Today marks a full month of being open. If you asked me last month, the prospect of ever being open at all was quickly fading considering we moved in 11 months earlier. Now, it feels almost as though none of that happened. For all intents and purposes, we're just like ever other store 6 weeks before the holiday season.
It has dawned on me that it's mostly just going to be me here, and there have already been times were I feel overwhelmed by how many ways my attention has to get divided. Since we offer free gift-wrapping, if there happen to be 3+ people who need a gift wrapped at the exact same time, suddenly I'm sweating bullets.
I have created a mountain
People are patient, but I would like to be efficient. The "pick-up" option has been enabled, so you can shop online and pop in to pick up your order later. I have also begun pre-wrapping anything inevitable. Puzzles, mixology kits, notebooks, and even mystery packs of chocolate ~ the goal is to have some gifts ready in advance, since the holidays can pass in quite a rush.
Having been closed for so long, a part of me wonders why I didn’t start doing this sooner. Now that we’re open, I have so many running tasks to keep on top of, and it’s become a bit of a juggling act. A month in, the front of the store is looking great, but the back is in disarray. The physical shelves in the shop are organized, but the online collections and pages are messy and stale. I spend time writing blogs no one will read, while my 2600 followers on instagram get random content with no apparent style, strategy, or aesthetic.
Well, at least you’re here. Thanks for reading my compostable thoughts.
