Our hearts were warmed after spotting the street art of Mr. Rodgers waving at us under an overpass on the way to work on day. We were fans of Dellarious before we even really knew what it was. His pictures of iconic Rochester places, his portraits of musical legends, and social justice heroes both local and global have found a perfect home at Parkleigh. We wanted to know more about the creative and activist spirit of Mike Dellaria and how he generates these incredible images that not only touch ...
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July 11, 2019
July 11, 2019
You'll never get tired of hearing your guests say, "Wow!" when you serve them dinner.
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July 10, 2019
July 10, 2019
Is there anything better than lounging in the sun on a beautiful summer day? Then you’ll love these delightful Herend Adirondack chairs. These inviting, classic loungers are available in various colors.
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July 2, 2019
July 2, 2019
We have a new loyalty program! Receive store credit on in-store purchases.
Spend $100 — Get $5 Store Credit Spend $200 — Get $12 Store Credit Spend $500 — Get $32 Store Credit Spend $1,000 — Get $70 Store Credit
Store credits carry over when not used. Store credit does not have to be used all at once.
Good news: your indie store just gained some ground on Amazon.
About 60% of Amazon sales are via third-party sellers. They pass thru what it calls the 'marketplace.' These Amazon purchases have not historically been taxed because the purchase is made from a business in one state and shipped to another state. But that loophole started to close last year when the Supreme Court ruled that states can collect tax on these types of Internet purchases.
Many state laws have acted on that Supreme ...
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July 2, 2019
July 2, 2019
Carol Shroeder, owner of a gift shop, a retail expert, and a Bridge member, shared this advice about inventory:
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Markdowns = Money “Don’t let inventory become family” is one of my favorite retail sayings. We all know the feeling of bringing in merchandise because we love it, hoping that just the right customer will come in who loves it too. It’s sometimes hard to accept the fact that it is costing the shop money to hold onto an item that isn’t selling.
I’m just back from the Dallas show. I met with some wonderful people from the mart and they’re ready to go digital.
In general, I’m seeing that more market buildings are finally taking digital seriously. Why are they finally doing so? Because Amazon is nipping at their retailers heels? Because Zola is stealing the indie store’s registry business? No. Sadly, the main thing that brought the markets up to speed on the weather outside is: their own livelihood. Faire, a startup tech company ...
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June 24, 2019
June 24, 2019
We even have the perfect hostess gifts for international visits! This gift set will make its way across the pond for a customer in England. There are no limits when working with local businesses.
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June 24, 2019
June 24, 2019
“If the shoe fits, wear it,” goes the old saying, and today’s Times shares the state of indie shoes which may sound familiar to indie gift shop owners. This story seems to be ‘a fit’ for our industry, too.
I recently visited a Footlocker and noticed they had moved the Nike shoes to the back of the store. Why? Nike, with all of its stores and direct to consumer website promotion, is now a competitor and Footlocker is trying to reduce its reliance on Nike. To that affect, I went to the Nike ...
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June 19, 2019
June 19, 2019
When choosing a place to register for your everyday and formal dishes choose a place that you know will give nothing but the Royal Treatment! We offer top-notch information on what is available, what is current, delivery to your Bridal Showers and a website made convenient for your out of town guests. At Royal’s, you are forever our Bride! We value your business. ?
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June 16, 2019
June 16, 2019
Business lunch: how retail is changing :)
Old retail is 80% analog. This consists of: the physical store, staff, customer service training, etc. What you’d expect walking into a Saks or Macy's. And it's about 20% tech: computers, cash registers (POS systems), mobile shopping, Google ranking, apps, hiring social influencers, Instagram, etc.
Today, the retailers that are well positioned, growing, and 'hot' carry the opposite equation: they're 20% analog and 80% tech.
Online sales account for 27% or Lululemon’s sales, reports today’s WSJ. Considering that these are clothes, that’s a lot. There was a day not too long ago when people said shoppers wouldn’t buy significant amounts of clothes online. 27% and growing shows that they were wrong.
And that 27% is very profitable. The brand didn’t have to pay expensive rent in, for example, Manhattan to process those orders.
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June 12, 2019
June 12, 2019
When you at a loss on a gift for Dad, grad or happy newlyweds we have the perfect solution. A gift card from us! Packaged in a black pillow box, placed in our signature gift bag with black tissue and, if needed a card. Nowhere else will you find a gift card outfitted such as ours. Only the best!
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June 8, 2019
June 8, 2019
E-commerce is going to double in the next seven years, predicts FedEx. When that happens, how prepared will your business be? How will you prepare your website, your staff, your shipping procedures, your pricing, and your sales expectations?
When e-commerce grows that much, who will control the market? How will customers shop? Via their mobile? Via Alexa? If e-commerce is the dominant form of shipping, how will your online product selection and prices be kept up to date online? If online ...
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June 7, 2019
June 7, 2019
Smaller margins are here for many businesses in many industries—not just tableware. Recently, a sales rep balked when I suggested its stores take a haircut on margins. Yet, I believe big money tech players are forcing these cuts and upending traditional profits—leaving stores with little other option. From media (see today’s AT&T article) to advertising (Facebook, goggle) to transportation (Uber, Lyft, Tesla) to gift registries (Amazon, MyRegistry, Zola), big money-backed tech companies are the...
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June 6, 2019
June 6, 2019
What will you see when you step into our store today? This stunning blue and white display!
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You can now add special, unique pricing to items on a gift registry. For example, you can use this feature when an item can be monogrammed and you need to charge more for it. You can use this feature if a registry gift comes as a set but the item on your site only shows pricing for a single item. You can double the price using this feature and add a comment to the item saying it the gift includes two of the items.
Add special pricing to an item:
1. Login to your Bridge.
2. Roll over Gift ...
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June 5, 2019
June 5, 2019
A new little addition to your kitchen every now and then can make a big difference.
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June 4, 2019
June 4, 2019
Summer has officially kicked in and your customers are looking for the perfect drinkware and serveware to use when entertaining on their patios or by their pools. Mario Luca Giusti has the greatest variety in color and design to choose from and DeVine Corporation is well stocked in all of the best-sellers. Don't miss out on this summer-selling opportunity. Put attractive colorful displays in your store and the business will follow day follows night.
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June 3, 2019
June 3, 2019
Over the last decade, being a cheapskate when it comes to tech spending was just a dire decision. Bed Bath & Beyond, which didn’t even spend money on Post-It Notes, underfunded its website and tech departments. And now it’s way behind competitors and spending heavily to stay alive.
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