Moving into our Bethesda Location (4600 East West Highway)
October 23, 2024
We're in!
This space used to be a printing shop, so the walls were colorblocked to match the ink cartridges you'd find in a printer. A bit of an eyesore, and unfortunately not green. Had to go.
Our friends over at 360 Painting DC gave the space a fresh and much-needed coat of paint and immediately it started looking like a proper store.
November 2024
This in retrospect, so at the time I was under the illusion that we would be opening in time to catch the holiday season. The plan was to open once the county gave us the green light. The forms were submitted, we waited a couple business days...
As it turns out, our space isn't up to code because the previous tenant installed a bathroom in the closet. We also have a mezzanine with a odd ladder and a ramp thats also not to code (this is in the half of the closet that did not become bathroom).
Before opening, we have to knock down 2 walls and rebuild them 2-3 feet out.
It's always something almost comical the sets you back isn't it? Never something predictable and avoidable. What do you mean the bathroom was built into closet? On the bright side I hated where the bathroom door was (directly in front of our giant windows), and want to put in a bigger sink so we can water plants easier, so it's not all for naught.
Despite running into a $20k expense and missing the busiest time of the year, I still had one mission: make store pretty.
Little by little and day by day, brands found their homes on our shelves. We had shelves hung, added nooks & crannies, and put cute little bitty bobs here and there.
December 2024
We had our busiest month of online sales this month!
Though, with only half of the inventory boxes unpacked, and with some boxes still sitting in my house, finding some of the items people ordered took actual hours. There was a time were I absolutely couldn't find it, and still haven't. It's nearly impossible not to move things while moving.
It did, however, really speed up the unpacking process.
I do tend to struggle naturally with efficiency in any form which did not help the situation, but the gift wrapping/shipping station has been set up, and now a whopping 85% of our products have a proper home in the shop.
To be fair, had we managed to opened before the holiday season, it's entirely possible I would've collapsed.
January/February 2025
I'm happy to report that most inventory no longer lives on a box. Everything has its place, the backroom is both functional and exceptionally cozy. Overall, the store is looking incredible (pictured).
Best and most importantly, I can confidently hang a towel bar now!
On the flip side, we are currently waiting for county approval to remodel the bathroom. It's starting to become apparent that no matter how finished the store looks inside, we cannot and are not open for business.
The problem is, the better it looks inside, the more it's easy to forget that the store is missing its main component ~ other people.
