glee gifts

The craziness of running a business, continued

Greetings!

I'm sitting here thinking about where to begin. What to write. How can I make my story clever? What can I write that is interesting? The 5 am news is distracting me and I can't concentrate.

So I think I will start by letting you know how I started my day at 4:30 am.  I started it with my coffee of course, but I was thinking about  how thankful I am. Thankful for:

• my family, knowing my boys are in good hands in Worcester.
• my BF (that's boyfriend and it feels odd being on the other side of 50 writing that) who has put up with all my crankiness especially during the full moon last week.
• my employees. Sarah, Cathy g, Leah, Gina, Val, Joanie, Jenna, Helen, sister Catherine. We are a woman owned, woman run company. The support we and they have for one another to ensure their families are taken care of and glee is taken care of is outstanding. We are like a family. I wished for work/family balance and it is finally happening.
• my customers. You. I have been blessed with well wishes about the store move from so many of you and want to thank-you from the bottom of my heart. E-mails, conversations, phone calls. I am surprised and humbled by the response.

So, enough of the gleeful news.  Here's what's making me glumful right now.

The lease in Canton is not finalized.

This is what has happened the past 3 Friday's: myself and the guys from the leasing company come to an agreement via phone, I get the lease LATE Friday night thinking I have a done deal. For some reason, what we discussed does not make it into the lease or it's worded ass-backwards that if not corrected, will cost ME thousands.  I stew all weekend because it is the weekend and cannot reach them to make the changes.  As a matter of fact, this past Friday, parts of what they sent me electronically does not even PRINT out correctly.  HUH? It's maddening.

It's October 17th. I'm running out of time for a Canton holiday opening but more than that I am running out of patience.

The silver lining is that I am learning so much. I'm inching my way to what really matters in running a successful, profitable company with substance. There are so many challenges, but the first challenge is to at least get the lease right.

Time for another cup of coffee.

The craziness of running a business

My! The e-mail I sent yesterday generated alot of buzz!  Thanks everyone for your well wishes and chats!

Let me tell you,it's been a crazy few weeks lately. glee Mansfield is busy, my boys are now attending school in Worcester, living with my parents, so I've been commuting from Worcester twice a week. And, I made a decision to move the Foxboro store; a decision that was really tough.  But once I made the decision I haven't felt so "crazed". 

So you ask, where is the store moving to?

The store is moving to The Village Shops in Canton at Cobbs Corner. It will be on the Bertuccis side, a few doors up from Romanza, a funky clothing boutique. Many of you already shop at Romanza and if you haven't you have to stop by to poke around. I think we will be a great complement to one another.

Call me crazy, but the most appealing part of the move is that I will be able to ride my bike to work again since now I live only a mile away from the Village Shops.  I used to ride my bike to work when the store was downtown Mansfield. Many of you laughed as I rode by, all glossied and glittered up with sweat on my brow. I am looking forward to riding to work again, and who knows--I might even make a few new acquaintances along the way!

So, here's the plan:

glee/Mansfield is going strong. Many of you have told me that you have more "luck" finding gifts at the Foxboro store.  glee/Mansfield is now receiving new merchandise daily similar to what was carried at Foxboro store. We also have some great events to tell you about for the month of October:

• FREE Chamilia snap bracelet ($65) value with the purchase of $100 in beads the 15th and 16th. Supplies are limited so come early! Restrictions apply.
• Also on the 16th Best Buy is having their gals night out event from 7-9. There will be raffles, free goodie bags for the first 100 people and all proceeds will go to the Foxboro food pantry. This is becoming a great MUST ATTEND event for the fall season so grab your gal pals and come on down!
• The 26th from 5-7 glee Mansfield is holding a business after hours with the Chamber of Commerce from 5-7. Receive 10% of your purchase--restrictions apply. Come mingle with fellow Chamber members!

glee/Foxy has new store hours which are FRI-SAT 10-6 and SUNDAY 12-5.  The front of the store is all sale merchandise marked down 20-50% .  Come start your holiday shopping! The back of the store is full priced merchandise ready for the new store which you are welcome to peruse.  Gift wrap is limited to full price merchandise only. 

glee/Canton is slated to open by November 15th.  There's one little glitch though, I haven't signed the lease yet.  I received the lease late Friday night that still needs the ol' John Hancock.  Yes, it's crazy that I let the cat out of the bag before the signed deal is done. But I'm fairly certain that all will be well.

I joked yesterday with a couple of people that glee gifts is zigzagging it's way to the Mall of America. It's a crazy idea, and if it ever happens, it certainly will be a long commute on bike! 

gleefully yours!

Ann