WHERE ARE WE?

Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5.30pm and Sunday 11am to 3pm
Shop 8 & 9, 575 - 577 Canning Hwy, Alfred Cove 6154
08 9317 7744

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Love you more than gold sequins!

This is a purely self indulgent post, I make no apologies for this. So feel free to stop reading and go about your day. I won't mind, in fact I won't even know. Over the last few weeks, I have been asked why I opened the shop and is it what I thought it would be. These seem like simple questions but in fact, it's actually been difficult for me to answer them. I love clothes, but more than that, I love shopping. I love the way good shopping makes you feel. Sadly, I even like grocery shopping. So when the opportunity came up for me to make some life changes and start my own business, it was an easy decision. Perhaps a completely unprepared decision, but an easy one all the same. What hasn't been easy, has been the learning curve (learning roller coaster more like it) and the 'interesting' retail market. What I thought was a good business model, has gone out the window. I've learnt that no amount of planning can really show you what to do. Gives you a guide or a rule book, but anyone who knows me, knows that I don't play by the rules. Rules are meant to be broken, especially in a market that needs to redefine itself. We are currently facing a retail market dominated by faceless internet shopping and even worse, no-service models by big chain and department stores. This is not the space I like to play in. I love that my local cafe knows my coffee order, frightenly they even know what time I'm likely to walk in (Predictable? Who me?). I like that I know my postie by name and his kids names for that matter. So naturally my business model is the same in the store - I want to get to know all our fashion lovers. I like that people drop by just for a coffee, or champagne, or even just a Friday afternoon dance! I like that the closing hour is 5.30 but some days we've been here until late into the night just having fun. Surely when so much of our life has been routine and regimented and regulated, shopping should still be that time when we indulge in fancy, day dream and plan amazing outfits for events we may or may not ever go to...... Maybe it's the new year, maybe it's because 2012 was such a difficult year for lots of people, but so many people I know are making huge life changes this year. Moving to Bali, starting new businesses, changing their lifestyle, working from home...I say DO IT!!! Bring on change, bring on being scared and excited, and bring on adventure! There will be mistakes made and challenges along the way, but when the risk pays off, there is nothing like it. And if you are about to jump on a new roller coaster ride, arm yourself with coffee, wine, chocolate and extremely supportive family and friends...especially if they come armed with the aforementioned coffee, wine and chocolate! The biggest thing I've learnt is that I can't do it all on my own. For a natural born control freak, that admission in itself is quite ground breaking. So to the amazing Sorella Store girls Kim and Sarah, couldn't have done it without you. Love you more than gold sequins! xx

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