re-Structuring." Who knows? Maybe I'll get around to making jewelry again, too!
I hope to see most of you this coming week. If not, then hopefully at a future show. In the meantime, if you desperately need something between the closing of the store and the next show, feel free to call or email and I'll do my best to get it to you.
Thank you again for all of your aloha and support!
carri
hopeful