HAPPENS EVERY YEAR. Readers see our August “America’s Coolest Stores” issue and peruse the amazing stores ? filled with museum cases, LCD screens, and recessed ceilings. Then they write us: “These stores are too nice. How are we supposed to create such a store without $10 million?”
Here’s our answer: Save up your money, and start with one museum case. Place it in the center of your store, and put the most impressive item in your store inside it. Then sell it. Buy an even more impressive item. Sell that. Do that a couple times, and you’ll have enough to buy a second museum case. Sell the items featured in both of those a few times, and you’ll have money for a third display case and an LCD screen for your front window … and might even start putting away a little money for a new location a few years down the road.
he point is, friends, is that “Cool Stores” don’t happen overnight. But the vision of your dream store is something you can create overnight … and start working towards tomorrow. And that’s what INSTORE is all about.
Hey, it might not be what you want to hear. But what would you rather hear — advice you can use or hoo-hah like “Live for the moment” or “Dance like no one’s watching”. (Have you ever tried to dance like no one’s watching? And we mean without the aid of six or more alcoholic beverages?)
Dream big. And act incrementally, starting with ideas from this month’s big “Holiday Tips” issue. You’ll get there.
Wishing you the very best business …
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David Squires
Executive Editor and Associate Publisher
Ready to Relocate? Wilkerson Makes Your Move Seamless
When Brockhaus Jewelry decided to leave their longtime West Main Street storefront for a standalone building elsewhere in Norman, Oklahoma, owners John Brockhaus and Brad Shipman faced a familiar challenge: how to efficiently reduce inventory before the big move. Their solution? Partnering with liquidation specialists Wilkerson for a second time.
"We'd already experienced Wilkerson's professionalism during a previous sale," Shipman recalls. "But their approach to our relocation event truly impressed us. They strategically prioritized our existing pieces while tactfully introducing complementary merchandise as inventory levels decreased." The carefully orchestrated sale didn't just meet targets—it shattered them.
Asked if they'd endorse Wilkerson to industry colleagues planning similar transitions—whether relocating, retiring, or refreshing their space—both partners were emphatic in their approval. "The entire process was remarkably straightforward," Shipman notes. "Wilkerson delivered a well-structured program, paired us with a knowledgeable advisor, and managed every detail flawlessly from concept to completion."
