It has been a busy week.
Chris was on vacation this past
SEVEN DAYS.
I am the only back up person for Hutch.
And it is Tulip Time. The busiest month
or really the only busy month of the whole year
for sleepy La conner.
I think this was the second most photographed site.
Our fence.
This of course is the first.
We have been there
20 years and this past week I was reminded of
all the reason why we have chosen to be in retail
for the past 32 years ( If you add BBTB and our
children's store Elsa and Co.)
I met so many wonderful people. Lot's of
Canadians, lots of people who only come up
once a year, hadn't been there in years or had
never been in our shop. I talked to each and every
one of them. Some long conversations, some short
but all very pleasant. It was a great week.
We (my dude) drove back to Kirkland saturday and
sunday, the traffic was so bad. When we passed
Snowgoose the lines were so long for ice cream.
The real highlight of the weekend was sunday night
as we left town to head home the traffic line started at
snowgoose...so slowly 5 miles an hour we made it
to Conway. We pulled over and ate here.
The Conway Pub
A pitcher of beer, vege burgers
and listened to Knut Bell
It was all locals and it was such
a great way to end the weekend.
Oh....but we did stop in Kirkland
and got a Chinese Foot Massage also.
During the week I talked with a few of the other shop owners on
Morris street. Like Mary Davis from Vintage lighting
She is world renown for her vintage lighting.
And Charity from La Crema coffee
The best coffee I have ever had.
And Re-feather your nest, which took over our old baby store
in the Tillinghast building. ( And now carries our baby line.)
Lot's of reasons to shop Morris Street.
And I had these cuties come in the store.
This is Max and his sister. They love there
buddies.
I had a lot of explaining to do. We tend to confuse people because
we are alway changing. I like change, many people don't. They
lamented about missing the bunnies, or the teas, birthday parties.
We have changed so many times. Really all in an effort to
keep that shop afloat. It is difficult because La conner really
is a destination town...and fewer and fewer visitors seem to come.
So many of the people I talked to had not been there in years.
A business cannot survive if your customers show up every
8 years, or even once a year at tulip time.
When we reopened Hutch my idea all along has been that
we would be an online shop. I believe the world is our
customer. So we will build that website, and you can
come and visit us anytime.
Thank-you to all who ventured to walk through our
door. It was a delight to talk to you and share
some time together.
4 comments:
What a great post! Makes me want to take Sam to see the tulips (Tyler had choice words on the matter though...how he grew up there...yadda yadda yadda). Looks like you had a great weekend.
Love this post.
Do you know I have NEVER been up to see the Tulips, although I've spent a lot of time "in the Valley." Awesome photos!
Change IS hard for Customers! We've changed a lot at Joyworks over the years. Of course, I'm sure if Clarice was still selling Dried Flowers and "Bread Dough" Objects,,we'd be sitting on the Curb in Snohomish.
Today? LOL, I "changed my hair." I've had Pink streaks for about a year now. Loved them, but then people started expecting PINK. Which I LOVE,,,,but it's not a "Sure thing," so I got Teal streaks instead. It's Hair, for heaven's sakes and subject to Change.
I think you have to keep people guessing. Throughout my life, I hope to keep people guessing.....or waiting for the "next thing." I want to grow and try new things. I think that is what keeps us young,,,,,
Change is good, and yet often scarey. BUT I think it IS important to challenge ourselves....
And you, my dear, continue to grow, morph, change,,,,,that is a GOOD thing!
Hugs and Love,
Shell
We are one of the once in 8 years customers, oh dear. I must come again sooner. I have photographed that very fence and the flowers too. It is so worth the visit and so beautiful. Thanks for the reminder.
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