notes

we are on vacation and in florida.... i go to lots of shops and have seen many wonderful displays...... one store was so full you could hardly walk thru....tons of bethany lowe and more in that range...it was gorgeous and so opposite of much advice i read....like get rid of everything you can in every season....that store had the opposite philosophy....and was in its 12th year.... and just breathtaking........
another highlight was seeing an ikea....you know im in a state with not one ikea.... well even tho i make fun of them a lot...as in our furniture doesnt come in a box, etc etc..... i have to say i was very impressed with their huge store....it was so fresh and modern, spacious, clean lines, great graphics, simple but great ideas everywhere you looked...including lots of metal........ and the prices were amazingly low....they somehow have made a niche with great style and low prices at the same time.they were so reasonable in price and totally classy and up to date.......which isnt easy......that is totally what we we try to do at greenoak....i think its the best way to adjust to the new normal economy we face in retail.......i was so glad to see ikeas beautiful presentation and feel like it helped me see into my new young homeowner customers.... ...
sorry to say the main thing we have noticed is huge amounts of storefronts empty..... there are huge holes everywhere weve gone...from key west on up.... this economy has really pushed out a lot of stores.......

so if you are still out there making it or still trying a retail thing ....take a bow....its a cruel world out there....
BUZZ.... the atlanta show was selling like crazy....almost everybody happy....

some thoughts on closing a store.....is it a failure? WOMEN IN BUSINESS all over the country are facing this question..
in women talk, a closed business isnt a failure..TO CALL IT THAT IS a big no no.....we look at all the fun sides and creative sides, the experience......especially if we didnt have to have the income to keep a roof over our heads.

.like i totally value my first business that had to close for financial reasons.. gemini in rochester...it has a facebook page.... , i learned so much about the harsh realities, it ended up being a big plus and education for guiding us in building our new idea, WELL, IT WAS NEW 30 YRS AGO......green oak antiques.....

...we mess up when we make business decisions on the wrong framework and forget that the bankers and people who have given us credit just look at us WITH ONE CONCERN....ARE WE FINANCIALLY RELIABLE... ..they dont care about the other stuff...

like our dreams and our feelings.

..STILL MY GOAL IS ALWAYS TO HAVE A WILD WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE WITH BEAUTIFUL THINGS AND KEEP LOOKING AT THE STORE AS A GRAND ADVENTURE....BUT AT THE SAME TIME TRY TO STILL BE TOTALLY RELIABLE TO MY SUPPLIERS AND MY BANKER.....

........if i had to close and loose everything weve built and the income weve enjoyed and the security its given me and my family and workers ...well dont get mad if i would call it a failure/disaster/ of the most horrible kind..to me thats what it would be and maybe it would be my fault because of the business decisions i made, what i pick out next week in chicago...what plots i try for this year to reach and please my target customers,,,i really feel the responsibility...........and, BIG YUKK, i would have to pay back money to the bank , or try to ...we didnt have any debt till about yr 10....and i know some stores who have done it without debt....im so impressed with them...we went in for a building and later for seasonal inventory....the first years, poorer but debt free. were without the horrible financial pressure of the last few!!! im aiming for very reduced credit now...i dont want as much as felt safe a few years ago....i think we all feel for everybody and just have different words....we are facing rough times for sure....and it helps to hear from each other....i sure dont blame anyone for closing...but mostly i feel for those who are in there really trying/needing to make it work in thIs HORRIBLE ECONOMY....

GREEN OAK IS DEFINITELY HANGING IN THERE..... as best we can....and hoping for another good year....and finding the right mix for the store AND OUR LOYAL CUSTOMERS.......