First Four Months...

                                                                                        info about SHOP hours click here

 Hi ya'll!

Life has been busy with the shop.  So much so that I haven't had a chance to post as frequently as I'd wish.

My favorite aspect of owning a shop is getting to meet so many people in the community.   I always ask people if they live in Farmington and how they heard of Vivid Hue Home.  Many say they were just driving by, noticed our porch, and stopped in to check us out.

Many customers are also followers of this blog (thank you!) and also keep tabs of Vivid Hue on instagram.    One of my first customers was a wonderful woman who entered the shop and made a bee line directly towards me.  The first words out of her mouth were..."I want to know what you consider to be the arm pit of Texas.  I'm from Texas and I'll bet it's the same town!"  (A reference in my About Me section on the blog about where I was born).  She went on to ask where all I've lived because she knows I was a military brat.  I am continually surprised (and thrilled) that people out there are actually reading Vivid Hue Home!  Many of you have followed the blog through the shop's preparation for it's opening.  So, thank you!!!!  It's always a thrill to meet you in person!

Another exciting aspect of the shop, is purchasing products!  I am constantly on the hunt for unique items that aren't being sourced in other local shops in Connecticut.  (which is a challenge as we all use many of the same vendors).  This has become a serious mission for me because I think the key to a successful stand-alone business is to be unique and offer something that no one else is providing.

Photo Courtesy of Henri Paige

 That's where I find that my relationships from my blogging life have come in handy.  I have made so many connections through blogging and have followed so many talented and artistic people.  Before, I used to post about their talents and showcase them on the blog.  Now, I'm able to contact them and ask if I can carry their work in my shop (For example,  Cotton & Quill's fabulous textiles).

Photo Courtesy of Cotton & Quill Instagram

I still get excited when I see new shipment arrive on the doorstep.  It's fun to keep the shop fresh and always changing.  Sometimes, a new product arrives and I end up completely restaging the floor just to incorporate the new inventory.  It's fun.

I spend an incredible amount of time working on the actual staging and display of the merchandise.  For me, a first impression makes all of the difference in the world.  A shop can have the coolest products, but if they aren't displayed in a visually pleasing fashion, they won't have the same impact.  

I am continually rearranging these shelves  Sometimes I love how they look.  Other times, they look too cluttered and I end up completely rearranging them.   I have tried to keep the inventory revolving.  We have some "staple" items but then there are other products that I won't reorder.  I want to keep the offerings fresh, new and always changing.

I find the book keeping part of the business not as much fun.  I know how important it is for running a business, but it takes a ton of work and organization.  For every exciting order I send to a vendor, I create a Purchase Order in my accounting system.  Each and every item must get a unique SKU which I create based upon the vendor's SKU and my own categorization system (For example, all bath products start with "BA-").  Once that order arrives, I confirm that everything was received then  create a bill for the purchase order and (of course) pay that bill.  I use a separate point of sale system from my financial system so I then have to input all of the inventory into the POS as well.  It can become cumbersome, but I have two loyal employees that have been with me from day 1 and they now know how to do much of this...a huge help!

Can  you believe I'm already buying for the holidays!  Yikes!  But there will be some cool stuff!

Photo courtesy of Thimblepress

I am going to start posting more so please check back often.  Also, you can always find current posts on Vivid Hue Home Instagram.  (updated daily).

Until then,

Enjoy these final days of summer and stay cool.

Cheers,

Heather