suggest.
Callie came back holding a little white bag out for Brooke. “Also on me. We Main Street shop owners have to take care of each other, and you can’t run a business on an empty stomach.”
“Gosh, thank you. I’m famished actually, and this coffee is delicious.” Brooke smiled. She’d been so focused on running her shop and simultaneously failing at it that she hadn’t realized how lonely she was. Most of her friends lived in Kansas City, just far enough away to be inconvenient. She really needed to get out more.
“Oh, yay, I’m glad you like it. We worked really hard with a local roasterie on that particular blend.” Callie beamed.
“Wow, that’s cool. And thanks for being willing to try and send some business my way.”
“Of course, that’s how it works. You can pay me back by telling everyone how delicious my coffee and treats are.” Callie gave her a quick wink and went back behind the counter.
**
Thirteen hours later, Brooke trudged up the stairs to the apartment, her legs aching and her back on fire. But in spite of her list of ailments, she couldn’t wipe the smile from her face.
“Diva baby,” she sang as she pulled off her T-shirt to get to her evil bra. A haughty
meow
answered from the living room, and she glanced over to find her cat arching and stretching on the back of the sofa. “We’re celebrating today. You’re getting a whole can of tuna.”
As if she understood—and approved—Diva gracefully leapt from the furniture and sashayed into the kitchen. After treating Diva, and washing down a couple of ibuprofen with a drink of water, Brooke slipped into some flannel pajamas and flopped onto her bed grinning. She’d sold nearly two thousand dollars of product. More than the previous two weeks total. It felt amazing, and Silver Saturday should be even better. She owed Callie, owed her big. Several customers had mentioned that Callie sent them over. Brooke didn’t care how they got there, just that they did, and the feeling of pride and relief welling within her was so immense she burst into tears.
It was the first time since her grand opening that she felt like her dreams might actually be possible. It was the best feeling, and she realized she should share it with her consignment clients who’d continued to have complete faith in her. Picking up her laptop, she drafted up a quick e-mail telling them all what a good day the shop had had and asking them all to drop a few more products by when they got the chance. She hit Send and smiled. Those were the kind of e- mails she hoped to send every week. Before closing her laptop, the e-mail dinged and she grinned as she read her first response.
It was only a matter of time, Brooke! This shop was meant to be and I’ll be by Saturday with a few more cases. :) -Amy
Amy made the most amazing all-natural soy candles, and at least ten of her holiday scents had sold today. Evergreen and Sugar Cookie had been the most popular, no surprise. There was something about crafters and the whole lifestyle that spoke to Brooke. She’d always enjoyed making things as a young girl, and after moving back from Phoenix she’d need something to make her feel good again.
A friend had invited her to a jewelry-making class in Kansas City, and she’d fallen in love with it. She’d told her therapist how much she enjoyed it, and she had encouraged Brooke to keep it up, buy the supplies so she could do it whenever she wished. Brooke did, making piece after piece, giving them as gifts, and even selling some to friends. Everyone genuinely loved her art, even asking her to teach them. The idea to open her own studio had been so exciting, she’d jumped in with both feet and not a lot of knowledge, desperate to write a new chapter in her life.
She was still learning as she went, which she probably wouldn’t recommend, but she loved teaching and she loved retail. It was a lot harder than she had anticipated, but she after today she was finally starting
Callie came back holding a little white bag out for Brooke. “Also on me. We Main Street shop owners have to take care of each other, and you can’t run a business on an empty stomach.”
“Gosh, thank you. I’m famished actually, and this coffee is delicious.” Brooke smiled. She’d been so focused on running her shop and simultaneously failing at it that she hadn’t realized how lonely she was. Most of her friends lived in Kansas City, just far enough away to be inconvenient. She really needed to get out more.
“Oh, yay, I’m glad you like it. We worked really hard with a local roasterie on that particular blend.” Callie beamed.
“Wow, that’s cool. And thanks for being willing to try and send some business my way.”
“Of course, that’s how it works. You can pay me back by telling everyone how delicious my coffee and treats are.” Callie gave her a quick wink and went back behind the counter.
**
Thirteen hours later, Brooke trudged up the stairs to the apartment, her legs aching and her back on fire. But in spite of her list of ailments, she couldn’t wipe the smile from her face.
“Diva baby,” she sang as she pulled off her T-shirt to get to her evil bra. A haughty
meow
answered from the living room, and she glanced over to find her cat arching and stretching on the back of the sofa. “We’re celebrating today. You’re getting a whole can of tuna.”
As if she understood—and approved—Diva gracefully leapt from the furniture and sashayed into the kitchen. After treating Diva, and washing down a couple of ibuprofen with a drink of water, Brooke slipped into some flannel pajamas and flopped onto her bed grinning. She’d sold nearly two thousand dollars of product. More than the previous two weeks total. It felt amazing, and Silver Saturday should be even better. She owed Callie, owed her big. Several customers had mentioned that Callie sent them over. Brooke didn’t care how they got there, just that they did, and the feeling of pride and relief welling within her was so immense she burst into tears.
It was the first time since her grand opening that she felt like her dreams might actually be possible. It was the best feeling, and she realized she should share it with her consignment clients who’d continued to have complete faith in her. Picking up her laptop, she drafted up a quick e-mail telling them all what a good day the shop had had and asking them all to drop a few more products by when they got the chance. She hit Send and smiled. Those were the kind of e- mails she hoped to send every week. Before closing her laptop, the e-mail dinged and she grinned as she read her first response.
It was only a matter of time, Brooke! This shop was meant to be and I’ll be by Saturday with a few more cases. :) -Amy
Amy made the most amazing all-natural soy candles, and at least ten of her holiday scents had sold today. Evergreen and Sugar Cookie had been the most popular, no surprise. There was something about crafters and the whole lifestyle that spoke to Brooke. She’d always enjoyed making things as a young girl, and after moving back from Phoenix she’d need something to make her feel good again.
A friend had invited her to a jewelry-making class in Kansas City, and she’d fallen in love with it. She’d told her therapist how much she enjoyed it, and she had encouraged Brooke to keep it up, buy the supplies so she could do it whenever she wished. Brooke did, making piece after piece, giving them as gifts, and even selling some to friends. Everyone genuinely loved her art, even asking her to teach them. The idea to open her own studio had been so exciting, she’d jumped in with both feet and not a lot of knowledge, desperate to write a new chapter in her life.
She was still learning as she went, which she probably wouldn’t recommend, but she loved teaching and she loved retail. It was a lot harder than she had anticipated, but she after today she was finally starting
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