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 …
David Squires
Executive Editor and Associate Publisher