The weather is crazy at the moment, its been so up and down with the temperatures. We have had to have the heating on some mornings as we woke up to icy frosts - which have destroyed some of our young trees and then the next minute its warm and oh so sunny.
Business has been super slow and just not great at the moment - its a bit frosty! People aren't really keen on spending still with the cost of living crises that we are all feeling at the moment. All I seem to do is spend money on groceries - three growing children aren't really helping here! So safe to say our discretionary income is quite small as well - so I get it. I've picked up a really lovely job working for a friend two days a week. Retail is really struggling and strip shopping doesn't seem to be a thing anymore. So I work a Sat instore and boy oh boy is it super quiet. I remember the days of retail when I was studying at university when Sat was the busiest day of the week - like manic busy. Everyone came in to store tried on garments and just bought it - no hesitation. Now I have to really sell the benefit of a jumper or a pair of pants. The times have really changed (I'm sounding old here!) but where does everyone shop? Don't you want to come into a shop and try it on and walk out with a bag knowing that it was the perfect fit and colour without having to worry about sending it back coz it didn't look like the garment on the model! I love a good shop and to try on different things, get different ideas on how to style the garment, but it doesn't seem the case anymore. Or people are shopping fast fashion like S*hein and K M A R T wear it once and then throw it away - because lets face it - a woollen jumper at $25 vs a woollen jumper at $99 will be made different and of different quality especially the wool fibres, but with people living in this cost crises it does make a difference to them.
I sincerely hope no more stores close down as I seem to read at least once a week another one goes which is awful.
Anyway back to my business. So I'm noticing at the moment, purchases are very considered and thought out. No such thing as an impulse buy - its got to be a really good reason as to why they needed that pair of earrings. So of course we expanded into making wooden homewares and plantable seed cards which has been well received by our stockists. We did this a couple of years ago and it still seems to do ok. I'm really running out of ideas on what to make next - if you've got thoughts on this, please let me know.
I still enjoy making the earrings and doing the painting and fine line drawing as it makes me happy that I made something colourful and unique and if I can bring joy to someone else, then that's fantastic.
I have had a bit of a setback with stockists with one of my very first ones closing down due to greedy landlords and hiking up rents. Shed been around for nearly 15 years so it was very heart breaking to hear her go. So she's moved to online only now and taking a step back to reassess where she wants to head with her clothing store.
Anyway if you enjoyed reading my little rant and thoughts let me know as Id love to hear from you. Take care and have a wonderful day. Thanks for reading.