Altadena Arts Coalition Open House May 15th

There'll be lots of community activity this week and we think that's a good thing. You've all read about how important it is to shop locally, especially during these hard times. You know how spending money locally benefits your community and that more of your consumer dollar stays in your community than if you'd spent it at a chain or a big box store. So now that you know all this, what better time is there to have a get reacquainted with your local businesses party? The newly formed Altadena Arts Coalition, comprised of galleries, merchants and small business owners, are throwing a party....an open house spanning businesses from New York Drive to Altadena Drive along North Lake Avenue....with entertainment, goodies and good times for all this Friday evening, from 4:00 pm until 9:00 pm or later! Read on about what AltadenaBlog.com has to say about it, and thanks to Tim Rutt for allowing us to use this:

"Altadena Arts Coalition/North Lake Open House 5/15/09
The Altadena Arts Coalition invites you to the North Lake Business District Open House, Fri., May 15, 4-9 PM. Many businessess will be open, and there's a full roster of events for the whole family. Come on over and meet your business neighbors:

Activities to date include:

Altadena Hardware, 849 E. Mariposa: Steve Salinas and "The Dispositions,: 6-9 PM.

Altadena Junction, 2524 & 2526 El Molino Ave: Alex Schaefer will be painting 20 minute oil portraits from life, 7-10 PM: "Sit and get painted."

Coffee Gallery, 2029 N. Lake:

Gallery at the End of the World, 2475 N. Lake: Underground Arts Society presents the Group Show, "Spring Fever" May 15-17. Opening reception, Fri., 4-9 PM.Featuring the work of:Victor Cass Johnny Fox Barbara Kaletta Nora Koerber Dave Lovejoy Caroline Maxwell Ben McGinty Ngene Mwuara Hector Pedraza Alison Proulx Domingo Ramos Robert Rodriguez

Photography by Walt, 2455 N. Lake. Opening reception, "Emerging Photography" Emerging Photographers from around the Los Angeles Area on display for the weekend.Opening Reception Friday May 15, 2009 @ 4:00-lateSome work will be available for purchase.Photographers: Rafael Agustin Delgado Phillip Kim Daniel Paul Michelle G Aron Kearney Candace Boysen Martin Nguyen Vivian Lin Jessica Torres Hanson

Ronnie's Automotive, 2012 N. Lake: Classic car show.

Steve's Pets, 2395 N. Lake: Altadena Chamber of Commerce mixer, 5:30-7 PM.

Webster's Fine Stationers, 2450 N. Lake, Ste. B:"Blogger's Cafe," including snacks, coffee, and tea, and a chance to meet some of our local bloggers (including Altadena Above It All, Open Mouth Insert Fork, Altadenahiker, Pasadena Daily Photo, and others.) Ask questions, get advice, meet the faces behind the keyboard."

WOW....what a line up, and there's more coming! I'm very excited about this (as you can tell) because I think Altadena needs to be recognized for the unique and beautiful place it is. Ever since Old Fashioned Days fizzled out, we as Altadeneans have had no reason to all gather to support each other and have fun. Oh, there've been functions and there have been parties and benefits galore, but there has been no true public event that Altadena could call their own....until now. The Altadena Arts Coalition, the brainchild of Ben McGinty, Lance Anderson, Molly Tierny, Chef Jeff Kline, Ms. Dragon and yours truly, has great hopes that this open house will be the prelude to many more to come. We hope to engage the Altadena resident - our customers, patrons and supporters - and get them reacquainted with their local shops, businesses & art venues. Why go elsewhere when our community is so rich with everything you could possibly need?

Come join us Friday evening and let us show you how Altadena rocks! Webster's Fine Stationers will be hosting the Blogger's Cafe on Friday night. Come meet your community's most prolific bloggers....ask questions, get advice about what blogging is all about, how to blog, and why blogging is so important to the area. We'll be sampling our Wind & Willow gourmet appetizer mixes and there'll be refreshments for all!

We hope to see you Friday evening....it'll be a wonderful time with many surprises in store, and you'll never know who you'll run into up here....could be a celebrity siting or two? Hmmmm.....maybe!

Easter Bunny Stops at WFS.....Gives Prizes & Fun!

What a great time we had on Saturday, April 12th, as the Easter Bunny made a stop at WFS, spreading Spring cheer in his wake. It was a scream to see him dancing a conga line of kids through the store and up and down the street! The culmination of festivities was, of course, the great prize giveaway for the children who'd entered our Easter Coloring Raffle....the expressions on their faces was priceless. We want to thank all our customers and children of our community for making this such a wonderful event, one we hope to repeat for many years to come!

Webster's Legendary Parking Lot Sale Returns!

Yes indeed, my friends.....it's baaaack! The sale that's the stuff of legend....the place where you'll find the best deals anywhere....all the shops at Webster's Center are cleaning out their stockrooms and you don't want to miss this monster bargain heaven. The sale begins promptly at 8:00 a.m. this Saturday, April 18th, when Webster's Pharmacy, Webster's Liquor and Karen's Hallmark open for business. Webster's Fine Stationers will be observing normal hours for Saturday so we'll be participating from 10:00 on. We hope you'll join us for the fun - come have a complimentary cup of Pasadena Coffee Company's gourmet coffee and sample some of our appetizer mixes from Wind & Willow!

We also want to extend thanks to our treasured customers who helped make our annual Easter celebration and children's coloring contest/raffle such a success. It was so wonderful to see such happy faces on the kids as they met and played with the Easter Bunny, and watching them win prizes was priceless! I'd like to take this opportunity to also thank our friend and representative of SP Richards, Marshall Lefton, for donating the handsome DayRunners that were raffled off to our lucky adult customers. Pictures of the celebration will be posted soon, so check back with us to see them.

We're very excited to announce that we'll have our very own website soon....we're in the initial stages of building it and I love how it's progressing! This blog will undergo a makeover along with the creation of the new website so I anticipate it looking a bit different in a few weeks....stay tuned for developments.



Celebrating 83 Years!

PARKING LOT
SALE
Saturday
APRIL 18, 2009
8:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.

FEATURING PRODUCTS FROM:
Webster’s Pharmacy
Webster’s Liquor
Webster’s Hallmark (Pasadena Store)
Webster’s Fine Stationers
Karen’s Hallmark Shop
KatScrapFever

THE EVENT WE ALL HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR!

Join Us For A Hoppin' Good Time!

Reserve Saturday, April 11th for a visit to Webster's Fine Stationers. The Easter Bunny himself will make a stop here between 12:00 noon and 3:00 p.m. to greet you and your family and hand out prizes to the winners of our Easter Coloring Raffle!

If your child hasn't entered our coloring contest yet, don't panic....there's still time to get their entries in and their artwork displayed in the store. Just drop by and pick up one of several designs for them to color, bring it back and we'll enter them into the raffle. Adults will have a chance to win merchandise, too - door prizes will be given out periodically all day.

We'll be featuring Isabella Cookie Company's famous Sugar Rush cookies, decorated for the Spring season. As always, gourmet coffee and tea is offered daily as a complimentary bonus and you can sample some of Wind & Willow's fabulous appetizer mixes. Munch happily away while your children clamor over the Easter Bunny - make sure you bring a camera with you...you won't want to miss this classic photo op!

We'll be playing wonderful, classic Motown and other nostalgic tunes you can boogie to while you shop. And if all that wasn't enough, mention reading this blog and we'll give you 10% off your purchase. Leave a comment and we'll give you a free gift!

All of us at WFS are looking forward to seeing you this Saturday.....happy Spring to you all!

The 3/50 Project

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Food Drive for Five Acres!

Now through April 6th, Webster's Fine Stationers will be collecting donations of food items for Five Acres. The following items are desparately needed to aid in providing the families and children of Five Acres with Easter meals:

Potato mixes
Salad dressing
Stuffing mixes
Cake mixes
Bread mixes
Pie fillings
Canned fruit
Pie shells
Canned vegetables
Puddings
Pasta
Jello
Tortillas
Nuts
Gravy
Baking chocolate
Olives
Hams
Pickles
Frozen roasting chickens
Jams and jellies


If the hard financial times have affected us, think how they've affected the families and children of Five Acres, http://www.fiveacres.org . Let this be a new beginning.....a season of hope and sharing.....please come in soon with a donation of any of the above items and put your name on our Wall of Kindness. Remember, it is more blessed to give than to receive!

The Times, They Are a-Changin'......

Those of us of a certain age will remember Bob Dylan's iconic lyrics to this song, which I'll copy here:

"Come gather 'round wherever you roam,
And admit that the waters around you have grown,
And accept it that soon you'll be drenched to the bone.
If your time to you is worth saving,
Then you better start swimmin' or you'll sink like a stone,
For the times they are a-changin'.

Come writers and critics who prophetize with your pen,
And keep your eyes wide the chance won't come again.
And don't speak too soon for the wheel's still in spin,
And there's no tellin' who that it's naming.
For the loser now will be later to win,
For the times they are a-changin'.

Come senators, congressmen please heed the call,
Don't stand in the doorway, don't block up the hall,
For he that gets hurt will be he who has stalled,
There's a battle outside and it's ragin'.
It'll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls,
For the times they are a-changin'.

Come mothers and fathers throughout the land,
And don't citicize what you don't understand,
Your sons and your daughters are beyond your command,
Your old road is rapidly fading.
Please get out of the new one if you can't lend your hand,
For the times they are a-changin'.

The line it is drawn and the curse it is cast,
The slow one now will later be fast,
As the present now will later be past,
The order is rapidly fading.
And the first one now will later be last,
For the times they are a-changin'.

These lyrics, written in the l960's, are more relevant today than ever, in a variety of ways. You could apply them to our country's current economic situation and our new presidential administration's efforts to combat it. You could also apply these lyrics to the state of big business in the nation today. Narrowing that down, you could apply these lyrics to small, independent businesses, and that includes Webster's Fine Stationers.

Let's break this down and look at each facet, starting with the country's changing economic climate. "Transparency in government" is what President Obama espouses, and the large companies and corporations in the U.S. had better change their ways or there will be consequences, as we're beginning to see.

The large chain stores and big boxes are having to scramble now to hold onto their market share, and many of them are failing to do so. We've seen the demise of big box stores such as Circuit City, Linens & Things, ZGallerie, Bombay Stores and Cost Plus World Market. The latest to fall is Expo Design Centers, a division of Home Depot. According to USA Today's Jayne O'Donnell and Sandra Block, "the National Retail Federation said retail sales are expected to drop 0.5% this year, the fist annual decline since the NRF started tracking sales in 1995."

"Most consumer behavior we saw in '08 will continue well into this year", says Rosalind Wells, NRF's chief economist. "Shoppers will be seeking value and trading down to discount and off-price retailers in order to stretch their dollars."

Even though spending is expected to increase in late 2009, no one's predicting a return to the frivolous shopping patterns from earlier this decade. Now, when consumers spend, they're paying attention to what they buy and this shift toward more cautious spending is likely to last.

USA Today cites the downturn as the main reason for the dreary retail sales, but there are other factors at work here. Many have realized that it's not necessary to buy new vehicles or furniture every few years, unless the car dies or the springs give out on the couch. Carol Steidtmann, Deloitte Research's chief economist for consumer business said the spending slowdown was predictable. After a spending boom like the one that occurred after the September 11th terrorist attacks, he said, "you always see a return to simplicity".

To compete in this environment, retailers need to get back to their roots, says Janet Hoffman, a global retail managing partner of a large retail outfit. That means "knowing their customers and coming up with a unique offer or product, price, or in some cases, service", she says.

Emphasizing local ownership is one way to stand out in a crowd. This is particularly important to small stores like Webster's, who've been active in their communities for years. A survey of independent retailers in a wide range of categories found that sales fell an average of 5% in December, vs. a decline of 8.9 for retail sales overall, according to the Institute of Self-Reliance, a non-profit research organization. Retailers in cities that sponsored a "buy independent/local" campaign reported an average decline of only 3.2%.

Consumers who patronize local businesses instead of big box stores are "realizing that cheaper is not the same as value", says Jeff Milchen, co-founder of the American Independent Business Alliance.

This is exactly where Webster's Fine Stationers can fit into your shopping matrix. We're local, we're independent, we're unique and you won't find better customer care in the area. Stop in today and see just how WFS can take care of you and your home shopping needs. Mention this blogpost to any one of our staff and you'll enjoy 10% off our everyday low prices. To encourage dialog on this blog, our cutomers who leave a comment are entitled to a free gift! When you're next at WFS, claim your comment to one of our staff members. After a quick verification, we'll give you a little something for your trouble. We'd love to see more active participation here because we want to know what you think.

In the near future, WFS plans to start hosting in-shop instruction on how to make your decorating budget stretch by using multi-function, reused, reclaimed and re-purposed items. There's no need to spend hundreds of dollars accomplishing something that you could easily do for pennies on the dollar. We'll talk about that in more depth in a later post, but I want you to be assured that WFS is trying to find the newest, most exciting merchandise that works within your budget. Times are tough, we know.....but sometimes it's just soul-satisfying to buy yourself a little something that doesn't break the bank. Come see us and let us show you what we can do for you!

THE MEANING OF "THINK GLOBAL, BUY LOCAL"

We hear this phrase quite often these days, but does anyone really stop and think about its significance? Does the average shopper in Altadena really understand how supporting your local independent businesses helps support the entire community? I suspect they don’t, as I sit here looking at my store which is devoid of any customers. One of my new year’s resolutions was to promise myself that I’d start writing blog posts with more relevant content on how our store and the Webster’s shopping complex as a whole is interconnected with our community’s economic future. This is the first step in this undertaking and I sincerely hope that these posts will help foster some new ideas. I’ve started this post several times and erased everything because it sounded so stiff. Just be yourself, Lori, I thought, and speak from your heart, so here goes.

Before Scott and I took over Webster’s Fine Stationers, I was an avid shopper. I love to shop, to window browse, to look to see what’s new. I’m a decorator, so I love bringing something nice home for the house, for Scott or for me but I never really stopped and thought about where I shopped. Pier One’s got some table linens at ½ off? I’m there with bells on and wallet out! Pottery Barn’s got a glass cloche (bell jar) for $49.99? Ka-ching, it’s mine, as are Z Gallerie’s huge apothecary jars. I never stopped to think that I maybe could’ve gotten any of these items from a local independent retailer. Why is that? We are so conditioned to the advertisements and catalogs sent from these huge chains, these corporate stores, these big-boxes, that we forget about the little guys. We are so intent on saving a few bucks that we will spend almost that entire savings in gas driving to the chain retailer of choice, never realizing the impact this has on our local enconomy. It took the ownership of an independent retail store and educating myself about these things for me to realize what's happening....I'd like to share this with you so you'll be aware, too.

So what happens when you patronize only these types of chain stores? Ok, let’s explain it is way….only about 1/3 of your dollar stays in your community when you buy from one of them. “We often assume that the dramatic growth of chains is solely the result of consumer choices, when in fact government has a hand in this trend. Over the last decade, cities and towns have spent billions of dollars subsidizing the development of big-box stores and shopping centers. Tax policies in many states are riddled with loopholes that allow large retailers to duck their tax obligations, while small businesses are left to shoulder their full share,” says Stacy Mitchell, researcher and author, recently quoted in the trade publication “On Point”.

She goes on to talk about “buy local” campaigns throughout the country and comments, “What makes these campaigns effective? Part of the answer is that they are not simply empty marketing slogans. They draw on a growing body of research. Some of the most compelling has to do with the added economic benefit of locally-owned businesses. Several studies have found that a dollar spent at an independent business generates more economic activity and supports more jobs in the community than a dollar spent at a chain. The primary reason is that local businesses buy more goods and services, like banking and accounting, from other local businesses.” She goes on to state, “A study in Grand Rapids, Mich., by the firm Civic Economics found that, if residents redirected just 10 percent of their total spending from chains to locally-owned businesses, the result would be $140 million in new economic activity for the region, including 1,600 new jobs and $53 million in additional payroll.”

That’s pretty deep, isn’t it? Ms. Mitchell’s article says, “Studies have also found that cities that have lots of locally-owned businesses score better on a variety of measures of community well-being. They have lower poverty rates, greater civic participation, and more charitable giving. In addition, local businesses generally have a much smaller environmental impact and place less demand on public infrastructure and services than big-box stores.” Whoa…this is huge! Think about this for a minute and how it relates to Altadena. Wouldn’t it be great to have lower poverty rates, greater civic participation and more charitable giving here? Judging from the low response to our several attempts to raise funds for two local Altadena charities, I’d say so.

The thing is, we can all do something about this. We can shop local and keep our money local, where it counts the most. Most big-box stores have their headquarters in different states, or even out of the country. Staples is headquartered out of state, as is Office Max and WalMart. Target has good community programs going, I’ll give them that, but again, they’re headquartered out of state. Trader Joe’s? Headquartered in Germany. So you see, it’s really hard to find a retailer who is actually a resident of your community……or is it? Let’s see, according to Ms. Mitchell’s article, “Both anecdotal reports from business owners and empirical evidence indicate that (buy local) initiatives are having a significant impact on people’s choices.”

“In Bellingham, Wash., a market research firm found that nearly 60 percent of residents are patronizing locally-owned businesses more often thanks to a campaign that encourages people to “Think Local First”. The campaign was launched in 2003 by Sustainable Connections, a coalition of more than 500 locally-owned businesses. Normally, if 1 in 5 households claim familiarity with your program, and change their behavior because of it you would consider it a success”, said Dr. Pamela Jull of Applied Research Northwest. “To have nearly 3 in 5 households attributing a behavior change in this program shows an amazing impact”.

Let’s see how “buy local” programs have done in areas around the country. Says Ms. Mitchell, “Last year, thanks in large part to the work of Arizona Local First, an alliance of more than 900 independent businesses, the state passed a law outlawing subsidies for big-box stores and shopping centers in the Phoenix metro.”

“In New Mexico, the Santa Fe Independent Business and Community Alliance, a six-year-old coalition of more than 600 local businesses, helped advance a bill to close a tax loophole that gives chains, but not local businesses, a major break. Opposed by big business, the bill had stalled in committee for years. But that changed, said the bills’s sponsor, Rep. Peter Wirth, when independent business owners spoke up”.

“Local business alliances are also influencing how city officials think about economic development. The Austin (Texas) Independent Business Alliance, which has nearly 400 members, has run a highly visible campaign urging residents to “Celebrate their Independents” and “Break the Chain Habit”. The message has resonated with city officials, who have stepped up small business training programs, designated several “Independent Business Investment Zones” around the city, and decreed that a major downtown redevelopment project lease at least 30 percent of its retail space to locally-owned businesses. The developer ultimately rented 70 percent of the storefronts to locals”. Hello….think about what such an alliance would’ve meant to the hotly debated West Altadena shopping district! We are asleep at the wheel, people.

“With the national economy in trouble, local business alliances have become more crucial now than ever, not only in helping independent businesses survive, but in offering a path out of this mess and toward a more durable economic model in which business is once again firmly rooted in the community”.

I know this is getting long, but it’s something that needs to be said. If the current atmosphere prevails in Altadena, Webster’s, who has been serving our community for upwards of 84 years and on its way to becoming an historical landmark, will be history. The jobs that help support many local people would be gone, the property redeveloped into condos or the like, and the tax revenue we pay the County of Los Angeles would evaporate. All the support we and other businesses around the area give to local charities would be no more and Altadena will wither. Dire predictions, yes, but there’s much we can do about it. Webster’s Fine Stationers has taken that first step, by joining Buy Local Pasadena, http://www.buylocalpasadena.org/ and by writing this blog post. Also check out their recent blogpost here: http://buylocalpasadena.wordpress.com/ - there’s some relevant information to read. Join us in our fight to improve the quality of life in our community….shop local, buy local and help keep Altadena the amazingly beautiful and prosperous town it's always been!

To Market, To Market....The Winter Gift Show Report

January is the month of the winter Home Furnishing and Gift shows all across the country, and the Los Angeles show just ended this past Monday. According to the reports, attendance was down a bit due to the economic climate, but those who were there (and there were plenty of us) were buying, albeit a bit more cautiously. And that's fine, said many showroom reps. They'd rather the buyers buy less and reorder when needed. Michelle and I found a few new things to bring you this season and we're very excited about them.

When the economy slows, producers of new products go into what I call "safe mode". Nothing really innovative, just repetition of proven winners, maybe revamped a bit for a new look, so we had to look hard to find things that wowed us. But find them we did, all across the board from kids stuff to more sophisticated adult items. Here's a highlight of what we found that made our hearts flutter and what you can expect to see in store soon:

• Really cool lenticular design rulers, bookmarks and small journals - looks like the (cute) animals on face of the items are running, walking or trotting toward you. We predict this will be a hit with our school-age customers!
• Fabulously cute and soft stuffed monkeys that have little magnets in their hands and feet....they're adorable and are such a great price, you'll want to get two (just so they can "hold hands")! Also arriving are cuddly soft little animals that can be carried in backpacks made of the same soft materials. Very affordable, and the kids will love them!
• New inspirational pocket note pads from Punch Studio for Valentines Day. Also from Punch, gorgeous nesting book boxes that will add high impact design and function to your home office (or anywhere else). Beautiful file folders with coordinating notes will be arriving, too, along with their prettily designed boxed candles.....perfect for gift giving!
• Very high end looking (but not too costly) recycled glass terrariums from Roost. They're big....and sure to make a statement.
• A refresher for the Pacifica solid perfumes....an addition of a couple new scents plus candles to go with. All natural, all good....look for these to arrive soon. Waikiki Pikkaki is one of the sublime new scents you'll be excited to try!
• New books for the kids are on the way, with some great new titles that should keep them enthralled throughout winter, with an emphasis on Black History Month selections. Little Golden Books will entertain the younger crowd with their favorite characters - these will arrive in a month or so.
• For Valentines Day we've ordered the most luscious massage candles! Made by a local artisan in Venice, CA, they're made predominately of shea butter with just enough soy wax in them to allow them to burn. WOW, these are so fabulous....light the wick, let the solids liquify and pour on your lucky massagee. It doesn't get too hot so there's no danger of burns....this is all natural, pure hedonism at its best and it smells sublime. What a great gift for your significant other....make Valentines an evening to remember!
• New designs in paper ware are on their way....cocktail napkins, dinner napkins and paper plates for your next party or function. Wonderful new recipe journals and take out menu organizers....we all need things like this for our kitchens....just wait 'till you see them!
• More funny, funny office stuff from Knock Knock will be arriving soon. What a fabulous line - it had you in stitches at Christmas, just wait 'till you see what they've got on tap for Spring!
• We're excited as heck about the new greeting cards (sold individually at a reasonable price!) from Crane & Company....just gorgeous!

This is just a sampling of what's coming in....be sure to stop in soon to see the new arrivals!

I wanted to let you know, also, what other things we'll be doing in the coming months. We've got decorating on the schedule for Spring....I'd love to do a little seminar on how to freshen up your home without spending an arm and leg. Speaking of decorating, I'm proud to announce that WFS won 3rd place in the Gift and Home Channel's nation-wide Holiday decor contest! This makes two wins this past year....perhaps this year we'll take first place. Stay tuned and look for my next post about some exciting new plans we've got in store for our customers (that's you, right?).

New Year, New Opportunities....g'bye 2008!

Here's to 2009! Happy New Year to all and we at WFS hope you had a great time ushering it in!

2008 was a challenging year for most of us, wasn't it? I'm not sorry to see it go but at least I can say it went fast and I'm grateful for the learning experiences. 2008 wasn't the ideal time to have just taken over an independent retail store, especially one that primarily sells office supplies....make that lots of office supplies. Since Scott has been involved in some capacity with the Stationery department of Webster's Pharmacy for years, I've been watching it develop (or not, as the case may be) for as long as I've known him. I always asked myself why they bought so heavily and carried so many items, a lot of which didn't move much. There were tons of pens....clips....badges....labels....staples....plastic geegaws for your desk. Many of these are still on the shelves. In conjunction with our supplier, Webster's put out a full line office product catalog and sent it all over Pasadena and surrounding areas but never made any effort to follow up on any leads generated by those catalogs (if there were any). We have exactly two commercial accounts that we inherited from the main store, both of which we're extremely grateful for. However, we've learned something about office supplies in the past year or so and it's not good. We're fighting against the mentality that Staples, Office Max and the like are less expensive than we are. We're faced with dwindling sales due to the stores being split up....a lot of traffic flowed through those entryways to get to the post office, the pharmacy or Hallmark and the pass-through traffic boosted sales....now that traffic is gone and the sales have suffered. Add to that, no cosmetic work had done on the Stationery department since 1959 and it wasn't memorable in any way, other than being the home of the Post Office and customer service. To this date, at least 10 people a day come in and ask where the Post Office is or where Hallmark is....or they just ask, "What happened?".

So we bought a store that wasn't memorable, had tons of stuff that really wasn't moving very well now that the walls were up.....what to do? We came in with clear ideas about how we wanted the store to look and knew we had to streamline the office products down to a manageable level. What to add to the mix to differentiate us when there's a Hallmark store right next door? Enter the addition of some home decor items and my decorating ability....and enter the media's blasting the bad news of recession. Add that to the swan song of our office products supplier. Yes, we lost our vendor with whom Webster's had dealt with for well over 25 years. They couldn't make it through the recession and sold out to another larger, commercial vendor - S.P. Richards. SP said they'd carry everything that our other vendor did but that's not happening. We're now having to "go fishing" between 3 different suppliers and poor Michelle spends most of her time doing just this. What we're going to have to do is whittle down the office supplies yet again so we carry a good selection of what actually sells. I realize that visually, entire isles of pens and pencils, file folders and expandable files, ink cartridges and copy papers, dividers and binders and hundreds of different note pads are very cool to look at, but it's just not realistic anymore. You can go to Staples and see the same thing at a lower cost. It's true and I know it....we don't have the big box's buying power.

There's the conundrum, my friends. We hope to solve this by becoming a lifestyle store....one that can outfit your home or your home office, help you with entertaining, making invitations or having them custom made by us. A store nearby your home that stocks quality children's toys, educational material, books and games. A neighborhood store that you can turn to when your child has a project due at school and you need supplies. A retail outfit that has people who know what they're talking about and who really do care about you. Does Staples offer to put your ink refill into your pen after you purchase the refill? Will Staples or Office Max help you try to fix your broken pen? Does Kinkos offer a volume discount for faxing more than 5 pages? Will The UPS Store or FedEx/Kinkos offer fresh coffee and snacks to their customers? I think not and they probably never will. Their volume insures that they be impersonal.....their bottom line is their focus, not you. And their aesthetic is certainly not as nice as ours is. In addition, none of the above stores will let you buy one single envelope or pen anymore because everything is packaged in multiples. This is a great way to increase your sales, I agree. But sometimes you don't need but one new pen....or an envelope to mail something in....and we know that. Even if it doesn't help increase our bottom line, we'll continue to offer single items for sale because you asked for them.

That brings us to something else we've learned this past year....listen to your customers. Throughout the year, we've taken quite a few of you to lunch to find out what you think about the store. Like I mentioned above, many of you wondered about the changes at Webster's and this gave us the opportunity to explain things. A few were afraid we'd do away with the office supplies altogether and we were able to reassure that we're not. All of you seemed to be solidly behind us and the direction we're headed....thank you for that. We listen to the customers in the store, too and most, after hearing the reason for the changes are supportive. A lot of people seem excited to know there'll be a familiar place to shop for quality stationery (we now carry Crane & Co.!), gifts and toys, in addition to home office supplies. Of course, we can't please everyone, and there have been some who just don't like change. I mentioned this way back in my first posts and unfortunately we're still dealing with the few who don't get what we're doing. We've dealt with people who come in and state very loudly how much they hate it. We deal with people who argue about prices and tell me that (insert name of big box or chain store) is cheaper. It's a part of the job, and we try to be very courteous in reply to these remarks, but sometimes it gets out of hand. The remarks made are so rude that we have to ask these people not to come back in. Scott and I have spent so much time at the store and have put so much of our heart and soul into it that it feels like our home. I'm sorry, but I don't come into your home and tell you how awful it is and how much I hate it - please don't come into our store and tell us that.

Now for what's on tap for the coming months. The LA gift shows are coming up, starting tomorrow, so we'll go and see what's new. They tell us that because of the economic downturn there won't be many new designs out there, but we'll be on the hunt for something exciting so do check in with us in the coming weeks to see what has arrived! We're striving to add recycled paper to our Paper By The Pound selection and will most likely bring some in this season. We're also looking for more unusual papers, like handmade papers with botanicals and decorative designs, that will be lovely additions for your choice in card and invitation making. New books and toys will be ordered, too, as well as some new Altadena-centric signs. All in all, it's shaping up to be a great year....stay in touch with us through this blog, on Facebook, MySpace, check our ads on AltadenaBlog.com and listen for news of further plans to benefit The Quality of Life Center!

We wish you the best of everything in the new year!

A Holiday Wish For All Our Friends

The staff at Webster's Fine Stationers - Michelle, Leilana, Rosalie, Betsy, Scott and myself - would like to wish you and yours a holiday full of love, laughter, good food, good friends and warm feelings. May all good things be yours in 2009!

We'll be closing at 5:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve so we can enjoy the holidays with our families. If you need a last minute gift, need a package prettily wrapped or shipped, please come by before then to see us. We've got stocking stuffers and hostess gifts galore....dark chocolate filled candy canes, hot cocoa mixes, wonderful cookies, beautiful ornaments (which make a statement when tied onto a gift!) and cool little pocket word game books. Don't forget our beautiful Santos, hand made in the Phillapines and designed by Bethany Lowe....we have large sized Joseph & Child and the Angel Gabriel. We have medium sized "flatbacks", which can hang or fit up against a wall, of Our Lady of Lourdes, Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Francis and smaller, stand alone figures of Our Lady and the Angel of Knowledge. These items of faith make lovely, meaningful gifts for someone dear to you.

Come by and enjoy some holiday treats and hot apple cider....we've got a table out every day through the season and would love to see you! Again, my friends, may you enjoy every day of your holidays!

It's The Holiday Season!

And we are shining brightly here at WFS. Along with some other fabulous news and reports of new merchandise, we are honored to announce our Webster’s Shopping Center-wide toy drive for 5 Acres. Kicking off on Friday, December 12th, when you bring an unwrapped gift in for a child, ages 6 to 13, Webster’s Pharmacy and Webster’s Fine Stationers will give you a coupon good for 10% off selected merchandise. In WFS, it’s home and holiday decor items. You buy an eligible item(s) and we’ll give your 10% savings to 5 Acres. We’ll then match that 10% because we appreciate all the great things 5 Acres does – and expressing that appreciation during this holiday season, is particularly appropriate.

Come see Webster’s…..all of us! We’re decked out in holiday finery with the choicest offerings to tempt your holiday gifting. Festivities will get underway on the 12th with Santa and his elves at Karen’s Hallmark at 3:00 p.m. You’ll be able to take pictures with them and portrait packages will be available. Get some holiday shopping in while the kids are greeting Santa! At Webster’s Fine Stationers, you’ll be able to enjoy some holiday goodies and stroll around our gorgeous displays. We’re an authorized Crane Retailer now, so see us for your fine stationery needs, business or personal. A choir from a local school will gather outside around 5:00 p.m. to sing holiday carols for your pleasure….sip a cup of hot mulled cider and bask in the holiday magic! Webster’s Pharmacy will be showcasing their new lines of personal gift items and jewelry….exciting finds from the exacting eye of Merideth Miller. Merideth and Michael are the former owners of Fair Oaks Pharmacy and are the wunderkids of old-time pharmacy ambiance. Come by and say hello, and pick a child’s name off their Five Acres “Wish Tree”. Help make a child’s Christmas wish come true this season….so many people are in such dire need. We hope to see you all here at Webster’s, it’s such a wonderful feeling to gather for a good cause and some good, old fashioned holiday fun!

Some more great news….WFS has made Fox LA’s Top 5 Hottest Places to Shop in LA in the Arts & Crafts store division! Yay for us and if you voted for us, thank you very much! We appreciate your support.

Another new line we’re carrying is N2Stickerz….the coolest weather-resistant vinyl stickers for your car, your school binders, your laptop….whatever. From family members, animals, symbols and initials in white, pink and hot pink, there’s something in here for everyone! They’d make excellent and clever gifts or stocking stuffers….very au currant. We also have some beautiful Santos in from Bethany Lowe. The most awesome, in my opinion, are the Joseph and Child Santos and the Angel Gabriel. So sublimely suited for haute holiday décor and they mix so well with old mercury glass and silver. Come by the store and see our elegant displays – grab some decorating ideas while you sip a cup of coffee, tea or cider as you browse. Come in and taste Isabella’s Sugar Rush cookies, decorated for the holidays! These are the best tasting, all natural, no partially hydrogenated oils, pure goodness cookies….they also would make fabulous stocking stuffers or offerings at your holiday gala. As always, our line of Wind & Willow appetizer mixes, soups and breads are tasty, quick alternatives for parties or quiet dinners at home. As for fast pick-ups for hostess gifts or family presents, Elegant Gourmet and Hannah’s Naturals offer tea cookies, chocolate filled candy canes (yum!), the sweetest hot cocoa sets, and nostalgic holiday lollipops in peppermint and cherry flavors. They’re all so attractively packaged and taste divine!

Additionally, let’s not forget about our fabulous selection of children’s books and toys, games or about our customizable, made in the U.S., 100% hardwood wall décor signs. There are signs for your kid’s rooms and Altadena-centric signs, Christmas and family-oriented signs, too. There are even small, desk sized signs you can inset a picture into. These are very giftable and sure to please anyone on your list!

Remember, purchases $20.00 and over receive a free (and elegant!) gift wrap. The girls and I….and yes, even Scott…..can dress a package like no one else. Make sure you come by and give us a whirl, we’ll be waiting.

From Webster’s Fine Stationers to you, our beloved customers and friends, have a blessed holiday season. We look forward to seeing you on December 12th!

p.s. I've attached some photos from our Grand Opening!