Transitions

Congrats to Ann Fruland at the Chicago Mart, who was just transitioned into a new role with MMPI: Director of Marketing for The Merchandise Mart International Antiques Fair. Granted, the twice yearly consumer event will bring new challenges, but Ann can handle it. She’s a sharp cookie who’ll make things move.

Still...sure will miss you on the Gift Show side.

Trolley Tour: Findables

Final stop: Findables (1643 N. Milwaukee Avenue).

We were welcomed with open arms, this time by someone who’s been paying his dues in Chicago retail for over twenty years. David James Ginople is a vivacious, highly respected local businessman in the community, and someone who’s weathered both good times and bad. He immediately jumped right in, sharing his wisdom and enthusiasm with attendees, reminding them they can survive this crazy economy if they simply think out of the box, giving customers what they want while making sure they (the store owners) simultaneously get what they need.

After hanging on his every word, the group spread out in the store...then at the register (if you can get a roomful of store owners to open up their wallets and pay retail, well...you’re doing something really right). From terrific table top to beautiful jewelry and hats, his eclectic product mix works well. If you make it from one end of the store to the other without being seriously tempted, well, then you’re not really paying attention.

David could teach a master class on running a successful store. And on how to light up a room. And on how to best serve the customer. Pretty impressive combination, if you ask me.

Trolley Tour: Elevenzees

Note to stores invited to be part of the Trolley Tour:
Allow participants to take pictures inside. They’re there to see and learn, and they paid money to do so. Would have been nice to feel like a welcome guest rather than a closely watched trespasser.

Trolley Tour: Smitten

The Trolley Tour on Sunday night was a lot of fun, due in great part to the fact I got the coolest trolley group to ride with (figuratively, not literally, since it was about 100 degrees in the front part of the car where windows refused to open). We had fun.

So...to the stores on the tour. First stop: Smitten (1041 W. Madison Street).

This fairly new endeavor on the Near West side of Chicago is geared toward engaged couples looking for one stop shopping as they create the wedding of their dreams. From bejeweled frames to cute attendant gift ideas, their offerings were lovely; the atmosphere of the store is a cross between Paris chic and warehouse hip, with white painted brick walls, a massive black chandelier, and French doors that open from the back into what will soon be a refreshing garden area.

Private consult rooms are set off the main floor, which is a bright idea--but not based on light level. In the words of a nearby tour member peering into the small, decidedly dark rooms decked out in black and white, they’re “kind of depressing."

The attitude, however, was sunburst brilliant, as the owner, Kirstin (last name?) welcomed us with open arms. Undaunted by clicking cameras and a barrage of questions, she showed us all what retail hospitality is about.

If they bring in a solid selection of wedding invitation lines, this little gem could turn out to be one big, multi-carat diamond. So far, so good.

Retail Rock Stars

To the retailers who attended my “Speed Networking” session on Sunday:

You guys rock. Big time.

It was my first fully interactive gig (as well as the first time I’ve allowed someone else to name the theme), which had the butterflies in my stomach flapping like mad over breakfast that day. As I told Mom, “Either this will work spectacularly, or it will bomb spectacularly. We’ll know in the first five minutes.”

Thankfully, you guys went with option A...and continued to do so for about an hour after the session officially ended. Felt like a proud parent on graduation day.

So...keep it rockin’ folks. You truly are someone’s Go To Guru* and the apple of my eye.

*If you were there, you know. If you weren’t, well...shoulda been.

Chicago Market

Holy cow, this is gonna be great.

Just found out the Power Lunch session I’m hosting at noon will probably be sold out, now that on-site registrations are factoring in. As buyers tighten their travel budgets, there’s no question the regional markets are holding their own.

The session title is “Speed Networking.” Needless to say, with a moniker like that, it’s going to be fast paced, fun, and a little fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants entertaining. Honestly, I can’t wait, having never tried this format before.

A “Strategies for Challenging Times” Forum later that day combines me, Carol Schroeder, and Tom Ungrodt (all charter members of the GHTA Retail Advisory Board). Tom will cover managing your cash flow investment; Carol will get into trimming your expenses and overhead; my segment’s about paring down your inventory to a cleaner, meaner mix, then dealing with what I call “Psych Marketing 101.”

If you’re in either (or both), be sure to say hello.

Photo credit: Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc.

Counting coins

Here we go...the start of the Chicago show, with two (jam packed) speaking gigs tomorrow and my mom by my side. It’s Liz’s first time to the Mart here, as well as her first stay on Michigan Avenue. Should be a fun weekend.

The market season‘s officially into high gear. Today, one of my consulting clients asked how best navigate all the show specials popping up as vendors find themselves carrying the weight of excess inventory. Here’s my advice:

1. If an opening order is more than you need/want, it’s not a good deal. Walk away.

2. If a show special requires more product than you need, it’s not a good deal. Walk away.

3. If bumping a bunch of addition product into an order for the sake of getting free freight, do the math. If the additional product costs more than the freight would have, it’s not a good deal. Walk away (or simply lower your order).

4. If you’re required to buy really deep instead of really wide-—when the price tag would be the same-—explain to the vendor, the more shelf frontage they have, the more customers they’ll snag. If they still insist you order deep, walk away.

This year, it’s more critical than ever that you buy smart. There are a lot of offers and programs out there, many of which look great on the surface but may end up robbing you blind in the end. In the next couple of months, you’ll see me address several of the dealer programs in my Gifts and Dec column, “Retail Enabler.”

It’s a complicated market season, folks. There’s old math...new math...and retail math. Time to brush up on the latter.

Better hurry....

Just got an email from Sara at the Chicago Mart-—if you’re thinking about attending either the Power Lunch session or the Trolley Tour, better sign up soon. The head count’s getting up there fast on my noon session, and we’re already up to four trolley cars for the tour.

Both promise to be big fun. If you’re on my trolley car, be sure to say hi-—looks like I’m playing Hostess with the Mostest on one of them.

Of course, I have to behave, since my mom will be along too.

Wink, wink.

Chicago game plan

Gotta tell you, I’m really looking forward to the upcoming Chicago gift show. This time, I’m speaking at two sessions-—first, the Power Lunch on Sunday, then later that afternoon as one of three presenters at the GHTA Forum and Trolley Tour.

The two sessions couldn’t be more different. The Power Lunch is titled “Speed Networking for Retailers,” as I wear my RetailSpeaks hat, focusing on fast paced, out of the box thinking with a roomful of peers. Don’t get nervous-—it ought to be fun, and will send you home with the creative juices flowing.

The forum is a bit more on the serious side, titled “Strategies for Challenging Times.” Tom Ungrodt, Carol Schroeder, and I will frame an attack plan for squeezing more cash out of your stores in this upside down economy. Immediately after the forum, we’ll set off on a Trolley Tour of cool stores in the Chicago area, complete with a yummy boxed dinners and drinks.

For descriptions of the sessions (as well as others), visit the Chicago Market Living and Giving website-—or just click here.

To sign up for the Power Lunch or Trolley Tour, rsvp before July 7th (by clicking here). The Power Lunch is free; since the Trolley Tour includes drinks, that one’s a nominal $24.99 per person (and is worth it; we really had fun last year).

To attend the forum, just show up. No rsvp or charge involved.

Hope to see you there; be sure to come up and say hello.