Sunday, January 30, 2011

Citizen Of The Year And More!

Another week has whizzed by and by the looks of it, this week will be following suite. We've finished with the California Gift Show, and I'm sure glad that I'm back in the store again, getting things prepared for the arrival of new merchandise! You might notice a few empty spaces when you visit our store, but have no fear, they'll be filled in shortly.

The Altadena Chamber of Commerce Installation Dinner was Friday evening at the Altadena Town & Country Club. I thought it was a great turnout and Scott and I enjoyed meeting and greeting our many friends who were there. The Citizen of the Year Award was given to our friend Carolyn Seitz, and I don't think there is anyone who deserves the honor more. In a touching acceptance speech, she downplayed all she's done in the past several years to better our community and instead gave kudos to her family, some who had traveled there to support her. Everyone was visibly moved as she introduced her father, whom she said had instilled in her the value of community service. Congratulations to Carolyn, we very much enjoyed the evening!

Picture of installation of Board members courtesy of Bill Westphal

We're looking forward to some fabulous events here at Webster's, so please stay in touch with us as we unfold our plans! It'll be fresh, fun and something the entire community can enjoy....can you tell I'm excited? We'll be back to tell you all about it, once everything is finalized!

Have a wonderful week, my friends!

Lori & Scott

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Steps Foward

Only 23 days into the new year and already so much has happened here, in the store and in our community! The new owners of Webster's Pharmacy were announced, the Town Council has approved a farmer's market in Loma Alta Park, and another farmer's market appeared at Sacred Heart Church on Lincoln appeared (and folded just as fast). The Altadena Urban Farmers Market had its first rain-free event last Sunday, and Scott and I are really enjoying the tasty Altadena Jacaranda honey we purchased. We joined the Arroyo Food Co-op as well and are anticipating helping them reach their goals. The California Gift Show started this last Tuesday, so life has been a blur of driving, shopping for the store, driving some more, trying to take care of the store's accounting duties and then - guess what? You got it....driving some more! I like being busy, but I have to admit that it's been a challenging couple three weeks.

I'm very excited that Altadena is moving forward, however clumsily, toward a more sustainable alternative to our regular markets. I'm also very excited about what will be happening at Webster's Pharmacy. We both look forward to working with Micahel and Meredith Miller, the new owners, as they point the store in a more positive direction. We sincerely hope that the renovation they're planning will finally break down the barriers that have stood between the store and the community since Bill Webster retired. Much of our energy will be spent in the coming months making sure this comes about.

Have a great week ahead, my friends....we'll talk more next week!

Lori & Scott

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Market Watch

As I noted last post, the California Gift Show starts this Tuesday. We’re anxiously awaiting the start of this year’s market season as the bellwether of what’s to come in subsequent months.

Fashion trends, always a fickle beast, are always best served with a grain of salt. Take too large a serving and it makes your feast unpalatable, too little and it may be too bland. For me, the pleasure of the market is the hunt for fabulous products and, of course, the challenges of putting it all together so it makes sense to the consumer (that would be you).

This year, things are a little different. The game has changed and I’m stalking a more uniquely different product. I’ll be searching out more local goods, more fair trade items and more American made merchandise.

We’ll soon be moving things around in the store as well, so expect to see an even more welcoming atmosphere in the coming year. Comfortable is our catchword and hopefully our store will reflect that along with our values of locality, hospitality and honest, friendly service. Come shop with us for a taste of the best of Altadena!

I’ll be updating you about what’s happening at the show throughout the week on our Facebook friend page, so be sure to check there to see what’s new, what’s cool and what’s so last week…..

Until next week, my friends. Have a wonderful week!

Lori & Scott

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Looking Foward In 2011

Here we are, 8 days into the new year already! I can't say that I'm real sorry to see 2010 expire. I'm glad we have a new year, a whole year, to accomplish many goals.

I have an aversion to the term "new years resolution" because I can never seem to follow through with them. From the start, at 12:01 am on January 1st of every year, these resolutions weigh heavy and reek of finality. I think that "goal" is a much better description for what we attempt to achieve (or give up)on a yearly basis. It gives us a bit of leeway in case events necessitate compromise.

This year I have many goals, personal and for WFS. Personally, I have most of the same goals everyone has, such as losing weight and spending more time with my family. For WFS, I have several, but the most important goal I have is to thank our crew. This store wouldn't run without them, so from Scott and I to the WFS Crew....Leilana De Los Santos, our manager; Shawnte Howard; Sean Fitz-Gerald; Megan Nelson; and Aaron Akers......thank you all from the bottom of our hearts! You are the heart and soul of WFS. Keep up the good work and know we appreciate each one of you equally.

Another goal of ours is to move WFS more in the direction of ecologically and socially responsible products. We'll talk more about those plans later on, but this is something that is going to take a lot of research and work. We're also committed to moving our part of Altadena forward in the coming year. As a board member of the Chamber of Commerce, I'll be part of the second meeting with L.A. County officials regarding the revitalization of our North Lake Business District. I'll report more on that as plans develop, and I'm confident that we'll get some action soon.

Happy New Year to all of you!

Lori & Scott