Starting to Come Together

After a stop at Home Depot to pick up the 8 ft shelves that we couldn't fit into our car yesterday, we were off for another day of work at Zoe!  Our major focus today was to get the storage room set up in such a way that I could store supplies and clothes this week.  I explained to Jim what I needed the storage area to accomplish and asked him to design it appropriately.

We made a good team installing all of those shelves!  And we've already started making good use of them! We also starting configuring the outriggers and determining what else we may need.  I emailed my contact at Barr Display with the hopes of getting the remaining items in the shipment going out tomorrow.  We also did another walkthrough to determine what punchlist items are needed to finalize the construction - fortunately, everything left is just minor.  I've contacted the Construction Project Manager with those items.  Finally, we cleaned up as best we could in preparation for the cleaning crew to come in for the final clean tomorrow.

Oh, and our favorite accomplishment - putting up the white board that had been sitting in our dining room since AUGUST of last year.  To inaugurate it, Jim wrote "Hi Zoe!" on it!

A few pictures!

Storage area

Two way racks - we put plastic on the ends (Janice's idea last week) to keep people from poking their eye out on them!

Three Way racks and wire mannequins

Starting to configure the outriggers!

My Handyman

Jim has contributed major points to his "Husband of the Year" tally with all of his help in getting Zoe assembled and ready to go!

We had a good start to the day on Friday when my MIL, FIL, and SIL arrived.  We loaded a number of things into my FIL's truck and headed for the store.  After a quick unload, they surveyed the situation with the wall units and my FIL determined what type of anchors were needed to install them (they do not come with bolts since they can be used in different ways with different types of wall materials).  He and I were off to Lowe's and then Home Depot (they didn't have enough of the right size anchor at Lowe's) to buy the necessary hardware.

We got started installing and had done two prior to Jim's arrival in the afternoon.  He quickly surveyed the scene and gently took charge of the situation.  He and his dad work well together and they were able to make a difficult task go smoothly.  While I love the wall systems, they are almost too configurable!  I need to figure out how to best make use of them to display the merchandise!

Today, Jim and I split the tasks at the store in the morning.  I put together the rolling racks (for staging the clothes) while he installed the toilet paper holder (always a necessity!)  I installed the wireless router and configured Zoe's wireless network while he filed out the not quite even holes in the bottom of the two way racks and assembled them.  We then took stock of what was needed next - shelves for the storage room, hooks for the dressing rooms, and a paper towel holder for the bathroom.  It was off for a quick lunch and a trip to Home Depot!

Back to the store in the afternoon and Jim continued his installation work while I tried some combinations with the wall units and different sizes of hangers.  At around 3:45, we had a delightful visit from a longtime friend of mine, Michelle.  Michelle had moved to Wrightsville Beach, NC a few years ago and was in the area visiting after a trip to NY!  It was so lovely to catch up with her and show her all things Zoe!

So much has been happening recently that sometimes I forget some of the small, interesting things that happen along the way.  Since I've appeared on the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Bureau website, I'm getting a lot more attention from people wanting me to advertise - I've had calls this week from Northern Virginia magazine and the Washington Post.  I also got confirmation that the ResortMaps (with the Zoe advertisement) will be coming out the second week in April - perfect timing!

Our living room/dining room is slowly returning to normal (meaning we don't have 40 boxes stacked all around)!  I did get two jewelry shipments this week, one of which has a really neat story.  The artist is from northeast Georgia (close to the location where my family lives).  She called me a couple weeks ago to tell me that one of the bracelets I had selected had been broken when she was preparing it for shipment and she would be sending me a slightly different one.  She had lived in the DC area many years ago and asked me where my shop was located.  She was thrilled when I told her that I was just down the street from The Torpedo Factory!  As an artist, she thought that was very cool.  One of the things I loved about her jewelry is that each piece has a story and an inspiration behind it.  It was really a lovely thing to talk directly to the artist.

LOTS more to do this week.  And I'll try to do better with the pictures!

A Banner Day

After a very bad Tuesday and a fairly disappointing Wednesday, Thursday was a banner day!

Somehow, all my life, everything always seems to happen on the same day.  Despite careful planning and the desire to have every peg fall cleanly into its hole at the time I want it to do so, it rarely seems to work that way.  I am not a fan of chaos but have learned to live with it and accept it (still working on loving it - not sure I'll ever get there!)

A quick backtrack to Wednesday - I needed to pick up a few things at Staples and also run by my insurance agent's office to pick up the Certificate of Insurance for the City.  I decided to give Comcast until 9 am to call to reschedule the appointment.  When I hadn't heard from them, I called and was told that there was a small glitch with my order but they would get it rescheduled and let me know.

I went to the store and dropped off a few things and went to City Hall to get the Right of Way permit to close the sidewalk for the sign hanging on Tuesday.  While I was there, a representative from Comcast's escalation office called to see what was going on.  I briefly explained my predicament.  Back at the store, I got a call at around 12:30 from the escalation office with a point of contact.  He told me he would get this worked out and I should call if I felt I hadn't heard from him soon enough.

I started working on printing out the price tags for the clothes (I put each group of tags in an individual envelope labeled with the designer brand and the clothing description - that should make it easier as we start to unpack the clothes and tag them).  All of a sudden, I realized it was 2:30 and I hadn't heard from anyone.  I called and left the Comcast contact a message and went back to my tag printing.

When 3:30 rolled around, I was pretty annoyed.  I was tired, I hadn't heard from anyone, and I wanted to go home!  I called and left a less than nice message on the contact's voice mail.  (I know - I hate now that I did it but I was just beyond frustrated).  I got a call back shortly after 4 from the contact, saying that they were working on rescheduling but that my order had to be put back in because it had been canceled.  Ooops - last straw.  I was NOT happy and I expressed that to the contact.  I hung up with him and immediately called my sales rep to let her know what was going on.  She said that they were working on it and would get it straightened out.

I did get two calls from the installation team at around 5 with the promise they would be out on Thursday morning between 8:30 - 9:00 am.  Yes, I was skeptical!

So now we were at the intersection of many tasks all at once.  When I got to the store at around 7:30, the painter was there to fix the areas of drywall that had been fixed earlier in the week and to fix the paint of the baseboard.  The flooring guys arrived soon after to install the shoe molding and extend the flooring under the wheelchair lift.  The trash guys then came to get rid of the trash items from the mechanical room.

I had some more tags to finish and then I waited for Comcast.  The technician arrived at 9:15.  Fortunately, the cabling was all in the right place and he didn't have to do a lot of work to get it set up in the office.  Within about an hour and fifteen minutes, I had phone lines and internet service!

Now, I had set up an appointment a few weeks ago with some reps from a clothing line that I am carrying - Red Engine Jeans.  They came at 10 (while Comcast was still there).  I found myself bouncing back and forth between them and Comcast (I apologized to the reps - this was not supposed to happen this way!)  Plus, I'm keeping my eyes and ears out for the truck to arrive with the fixtures!

Once everyone left, I called the trucking company.  He confirmed that the truck should be arriving any minute - that I was the first delivery for the day.  Sure enough, within 10 minutes, the truck pulled up and we got him situated in the parking outside the store.  As he brought the boxes in, I started opening them as you must report all damage prior to signing off on the bill of lading and the truck leaving.  Fortunately, I did not find any damage!

So now I'm surrounded by 40+ boxes and I have no idea what is in any of them!  After taking a deep breath, I pulled out the packing list and starting checking off the items and staging them in different areas of the store - mannequin items in one area, 2- and 3- way racks in another, the wall systems in another, and the miscellaneous items (steamer, garment bag dispenser, hangers) in another.  Just as I had started this process, friends Janice and Karen called to see if I was ready for them and to let me know they'd be there in about 15 minutes!  Help was on the way!

It was so wonderful to have Janice and Karen helping me - I could not have made nearly the progress by myself.  They are so efficient and work well together.  They put together the mannequins, the 3-way racks, my office desk, the garment bag dispenser, and the hanger racks.  We identified a few minor issues along the way (a couple of screws missing, the holes on the 2 way racks not lining up properly, an incorrect mannequin) and I called the display company with that information so that we could get those items straightened out.

I started staging the wall systems in preparation for my Father-In-Law's help today!  I think things will start to look much less chaotic when we get those in place.  I'm eager to make progress in that area.  I did not do a good job of taking pictures yesterday with all that was going on but here are a few.

Empty boxes!

Mannequins staged in the windows

Accessories rack

My desk - woo hoo!

Annoyed Beyond Belief

Oh, you guessed it....Comcast borrowed from Verizon yesterday.  Totally and completely stood up again!

I didn't write last night because I just really couldn't find appropriate words (it is rare that I am left speechless!)  A good nights sleep is a remedy to all of that!

The day started out very well - I caught up Zoe's accounting first thing in the morning and pulled together all of the tech things I needed to take to the store (phones, computers, printer, etc.)  When I got to the store, I found that the City had already put up the notices regarding my reserved parking on Thursday.

I set up my point of sale computer and started working.  One of the finish workers came in and installed the grab bars in the restroom, moved the mirror, and did some drywall repair.  He also installed a new lock on the front door.  The glass people came in to measure for the mirrors to be placed on the dressing room doors.  My insurance company called to let me know that the certificate of insurance that I need to show to the City was ready.  So far....so good!

When the time reached almost 2 pm (my window with Comcast was from 11 - 2).  I gave Comcast a call.  They said that the installer was running late and I would receive a credit on my first month's bill for them missing their window.  The person I spoke with said that their dispatcher would call me to give me an ETA.

Then, it was 3:30 - no call.  I called again and was told that my install was showing from 2 - 5 pm and that the tech would be there.  By 4:45, still no tech.  I was on hold for a long time on this call but the woman said that dispatch would call me back.  I waited until 6 and then packed up and left.  On my way home, I called again.  The person I spoke with tried to reschedule for today but was not able to do so.  I was told that I would be called for the reschedule.  Have I had a call yet?  What do you think?

Honestly, I do not have a problem with someone being late or delayed.  Sometimes you run into a situation that is far beyond what you expected and it takes time to resolve.  I would want the technician to show the same concern and care in getting my install correct, even if it took longer than planned.  What bothers me is the total disregard for my time and my schedule - if anyone had proactively contacted me and set appropriate expectations, I would not be so frustrated.  All I want to know is what to expect.  We shall see what happens today!

Today is the day to feel sorry for the City.  I'll be taking my drawing of the sidewalk closing in for them to review.  And no, my art skills have not improved in the slightest.  Those who know me well know that even with a ruler, I often cannot draw a straight line.

Put the Pedal to the Floor

I feel like Jim when he drives one of the snazzy cars at the driving schools he has attended over the years.  The pedal is to the floor and I'd better hope I'm steering in the right direction (and the brakes work too!)

As expected, an incredibly busy day in Zoe World.  I was as City Hall shortly after 8 this morning to reserve the parking meter spaces on Union Street for the truck to arrive with the fixtures/display items on Thursday.  I have the spaces reserved all day (and paid the requisite amount of money to do so).  Before and After the Truck leaves, I may just have a little party out there.  Get my money's worth!

From there, it was off to my trusty Staples to fax my application to the Credit Card processing company.  I also bought a door stop while I was there as I think I'll enjoy having Zoe's door propped open in the nice weather.

On the way to Janice's house, I got a call from Comcast to say that they are coming out to perform my installation between 11 am - 2 pm on Tuesday.  I can definitely live with a 3 hour window.  Believe it or not, it was 2 weeks ago today that I initially called them to start this process.  Here's hoping that they finish off as well as they have done along the way!

I also called my insurance agent regarding the certificate of insurance (and adding the City) during the period where the signs are being installed next week.  He has to check with someone in his office and we should be able to wrap that up tomorrow.

Janice and I had a very successful trip to IKEA.  I do not know what I would do without her help right now!  We found a desk, a desk chair, a small table, a wastebasket, and some candlesticks (to use for displaying bracelets).  We loaded it all in her station wagon and dropped it off at Zoe's home.

After lunch, I took Jim's tool bag and headed back to Zoe to start putting things together.  I managed to assemble the table and the desk chair and unpacked the two boxes containing parts for the desk.  I wasn't quite up to tackling it today!  The men also installed the laminate benches in the dressing rooms today.  A few pictures of the new things:

Small table from IKEA

Laminate bench in handicap dressing room

Laminate bench in standard dressing room

Desk Chair

The desk (wish it would assemble itself overnight!)

Look at those snazzy street numbers!

Zoe Bags in the Windows!

I also snagged a Rebecca Taylor shipment from FedEx and had a UPS shipment from Velvet when I arrived home.  I've added most of both to the point of sale system.

I know you can't wait to read tomorrow's blog post about Comcast!  What do you think?  Will I be delighted, relieved, or annoyed beyond belief?

Bakers Rack and More

When I told my mom that we were going to be assembling the bakers rack in the store today, she asked "Will you be selling bread?"  (she was just kidding)  Zoe Boutique and Bakery....I can't even begin to imagine what opening a restaurant in Old Town would require!

After church and lunch today, Jim and I headed to Zoe's home on our latest mission.  We took the bakers rack to be assembled, some bags and tissue paper to display in the window, the street numbers to place on the door, and the toilet paper holder/toilet paper/paper towels/tissues.  We also had some measuring to do.

Jim wanted to tackle the bakers rack first.  He did an excellent job of putting it together.

Just before we left, I fixed the Zoe Bags in the window and moved my small laminated sign to the door.  At least people will know something is coming!

We had parked down Union Street and they looked so pretty, even from a block away!

Since we've been home, I've been working on reviewing and filling out all the information required to process credit cards.  Also, getting all of my paperwork together to reserve the parking spaces for Thursday's delivery.  And reviewing the IKEA catalogue and website for some of the items that Janice and I hope to pick up on our trip there tomorrow!  Each day presents great progress!

Cash Wrap Has A New Home

This morning, our friend Janice brought their big red truck so that we could go to German Favorite Antiques in Leesburg to pick up the Cash Wrap Desk purchased for Zoe in February.  We could not have had a better day for the trip and everything was flawless!

We arrived just before the store opened at 11 and the owner helped to wheel the desk out to the truck and get it loaded on.  Jim and Janice are expert loaders!

Store owner Lothar, Janice, and me - Jim serving as photographer

Probably only those of you in the DC area would understand our delight with this parking space - right at the corner of Prince and Union (at the store) on a warm Saturday afternoon.  A miracle.

The cash desk in her new home!  This is the perfect size for Zoe's small space!

The construction company also completed the plumbing related work today and sent me a punch list of all of the remaining items and their planned completion dates.