Back In The Saddle Again, Redoux

Hi, there, friends, we're finally back to keeping this blog up, after moving and getting things set up in our new store!  In case you haven't heard, we found a sweet little storefront on Fair Oaks Avenue that we just love.  We've also taken advantage of the move to re-brand the store, so we're now called "Hoopla! An Emporium Of Good Things".  Although our name has changed, our core mission has not, and this move has only intensified our endeavors to highlight the many local artists, makers, and entrepreneurs our area has to offer!

That said, as I was perusing Facebook a bit earlier, I ran across this post from our friend, Bob Phibbs, The Retail Doctor, and felt it was something important enough for me to copy whole and post here.  This is a subject that I'm pretty sure you know is very intregal to our core mission, and I couldn't be happier that someone else thinks the same way!  I love that Bob says to commit to step it up (instead of leaning in), I love that he stresses communication, and I just adore that he asks that we build a better world.  We can do that, you know. 

So Long....Farewell.....

Mother taught us long ago to keep quiet if we had nothing good to say, so it's been quite a while since we've posted here.  What was once  a weekly blog of exciting experiences at our store and informative posts about how we all can support our towns has been silenced.  Why?  The very thing that we've been writing about for years has happened here - the Webster's shopping complex has been sold to an investment firm in Beverly Hills, Greenbridge Investments, and WFS is not a part of their plans for the future.  Our last day will be on January 31, 2014.

F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

Of all the social media platforms out there, we think that Pinterest is the most intriguing.  Facebook is great for keeping friends/customers/whomever engaged with your day-to-day goings on, as is Twitter for short updates, moments of inspiration or quick quotes.  Blogging is fabulous when you want to get wordy (like now); and Instagram/Tumblr are fine for pictures and quick glimpses into what you're doing.

Mixers, Moxie, and More!

A long time ago, one of our personal mail box tenants told us that a business mixer at the store would be a great idea. We thought so, too, but where would be put all those people?  It was a dilemma for sure, until we cleared out some old merchandise and displays.

Fast forward five or so years, and we've finally been able to clear enough room in the store to hold more events, and yes, the business mixer has at long last been planned for Wednesday the 16th of October! We're planning another one-woman play, as well!  Yes, you heard that right - Ms. Ellen Snortland, activist, author, and actress wants to do Now That She's Gone at WFS as a fund raiser for her documentary film Beauty Bites Beast.  It's scheduled for Sunday the 20th of October.  Look for notices in-store, on our Facebook page, and in your email (if you're signed up for our newsletters).

We'll also be back to our poetry events on the 3rd Saturday of each month from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm, so we're looking forward to a very full month here at WFS and we'd love you to join us!

Until next time,

Lori and Scott

Back In The Saddle Again....

It's good to be back!  Our last blog post was on July 7th, and we spent the time between then and now moving back to Altadena.  With that monumental task behind us, we can now look forward to being more closely involved with the goings on here, and preparing the store for the upcoming holiday season.  Halloween decorations and products are up and on the shelves, we've got some new artists' works hanging on the walls, displays are being moved around, and WFS is ready to party!

Putting Your Money Where Your House Is

Today, Sunday, July 7, marks the last day in the week long celebration of local, independent businesses across our nation, coined "Independents Week" by the American Independent Business Alliance.  WFS is, and always has been, an enthusiastic participant in this grass-roots movement to increase the awareness of our independent businesses, here in Altadena and all over the country!

The Long Run - A Song For Independents

Did you do it for love?
Did you do it for money?
Did you do it for spite?
Did you think you had to, honey?
Who is gonna make it?
We'll find out in the long run
I know we can take it
if our love is a strong one
Well, we're scared, but we ain't shakin'
Kinda bent, but we ain't breakin'
in the long run
Ooh, I want to tell you, it's a long run
---- Glenn Lewis Frey, Don Felder, Timothy B. Schmit, Don Henley

There's Culture In Them Thar Hills!

Altadena's reputation as an anomaly within the environs of Los Angeles County is a subject given much talk.  Mostly, that talk emanates from outside it - points west, east, and south of us. Those who live inside Altadena, though, tend to ignore the talk and go about their business, not really caring who thinks what about whom.  Life goes on as it always does in Altadena, that is, until someone or something pops up to rock our boat a little.  When that happens, people notice.  Not just people from the outside, although they certainly have an opinion.  People in our town are taking notice and getting involved in their community once again, and we think that's great!

Celebrating The Grand Paternal

What we're looking at here is a  copy of a page from an Altadena Chamber Of Commerce-sponsored soft backed book called "Altadena Welcomes You", printed around 1935 by the Altadena Press.  This particular page details Webster's Pharmacy, but more importantly, gives a picture of the founder, Harold Frank Webster.  Frank, as his friends called him, had moved up to Altadena from the orange groves that his father owned in South Pasadena.  While attending USC for his doctorate, Frank took a job at a pharmacy on Lake and Mariposa, and bought it from the original owner in 1926.

Retrospective

Sierra Madre Grocery Company and Elise Entertaiing Paper Tableware

Last week, we discussed our take on business philosophy and how it applies to WFS.  This week, I'd like to take a look back, in retrospect, from our first blog post to today.  In effect, our history has been documented since we first put pen to paper (figuratively speaking) in February, 2008.  Here is that first post, in which we give some history and an explanation as to why the walls went up at Webster's. It's still a hot topic with people here, interestingly enough.

We posted fairly regularly from then on, but didn't have any particular schedule in mind when we did. As you probably now know, we have been publishing weekly on Sundays for over two years now.  There have been high points in our blog-life, such as this post here, where we talk about the positive change a connected community can make; and low points, like this post that talks about a dissatisfied customer.  Through it all, however, there is a thread of hope running through all our posts - the hope that one day soon, our community, its residents, and all its businesses will prosper and grow.  Over the past five years, that hope has never dimmed. 

Stand

Oftentimes, we're asked for advice from various friends, acquaintances, even customers of ours, on starting or growing a business.  Most of the questions we get center around operating a business in a down economy, like "how do you hang in there when it's so tough?".  Others couch the question differently, like asking what motivates us to keep showing up on a daily basis. Multiple paragraphs could be written about this subject, but we ran across a recent blog post from uber-entrepreneur Seth Godin that pretty much sums up our advice to anyone starting out:

What does your brand stand for?

If you tell me about service and quality and customer focus, you haven't answered my question, because a hundred other brands stand for that. If you are what others are, then there's nothing here to own or protect or build upon.

Compared to what? Compared to all those that you compete with for attention, for commerce, for donations and for employees, what do you stand for? Are you one of a kind or even one in a million?
Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton... they don't actually stand for anything, do they? They can't, because they stand for precisely the same thing. Puma vs. Adidas vs. Nike... They all want to stand for winning. How substantial are the differences?

Make a list of the differences and the extremes and start with that. A brand that stands for what all brands stand for stands for nothing much.

---Seth Godin, May 30, 2013

It was never much of a stretch for us to differentiate our store, because we had to.  Due to the circumstances of our purchase into this long-standing family business, we were actually a new store, born from the carcass of the old.  From day one, we vowed to stand for our community's artists, writers, for hand-made, for local, and stand we have.  It's allowed us to help bring our area's artists to the attention of potentially hundreds of people.  It's also allowed us contribute to several of our town's non-profits, schools, and causes - maybe not with thousands of dollars, but as one retail friend told us, "even if it's only $100.00, it's $100.00 more than they had before".  With that philosophy, we joyfully give whatever and whenever we can.

Another great piece to read is Jonathan Morrow's post about fear, entitled The Cowardly Entrepreneur.  When, in the body of his post, he writes "The lesson is that courage isn’t about acting in the absence of fear; it’s about acting despite it", he had our attention.  This, along with Seth's post, really nails it in terms of advice for those just starting out (or those who need a jump start) in their businesses.  To quote Seth, "Go -  make something happen"!

Along those lines, we're hosting a book signing event on Thursday, with author Carol Woodliff.  Carol is a healer/shaman, and this event will be very exciting, with readings and demonstrations.  You'll find the event notice on our Facebook page and we hope we'll see you there!

We'll talk again next week, friends - enjoy!

Lori and Scott

Spring Sonata

We're back after a brief spring break and hope those of you who celebrated Mother's Day had a wonderful time!

With the later spring and early summer holidays on our near horizon, WFS pauses for a moment or two to rearrange our displays in the store, and bring new merchandise in.  We have already received in Imagine Chocolate, a delicious, local gourmet chocolate producer; have picked up some beautiful (locally grown) live orchids; and are showing a new artist's work!  We've also received in some great new books, and are having a GrantBuilder's Workshop on Tuesday, May 21, with one of the authors.  Here's the flyer for the workshop:

A week ago Friday, we had a lovely book signing event with Elliot M. Gold, where we listened to interviews he'd done as a TIME/LIFE photojournalist of rock n roll icons.  His book "Rememories" is a compilation of these interviews, and to actually hear the voices of people like Grace Slick, Bruce "Cousin Brucie" Morrow, and Andrew Young!  Here's a photo from Altadenablog of Elliot during the event:

This was such an interesting and moving event, and Elliot assures us that he's available to do it again - lucky us! 

On our calender for June is a book signing with author Carol Woodliff, whose book, "From Scared To Sacred: Lessons In Learning To Dance With Life", touched us deeply. On Thursday, June 6, we'll all learn about how to reclassify fear and how to let the voice within guide you to your highest endeavors.  Well be looking forward to this with anticipation - make sure to reserve this date on your schedule, you won't want to miss it!

This is turning out to be a very busy spring, and we're loving it! We also had a fund-raiser for Danny's Farm, where we were able to send them 15% of our net sales, and we also raised $120.00 for West, Texas, where the town was almost wiped out due to a fertilizer factory explosion.  We're very grateful to our customers who donated so readily!

Until next week, friends!

Lori and Scott