Saturday, September 5, 2009

Wanna give me a bunch of money?

I think it's been established several times that I'm obsessive. It's the reason for my insomnia and persistent night time anxiety. It's also what allows me to day dream about things like having my own fabric shop. For reals (I had a friend in high school who used to say "for reals" and I think about him whenever I say that).

I can't stop. I even asked Crafty Papa last week what he thought about the idea and he thought I was kidding. I told him I was serious and he just gave me the crazy eyes. I think he was beyond responding when I told him I had started looking at commercial rentals on Craigslist. When I went to the movies with my friend, Kristi, and in the middle of the movie she shrieked, "I just had the BEST idea! We should go into business together!", I resisted the urge to vomit all the details of my plan.

So, here's my plan. First, I somehow get a large chunk of money (maybe $10,000?). I get retail space on Grand Avenue, maybe next to Taco Rico because not only is it a great location, I can have them bring me lunch everyday. The name of my shop is Green Girl Fabrics & Crafts. "Green" after my grandpa and girls (it's their middle name) and because we'd feature lots of environmentally friendly projects like reusable snack and grocery bags, and handmade, non-lead-and plastic ridden gifts...that kind of thing.

I'll only carry fun and funky fabrics. Nothing shabby chic or romantic or sweet. All young and modern. Lots of Michael Miller, Alexander Henry, Sandi Henderson, Heather Bailey. My target customer will be young moms like me who feel totally out of place in the local quilt shops who seem to cater to a much older, retired crowd. The kidlets will be welcome and will even have their own little area to work on crafts while mom shops. I'll have lots of classes and the goal will be to actually create and try new things instead of hoard fabric. I'll serve coffee out of fiesta ware mugs. And play Jason Mraz and Jack Johnson. The walls will be celery green with brown accents. My friend, Alissa will do graphic design and help me write exclusive patterns for the shop. Kristi H. will work there part time. I'll also sell online to help off set the overhead of a brick and mortar shop. I'll have my sewing machine, laptop and cash register at the front table. And I'll have a different handmade apron to wear for every day of the week.

So, I'm hoping I'll find several thousand dollars in the street somewhere soon. That's totally a possibility, right? I'm mostly just obsessively daydreaming but there's a part of me that has set this dream as my 5 year goal. Crafty Papa and I agree that we'd love for me to never go back to a traditional full-time job. I love to sew and craft and I have my degree in Business. I'm a young mom. I think I've daydreamed up the perfect plan. Seriously.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

sounds awesome!!!!!
plus you are very versed in the retail world ;)

Marie said...

sounds awesome! That sounds like the perfect shop for me! If you ever do it, when we visit Jake's family in Cali, I will come and shop!

Jenni said...

Kelci - Ok so I have always thought this was a fabulous idea. If you do it, I will somewhow find a way to move to Arroyo and work at the shop, if you will give me the job. I still really want my Friday Night Knitting Club to come alive and this would be the perfect place for it.

Beth said...

I have store dreams too... yours sounds like fun!!!! Unfortunately, I don't have the business degree to back it up like you do. :) Hope you find the money somehow and can make it happen!

Anonymous said...

Sweet!! Can I move to California and work with you...I'll bring my Fiesta mugs, marketing skills, love for similar music, husband and our Espresso machine. You need an investor!! Somebody needing to get rid of some money (unfortunately not us) It really does sound like a great store! I would shop in it all the time!

Anonymous said...

I am totally in! The idea of having sewing machines at the front counter would allow us to create new projects with customers and then sell them in the shop. Can I sell pillows and doorstops? We could take custom orders too!! DREAM JOB!!!

Anonymous said...

BTW- You are allowed to share your dreams with me even if we aren't supposed to be talking in the theater. I get SO excited about this kind of thing, I would have walked ot the lobby to create the business model!!!