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

May Madness

“Lots of people go mad in January. Not as many as in May, of course. Nor June. But January is your third most common month for madness.”
― Karen Joy Fowler, Sarah Canary



It's seems impossible that it's already May, with Mother's Day on the 12th, just around the corner.  It even seems like an eternity since last week!  We've been very busy over here at WFS, you see, and time seems to speed up and then slow down like a slide on a trombone.

Just yesterday we hosted a book signing event with the ladies who wrote The Chocolate Princess In The Land Of Plenty.    This coming Friday evening, we'll be hosting former TIME/LIFE photographer and current ACONA founder Elliot Gold, who'll be signing his 2010 book "Rememories".  This won't be just a book signing, either.  Much like The Chocolate Princess, where the authors reached out and spoke one-on-one with the attendees, Elliot will be playing his taped interviews with assorted music luminaries who changed our world in the 1950s, 60s, and early 1970s.  We'll hear their words and listen to "their" music, which is also "our" music, and relive those turbulent, fascinating times!  The event starts at 5:00 p.m., along with Fancy Food Truck Friday. 

We've also firmed up plans to host a book signing and mini grant writing seminar by LaQuetta Shamblee.  Her new book, The Grantbuilder, is a step-by-step overview for her registered trademark course.  The book is available here at WFS, and those who buy the book will be able to attend this seminar for 50% off.  We'll release more information about this exciting seminar next week, so stay tuned!

More coming up in the pipeline - we're in talks right now to get one our newest authors, Carol McKibben,
here to sign her new book "Luke's Tale"; and we're working hard to get Carol Woodliff's books in and have her make a guest appearance as well! 

We also had the honor of attending Leadership Pasadena's graduation ceremony on Thursday afternoon, and enjoyed the proceedings immensely.  This is a fabulous program for building your leadership skills and we're mulling over attending the next session.  We were very pleased to note that The LightBringer Project's LA faction (the geniuses behind The Doo Dah Parade, and Room 13) works with Leadership Pasadena - wow, that Tom Coston is everywhere, and we love it!

We're off to rest tonight, and start again tomorrow, friends, as we're sure you are, as well.  Enjoy these next couple of weeks - we'll be a blogging break for Mother's Day, so we'll see you later!

Lori and Scott

Birthday Blessings

"It is lovely, when I forget all birthdays, including my own, to find that somebody remembers me."
Ellen Glasgow


Birthdays are a funny thing - some you want, some you don't, but it all comes down to the same thing, which is the passing of time.  In this passing of time, hopefully you're enjoying the ride and have loved ones or good friends who accompany you long the path. 

In the last few years, both Scott and I have been really bad friends.  We've been so busy, always at the store or traveling to and from, to get together with people at night or on the weekends.  We used to be good at sending out written greetings, too.  In fact, I used to relish finding just the right card for whomever had the birthday!  However, with time being such an issue anymore, we find that just the act of remembering to grab a card seems to be impossible.  It's lucky we have the internet, or my friends probably wouldn't hear from us at all!

There are people very dear to us that consistently write us handwritten greetings (you know who you are), and Scott and I would like to publicly thank you.  You've hung in there and sent us written greetings through the U.S. Mail without any reciprocation and we appreciate you deeply.  To the many people who posted birthday greetings via Facebook, thank you as well.  All of you are amazing people and we're glad to know you!

We'll be having some great events coming up at the store, starting this Saturday, when the authors and illustrator of the children's book The Chocolate Princess In The Land Of Plenty"  will be here for a book signing.  Be sure to mark your calendars for Saturday, May 4, at 1:00 pm, and come meet the local creators of this wonderful, inspirational book!

 On Friday, the 10th of May, it's not only Fancy Food Truck Friday, but we'll be hosting Handsome Elliot Gold, who is not only the guru of teleconferencing, he is also the author of the book "Rememories".  The book is a compilation of interviews with music industry luminaries, such as Bruce "Cousin Brucie" Morrow and Grace Slick, and has been called "a yin and yang of music and memories".  He'll be reliving these memories and reliving rock and roll's heyday from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm - don't miss it!

That's it for now, friends, and as always, we thank you and hope you have a great week ahead!  We'll go cut some birthday cake now - see you next week!

Lori and Scott
   

Community Benefits

Last week, as usual, we ended our blog post with the sentence "we'll talk again next week".  Normally, that means Sundays, when we write up an article and publish it in the evening.  We've been publishing on Sunday nights for quite a long while now.

But last night was different.  The entire week was different - in fact, it hadn't been that different since September 11, 2001.  As Scott and I talked about possible blog fodder, we also discussed not publishing a blog post, out of respect for the terrible occurrences that took place during the week.  We ended up deciding to wait until today, after the moment of silence dedicated to the victims of the bomb attack at the Boston Marathon.

We decided that instead of rehashing the horrors of last week, or on products our store carries, we'd instead talk of things that we're doing that help our community, raise awareness, and just make us feel good.

Last Sunday, we attended the pre-Gala event for Union Station Homeless Services, at the Blacker House in Pasadena.  We've been donating to Union Station directly, and through a local group called Put The Fork In Hunger, for many years now.  Most people would nod and say that's a good thing, but never understand exactly why we do this.  Most philanthropic giving by local businesses is tied to an experience with someone or something that has touched the owners' lives somehow, and that is true with us.  Our store manager, Leilana De Los Santos, has been through Union Station's program, and we were so impressed by her experience that we wanted to contribute.  Even though what we can do is just a grain of sand against the massive need, we are honored to be a part of the giving.  Here is Pasadena Now's coverage of the event, along with pictures - it was a lovely day spent with wonderful people.  We were again blown away by Leilana's story, as she told it to the attendees during her keynote speech.  It was a pleasure to applaud the generous support of Union Station by Pasadena's Mayor and his wife, William and Claire Bogaard, and Robert Floe.  Underpinning it all was the hospitality of the Blacker House's owners, the Knells, who have lovingly restored the beautiful Craftsman designed by Greene & Greene, and their warm welcome to all involved.

Leilana De Los Santos With Scott And Lori Webster

Later that evening, we also attended a fund-raiser for John Muir High School's Muir Ranch, a program that we believe in and support.  Keynote speaker for the event was South Los Angeles guerrilla gardener and TED speaker Ron Finley.  Food, as Mr. Finley says, is the problem in cities like Los Angeles.  Food is also the solution.  Click the link for Mr. Finley and watch his TED talk, and I believe you'll understand why we support his ideas and why we support Muir Ranch.

Muir Ranch Dinner - photo by Diana Heffernan-Schrader

 Both Scott and I love working in and with our community, and we wish we had more time to do it.  We celebrate those that work tirelessly for the benefit of others, and we know that good works will always overshadow atrocities committed. On that note, we are running a fund-raising campaign for West, Texas.  Called "Round Up For West, Texas", we'll be asking you to drop change from your purchase into our collection box.  Feel free to drop in and donate directly, as well.

We'll talk again next Sunday, friends, until then, have a great week!

Lori and Scott

Meet The New Crew Members And Open Mic Poetry Jam

I always feel a sense of relief at coming back from a vacation, don't you?  The moment you unlock your front door and step over the threshold is fraught with that feeling of home, of place, and of familiarity.  That's what it's like coming back here after taking two weeks off, and I like it!  I always miss not being able to write weekly, but sometimes it's nice to get a break in to refuel and recharge.

Recharging is exactly what we're doing at the store, as well.  We've got two new crew members, Dalton and Marc - having two sets of manly-type hands is certainly welcome when rustling those heavy boxes in shipping!  Both young men are already proving popular with our customers, because both of them are taking WFS' commitment to excellent customer service to heart, and are quickly learning the ropes.  Their enthusiasm for being part of the store's mission is gratifying, too - we hope that you'll come in to meet them soon! 

WFS will be hosting our monthly Eccentric Poetry Jam next Saturday, starting at 5:30 pm., in honor of National Poetry Month.  This is an open-mic event, so if you feel an irrepressible urge to recite some poetry, this is the event for you!  We'll have the ever-popular Aldonia Bailey, musically-inclined Amin El,  several other noteworthy poets, and, as always, some tasty appetizers to top things off.  Here's the event notice...

Until next Sunday, friends - have a great week!

Lori and Scott

Reading, Writing, and.....Altadena!

Way back when Scott and I were mulling over buying Webster's stationery department as a stand-alone business, we discussed what we could bring into the store that would be different enough from the other stores next door and nearby.  What else would blend well with all the pens, paper, journals and other writer's accoutrements?  Books!  Books would be great, given my proclivity for writing, but we wanted whatever books we brought in to be very special.  We decided to concentrate on bringing in local authors, and soon, we had a growing collection!

The decision to support our local authors wasn't hard to make.  There are so many talented writers here in the foothills above Pasadena that deserve having their books displayed and sold .  There are also many writers out there who are frustrated trying to find a way to get their books published.  That's the beauty  of Authors Tour USA, a national group that formed from the Artisan Faire held last year at the Santa Anita Racetrack.  The brainchild of Wendy Anderson, of W.O.W. Productions; and LaQuetta Shamblee, of Instrumental Women Project;  Authors Tour USA provides marketing, networking and promotional support for published authors, with a focus on independent publishing companies and self-published authors.

Authors Tour USA will be launching this Saturday, right here at Webster's Fine Stationers!  On Saturday, March 30, from 3:00 until 5:00, you will meet four local authors, get their books personalized to you, and will be discussing their different crafts, from self-help to screenwriting.  On our speaking roster will be Altadenan Ellen Snortland; Pasadenan Kogi Steven Sakai; Monrovian Adrianne Marie Hall; and L.A,'s Christina Hamlett.  This is an incredible line up of experienced, knowledgeable, and prolific writers, that won't be duplicated in Altadena again - until we host the next one!

We invite you to join us for this extra-special event - come join in the learning experience this coming Saturday, enjoy meeting friends new and old, and have a tasty nosh or two - we'll hold a seat for you!

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Have an enjoyable week, friends!  We'll be taking a short blogging hiatus and hope you all enjoy our lovely spring holidays. A joyous Passover and Easter to all of you!  We'll talk again in a couple of weeks.

Lori and Scott