Many years ago, as a new assistant at Lord & Taylor, the buyer cautioned me to not get too attached to people or merchandise. His wisdom was not cold-hearted, but a cautionary tale to keep emotional attachments in check. I was there to deliver strong financial results and if something wasn’t selling, I shouldn’t harp on it, but mark it down and move on. And, as far as work relationships were concerned, I should be a good coworker but not get attached to colleagues.
It’s a 40th anniversary for the company founded by Colin Riggs (left) and Ned Voelker’s parents, Abigail and Ed Voelker. Over the last four decades, the entire family has created a curated collection of handmade tableware and giftware for the nation’s independent store retailers.
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Congratulations on a milestone 40th year in business. Are you surprised Abigails has endured? Ned Voelker: We are surprised. It’s a tribute to Ed and Abbie ...
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Google is often considered the first stop when searching for information. Looking for a product? You'll likely head to Amazon.com, where due to its 350m product listings, 25% of purchases reportedly start. Facebook will be your go-to for finding friends and family due to its 2b profiles of people. Airbnb lets you search 5.6m places to stay. These businesses are likely your choice because people want a massive selection when conducting a search. Many of the world's most ...
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An East Village Artist’s Death Prompts a Reflection on the State of Indie Retailers Today
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While thumbing through the Times, I noticed a smiling young woman’s picture in the obituaries. In the black and white photograph, she's standing on a fire escape with a historic building and a bridge in the distance. I was initially attracted to Ronni Solbert’s 1959 picture, yet I was even more drawn in by what I noticed next to her photo: a children&...
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Last February e-commerce company Shopify Inc. replaced the “Ottawa, Canada” dateline that began its press releases and earnings reports with a strange new one: “Internet, Everywhere.” The geographical shift came at the insistence of Shopify’s founder and chief executive officer, Tobi Lütke, who tends to view such matters through the prism of cold, hard logic. In May 2020, only a few months into the pandemic, he’d made the early, seemingly rash decision to...
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Allison Zisko, the Editor-in-Chief at HFN magazine, can use your help. She is working on a story about fourth quarter promotions. She would like to know:
Will Q4 promotions continue as usual in light of current economic factors? Are promotions still necessary, particularly when margins are so tight? What are vendors and retailers thinking about this?
Background:
Consumer demand for product remains high.
Inventory is limited. Product introductions are hindered by the
HTI is an association that facilitates the opportunity to build better relationships between our 125 independent kitchenware retailer members and over 200 housewares vendor members. These improved relationships lead to a financially beneficial relationship between retailer & vendor businesses. Our vendors provide our retailer members with discounts and benefits that only an organization with substantial buying power can negotiate and obtain.
Once you become a member nothing changes in the ...
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April 3, 2021
April 3, 2021
This month we are featuring new Vera Bradly collections, Hummingbird and Harry Potter as well as four different local vendors.
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Sadly, we learned of this hack LAST week when it actually happened in...wait for it...April 2019–almost a year ago.
I predict that hacking is going to happen to more and more brands and stores in our industry. I think these victims will either turn over most online operations to a third party—or close due to costs. I know of a jewelry ...
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June 17, 2019
June 17, 2019
Rachel Cordaro started off with just a few cards in our MacKenzie-Childs Department. Our customers loved them! We quickly expanded her selection and her art pieces have developed quite the following! Rachel’s brand is now one of our top 50 vendors!! Out of the 1,000s of brands we carry her art and vision is really speaking to our guests! We love supporting local artists and are thrilled by Rachel’s success. Our MacKenzie-Childs manager asked her some behind the easel questions to find out about ...
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February 28, 2019
February 28, 2019
In Vence France with one of our fabulous vendors. I can’t wait for you to see all the beautiful pieces I will be bringing into La Dentelliere.
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Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018
Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018
Join Glassworks And Cheeks at the Fox Chapel Racquet Club on Thursday for the Gifts & Girlfriends holiday shopping event. Over 20 vendors will be on hand from 11am-4pm and 6pm- 9pm. Two Gift Baskets worth a combined $1,000 will be raffled at $20 a ticket with funds going to Girls Hope of Pittsburgh. Complimentary small bites and a cash bar will be available. EVER will have a makeup artist on site so if you need a refresh, you are covered!
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August 22, 2018
August 22, 2018
What Does the Gump's Bankruptcy Mean for Your Business?
As you likely know, Gump’s filed for bankruptcy. The famous San Francisco indie store's crash is having wide-ranging consequences for our industry. 41 Madison tenants likely lost more than $1,000,000 on Gump's.
Yet, the economy and stock market are doing very well. How to explain these contrarian events? Furthermore, you surely are asking: How did Gump's reach this low--and more ...
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June 6, 2018
June 6, 2018
Elegance fit for a princess! We collaborated with many local vendors for a Beauty and the Beast inspired photoshoot. Shown here is an @anna_weatherley dinner plate, @michaelaram flatware, and Arthur Court wine glass. Stay tuned for more gorgeous photos!
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May 25, 2018
May 25, 2018
Cheers to the weekend! We can't wait to see more photos from this styled shoot with @aandlevents.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Regram We have a thing for stun-worthy, statement setting pieces like these gorgeous glasses from glass works pgh. This teaser is from a special shoot we collaborated on with @kathrynhyslopphotography + many other talented vendors, local to Pittsburgh & beyond. We’ll be sharing more magical details this week, stay tuned! | Photography: @kathrynhyslopphotography .
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March 31, 2018
March 31, 2018
A general store in Vermont is for sale and it doesn’t have a social media account, an e-commerce shop, nor even just a web page. Most indie businesses like Ripton’s likely need an e-commerce platform that updates itself with all of the latest features, connects it with its business friends and vendors, and is affordable. Sounds like Ripton’s needs: Bridge.
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February 23, 2018
February 23, 2018
Timeline Tips for Your Wedding Registry By Emily Lasnier
Discover when it's time to create your wish list.
There are a lot of different things that go into wedding planning, and it can be stressful to figure out when to take care of each task. There are certain vendors that you’ll want to book right away, as their calendars often fill up in advance. However, something like creating your gift registry can be harder to pin down on a calendar because there’s no risk of it being unavailable. There ...
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January 29, 2018
January 29, 2018
One of my favorite quotes from a retailer about the last edition of Specialty Shop Retailing is this one: “I have read, highlighted, marked up and re-read this book so many times it groans when I pick it up!” It’s been so much fun for me to hear from shopkeepers around the world about how helpful they have found the first three editions of my book, which sold over 40,000 copies and were translated into Russian. I am very happy to announce that the fourth edition has just been published as a ...
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July 17, 2017
July 17, 2017
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From The Knot: How to Write Wedding Vendor Reviews
It's easy to decide to write wedding vendor reviews (and we hope you do!), but when it comes to actually doing it, you might need a little motivation and guidance. But we promise, it's not as hard as you think. A good strategy is to set a reasonable goal for yourself. Maybe try to accomplish two or three a night, or take a few days to crank them all out. Whatever your game plan, follow these five ...
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