The Dilemma

As many details as you try to cover when thinking about opening a business, there are always so many little things that you just don't think of in the process.  One that has challenged me since I opened is what to do when I have one left of an item.

Now, I'm not complaining.  If Zoe has one left of an item at full price, it means that item has done well!  It is always exciting when you've selected something in the right colors/style/sizes for your customer population.  But then there is that one item, hanging there all alone, wanting a home.

I try to think about the best way to merchandise the single items.  Do I hang them all together?  Do I hang them with similarly styled/colored sister items?  They just always seem to stick out like a sore thumb to me!

One thing I've tried on and off since opening is offering a discount on the full-priced single items on Wednesdays.  As I've tracked sales and traffic over the last six months, I've found that Wednesdays are typically my quietest day.  I've shown the items on my Facebook page (and posted to Twitter as well) but I've never had anyone take advantage of the sale (or even anyone buy the item in the store that day without knowing about the sale!)  I've honestly been reluctant to blast my email list with the weekly deals although that is a possibility also.  Most people like a deal but they also don't want to wade through tons of email from businesses every day.  (And I've had returning customers thank me for not emailing them constantly, which is feedback I truly take to heart).

I'm open to suggestions as to what to do with the lovely but lonely single items!  Here is one of them (a Rebecca Taylor Perfect Shift Dress in a Size 6).

Six Months

Today is the 6 month anniversary of Zoe opening her doors to the public!  Jim asked me last night if I thought it seemed like 6 months - he said it seemed longer just because I had put so much work and effort into it prior to opening.  For me, it seems like it has flown by!

I can say that I am constantly in awe of what I learn every day.  And of the interesting things that happen to me (or for me).  And just think of the material I'm collecting for my future best seller!

One day recently, I noticed a group of people taking pictures on Prince Street.  Not an unusual occurrence on that beautiful and historic street.  But then they came into Zoe.  They were in the Air Force and were in training to serve as Photography Specialists!  They had been assigned to take a variety of pictures and asked if they could take pictures of me in the store.  As they were snapping their photos with their sophisticated cameras and flash apparatus, my landlord walked by.  He later came in and asked me if I was famous!  I had to explain that I did not have my own paparazzi team following my every move!  The students already knew where they had been assigned when they finished their coursework - places such as South Dakota and New Mexico!

In the "Small World" category, two women were shopping the store and, in the course of conversation, one of the women said she lived in Williamsburg.  I told her that I loved "the Burg" and had graduated from William & Mary.  She then told me that both of her sons had graduated from W&M and asked my class year.  When I told her, she said that her son had graduated that year and gave me his name.  Not only did I know him but I had also served on our 20th Reunion Gift Committee with him.  What a nice surprise!

Last week, I had the opportunity to speak to a group of women business owners about the store.  As part of my presentation, I tell them a little bit about my background and how I came to open the store before I go in depth on what we offer.  After I finished speaking, a couple of the women came to me and said "I can't imagine you doing anything else - your passion for what you do is so genuine."  Comments like that are so encouraging.  I still have days where I think "What on earth am I thinking?  I must have been crazy to do this!"  I'll let you know if I still am thinking that way in six months!

What A Great Place To Be!

The City of Alexandria continues to receive national recognition this week!  A ceremony was held on Tuesday evening, October 4th to announce that King Street (our Main Street) in Alexandria had been designated as one of the "Top 10 Great Streets" by the American Planning Association (APA).  As an added bonus (for me), Davis Street in Culpeper, Virginia (one of my other hometowns) also received the same designation!

The APA website says of King Street:

Historic, vibrant, and eclectic, King Street has been enhanced by active planning and implementation through its evolution from an 18th century colonial seaport and 19th century center of trade to a center of 21st century commerce and tourism. Planning and preservation have ensured that King Street, part of the "Old and Historic District" in Alexandria's "Old Town" neighborhood, balances the past with the present. The city's Archeological Protection Code, adopted in 1989, requires impact assessments on cultural resources for new development and a Board of Architectural Review ensures that designs for new construction and exterior alterations blend with the street's historic buildings.

Also, the City as a whole has been recognized as a Silver Level "Walk Friendly" Community by the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center.  A Walk Friendly Community is a city or town that has shown a commitment to improving and sustaining walkability and pedestrian safety.  And, another of my "hometowns" (Charlottesville, Virginia) has the same ranking!  You can click here to see why Alexandria qualified for this wonderful designation!

One of the things I love about Alexandria (and love about having Zoe here) is that we are a metropolitan area with a small town feel!

Some Little Surprises From The City

I really love it when good things happen that you aren't really expecting.  Especially when you've just paid property taxes on your business and wonder just where that money is going.

On the night that I had Zoe's Fall Fashion Party (the night we got 10 million inches of rain), I noticed that the street light was out at the corner of Union and Prince.  I hadn't been at the store quite that late (and in the dark) before that time.  The next morning, I looked on the City's website to see how I could report the issue.  With my technology background, I tend to be very picky about how easy (or hard) it is to do things on line.  Imagine my delight when I found that the City had a very easy to use online form/questionnaire that made reporting the problem a breeze!  I was even given a confirmation number so that I could track the reported issue.

When I looked outside the store on this past Saturday's VERY rainy and dark day, I found that the streetlight that I had reported was beautifully lit!

I know...I know...it takes so little to make me happy.  But that will be a really nice thing as our days are getting shorter all the time.

Moving on to the second happy event, Friday was one of the few really nice days we've had in September.  I had had some nice customer traffic in the morning despite some workmen grinding out the lining of the fountain in the courtyard.  As the afternoon wore on, the grinding got more intense and dust was flying.  I finally had to close Zoe's door because it was so awful.  As I stood at the window of the store, stewing and wondering how much longer it was going to take, I saw a Code Enforcement SUV drive down Prince Street and park.  The Inspector got out and came over to the workers and shut down the operation!  Turns out the City had some complaints from some other businesses about the dust!  The Inspector came in to see me (thinking I was the one who had called).  I told him I wasn't the person who had placed the call and that he should probably also check in with my landlord to explain the situation.

It turns out that the workers needed to have either scheduled the work in off hours (when the businesses aren't open) or have a tent set up to catch the dust.  What a relief!  I was never so happy to see the Code Enforcement team in my life!  With the challenges from the recent weather and the economy, none of us need anything that dissuades people from visiting our stores/restaurants!

Two Mondays, Two Trips

September has been a very busy month for Zoe in terms of planning for Spring 2012.  On Monday, September 19th, I took the train to NY for Coterie, which is a very large Apparel market held at the Javits Convention Center.  Because the show is SO busy and I needed to take the time to see each of the lines I carry in the store, I did not get through all of my vendors prior to coming home.  So on Monday, September 26th, I made the trip to NY again to meet with some of Zoe's suppliers in their showrooms.

The first trip (to Coterie) followed the same pattern as my other market visits to NY.  I was so busy I didn't even have time to eat a proper lunch, snacking on Diet Coke and a Luna bar while I reviewed Issa London's Spring line.  My sincerest apologies to my friend Renee, who wanted me to have a picture taken in the outfit I wore to the market.  I do not have a picture but I did get kudos from several of the exhibitors on my outfit so I must have hit the NY look just right this time!  I wore black and red tights (perfect for the new color blocking trend), black boots, and a black 60s look dress with a wide belt at the hips.  A short trench coat kept me warm on the train and on the Fall weather walk to/from Javits.

My second trip was definitely the more fun/interesting of the two.  I took my same 5:30 am Amtrak out of Union Station and arrived perfectly on time to NY.  I had several blocks to walk to my first appointment but covered the ground quickly and had a little time to kill.  I walked over to 7th Avenue (also known as Fashion Avenue).

As I walked down the street, I passed the most adorable cupcake place I had ever seen - Baked by Melissa.  I had to go in to learn more.  They sell what I would say are truly "one bite" cupcakes in all sorts of delicious flavors.  (What more perfect thing for Fashion Avenue - a chance to get something sweet to address your sugar craving but not OD on sugar!)  I selected three little cupcakes - Tie Dye, Peanut Butter Cup, and Red Velvet (of course).  I then took them to the Starbucks across the street, got a Tall Americano and sat down to enjoy my treats.

While sitting there, I looked back across the street and saw more signs that let me know I was truly on Fashion Avenue - "Perfect Airbrush Tan", "Teeth Whitening", "Plastic Surgery" (hopefully all not done by the same firm).  What a place to play to people's insecurities...

It was soon time for me to go to the first showroom appointment.  Many of the buildings in this area (I was on 39th Street at the time) are homes to Showrooms and Fabric stores.  Each of the showrooms is so beautiful, light and airy.  Lots of room to display the clothing from the different designers but the employees are jammed into very small (unprivate) cubicles.

It was so relaxing to review the lines in the showrooms.  At the first showroom, I got to try on some items (since they tend to sample the non-runway items in my size) so I could get a perspective for fit.  I spent two hours there and also got to see the other lines that they represent.

From there, it was just a few blocks walk to the Chan Luu Showroom on Broadway.  Walking there, I passed the beautiful Fashion District sculpture - a button with a needle through it!

The Chan Luu Showroom is on the Penthouse level of their building.  While there, I looked at Spring 2012 Ready to Wear, Scarves, and Wrap Bracelets.  The views from their windows were amazing!  I took this shot of the Empire State Building.

It was briefly cloudy at the time I took the shot but the day itself ended up being warm and beautiful.

One of the things that fascinated me as I walked back toward Penn Station via 39th Street were the many, many fabric stores.  Their windows were bright with displays of bolts of fabric, trim, and buttons.  And they all looked busy.

As far as fashion this time around, I wanted to wear items from the showrooms that I would be visiting. I wore my midnight blue Velvet Winnah Dress with my Chan Luu Doeskin long cardigan over it (to stay warm on the train).  Both showrooms were pleased that I was wearing their clothing!

Another very long day but successful and satisfying!

Extreme Shopping

There are shoppers and then there are extreme shoppers.  When I shopped elsewhere prior to Zoe, I don't think I ever fell into the "extreme shopper" category.  My shopping went one of two ways - I would go for a major shopping trip once per season.  Or I would order things on an occasional basis whenever I got a chance to catch up on my huge stack of catalogues at home.  When we went on vacation, I tried to buy something at a local boutique that would be different from anything I could find in the DC area and would also be a nice reminder of my trip.

Last Friday, I was working with some customers visiting from Houston when Zoe's phone rang.  Unless there is something very serious going on in life, I don't turn my attention away from customers in the store to answer the phone.  After they had departed, I checked the Caller ID and noticed the call was from Los Angeles and the caller had left a message.  Many of the designers I work with are based in Southern California so I thought it was likely a call from one of them.

Imagine my surprise when the message was from a production company in LA.  They were calling local boutiques to ask if we knew anyone we would classify as "extreme shoppers".  They are in the process of casting for a Reality Series on Extreme Shoppers (Remember you heard it here first!)  Their qualifications:

• Is your closet filled to the max?
• Do you spend the majority of your time shopping in stores, adding to your shoe collection, and expanding your wardrobe?
• Do you have an un-matched style all your own?
• Do you have GREAT taste and a passion for acquiring new finds?
• Do you spend lots of money, time, and energy shopping?
• Is shopping more than simply a hobby for you?
• If you or someone you know embodies the phrase "shop till you drop" we want to meet you!

I just had to call them back out of sheer curiosity.  I spoke to the casting agent and then he emailed me the flyer with the qualifications I listed above.  I can't say that I know anyone who fits those qualifications but if you do (and have a desire for your 15 minutes of fame), let me know and I'll be glad to share the information with you.  (And, hey, come do a little of that extreme shopping at Zoe!)

My Mad Men Moment

You may remember my post in late August regarding students from an Art Institute Public Relations course and their study of Zoe.  On Friday, September 16th, I had the opportunity to receive their Public Relations pitches at their classroom in Arlington, Virginia.

Earlier in the week, their professor had stopped by to tell me how she would be grading the students and how I should grade the students.  Her instructions to me were to think about which team I would hire if I were making a selection of a public relations team.

So, I put on my best Joan look (a sweater dress, but I didn't do for it what Joan does for dresses) and my Lee Garner, Jr. mindset (minus the smoking and the obnoxiousness and other questionable behaviors).

After receiving information from me in August, the students spent time inside and outside the classroom over the next 3 weeks preparing their pitches.  What was interesting is that each group took a different focus on where Zoe had opportunities to increase public awareness of the brand and store.  The first group focused in on key demographic traits of some of Zoe's existing customers.  The second group focused in on Social media and attracting a slightly younger customer to Zoe.  And the third group focused in on the future of Zoe and potential new businesses that may spin off from the original store.

They had all conducted focus groups and performed detailed research on opportunities that I had not yet considered for the business.  Of course, I had questions for each group after their presentations but I was not as tough on them as I've been known to be on other presenters.  (Surprised?)

It was a tough decision to select a winning group.  Each group had suggestions that were new, fresh, and easy to implement.  Keeping in mind the guidance that the professor had given me, I selected the group that had best understood my goals and focus for the business.

The hardest thing is when you know a weakness in yourself and people who don't know you very well point it out.  The students felt that I needed to put more of "myself" into communications and PR activities.  They pointed out that this blog was a great example of what I should do more of in my public relations campaign.  They feel that my thoughts/opinions/personal experiences would do a great deal to draw people into the store.  For a private person like me, just writing this blog is a HUGE leap.  I have to consider how I could overcome my reluctance to "put myself out there" to make my other communications more relatable.

The whole process was a wonderful experience for me and, hopefully, for the students.

A very surprising and touching event happened when I got back to the store.  I had put a sign on the door on Thursday evening to let people know that Zoe would open later than normal on Friday (I wanted to make sure that I gave the students my full time and attention and wasn't rushing them (or me)).  After I got to the store and opened, Cher came to see me.  She wanted to make sure I was ok because she had seen the sign on the door and was afraid something was wrong with me.  Here is a person who has FAR more to worry about and yet she was concerned about me.  I was truly overwhelmed.