Opening a Shop: Erin's Adventure UPDATED

NP Land Logo

Needlepoint Land is making the transition from a business run out of Erin's home to a real brick-and-mortar shop.  I thought everyone would like to read about Erin's adventure, particularly those of you who dream of opening your own stitching shop one day.    Start here.  I'll update this as Erin gets closer to Opening Day.  So far you'll laugh, you'll cry, you will be astounded!  (By the way, I never thought to mention that Needlepoint Land is located in Stuart, Florida.  It's not open until July, though--the formal opening will be in October--so you'll have to wait a bit longer while Erin gets ready.)
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/03/thoroughly-modern-erin/

Where will the furniture and displays go?
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/04/fixating-on-fixtures/

Why We Hate The Electric Company
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/05/shocked-by-fpl/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/09/lost-in-the-funhouse/

Twitter (not to worry, I'll get her into NP Nation)
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/06/hello-bird/

The land of plastic bins....
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/06/unpacking/

Choosing a Layout
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/07/store-layout-ver-1/

Display Options
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/07/what-a-corker/

Finances
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/08/the-business-of-needlepoint/

Near Disaster
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/08/crisis-management/

The Shop's Findable Via Google Maps
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/12/made-it-to-google-maps/

Well, Maybe the Google Maps Widget Doesn't Work That Well!
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/13/google-widget-blues/

Back to Layout Planning
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/13/right-wall-planogram/

The Power Went Out (and the Implications)
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/14/jill-of-all-trades/

Tape for Canvas Edges
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/15/the-tale-of-the-tape/

Choosing a Cash Register or Other Payment System
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/17/the-point-of-a-sale/

A Peek Inside the Shop
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/17/needlepoint-land-sneak-peek/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/18/chalk-painted-cabinet/

How to Display?
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/19/space/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/19/canvas-thread-displays/

Choosing a Checkout Counter
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/20/the-l-shaped-counter/

Business Card Hell
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/20/ready-typeset-print/

The Plan
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/21/the-pause-that-refreshes/

Using Amazon as a Sales Tool
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/22/my-beautiful-online-channel/

Locks and Racks and Deadbolts and Getting Jeff to Listen
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/22/racks-and-bolts/

Getting Jeff to Listen Part Two
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/23/dear-jeff/

Finding a Carpenter
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/23/self-reliance/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/24/frank-saves-the-day/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/24/hard-part-done/

The Pegboard Blues
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/24/pegs-r-us/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/25/down-a-peg/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/26/the-pegboard-artiste/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/26/the-paint-job/

The Slideshow of Progress
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/27/big-day/

Paint and E-Commerce
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/28/watching-paint-dry/

Paint and the Firemen
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/28/180-large/

Big Plans
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/30/channel-surfing/

Bookshelves and Panels (and accident prone tradesmen)
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/31/cubism/#comment-3572

http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/31/panel-discussion/

The Table Adventure
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/01/motoring-down-rt-1/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/01/pretty-polly/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/03/solid-plank-pine/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/03/stitch-table-redux/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/04/the-missing-drawer-verb/

More Display Gadgets
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/05/hooks-and-spinners/

The Hidden Costs of Online Shopping
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/06/seller-beware/

Keeping Your Cool
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/07/23-days-to-go/

The To Do List
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/09/the-glades/

We Might Have a Phone Line!
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/09/pots-luck/

Call Me
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/10/intra-latte/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/11/peace-of-mind/

Thread Tower and Panel Display
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/10/work-in-progress/

Display Test
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/11/splash-wall/

We have Threads!
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/11/thread-bare/

The Counter and Cable
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/12/store-anchor/

Needed:  Custom Display Racks
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/12/custom-display-rack/

Challenges to the Left of Me, Challenges to the Right....
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/13/murphys-law/

Things Are Looking Up
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/17/if-its-tuesday/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/18/the-beat-goes-on/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/18/never-a-dull-moment/

Signs and Counters
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/19/whats-my-sign/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/19/waste-not-want-not/

Corkboard!
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/20/cork-blimey/

Looks Like a Real Shop
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/21/getting-there/

Not a Real Desk
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/22/office-demon/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/23/its-all-ingvars-fault/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/23/13519/

"Limited" Liability
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/24/the-tattered-veil/

Banking in the 21st Century
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/24/i-aint-no-sisy/

The To Do List (Bureaucracy Included Free of Charge)
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/25/water-works/

Moving Right Along on All Fronts
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/26/here-comes-the-sun/

Parking
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/27/deep-freeze/

We have a merchant account!
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/27/the-thing-is-said/

A New Sign and a Peek Inside
http://needlepointland.com/2014/07/09/needlepointland-by-the-sea/

Visits from Friends
http://needlepointland.com/2014/07/09/surprise-visit/

Customers!
http://needlepointland.com/2014/07/11/today/

Belts and Blinds and July 18th
http://needlepointland.com/2014/07/12/window-treatment/

Credit Card Sale!
http://needlepointland.com/2014/07/12/it-worked/

Photography and Other Challenges
http://needlepointland.com/2014/07/13/hmmm/

Starting to Look Like a Shop!
http://needlepointland.com/2014/07/13/f-stop-go-stop/

We Have an Opening!
http://needlepointland.com/2014/07/21/thanks-marianne/

A Bench to Park the Waiting Visitors
http://needlepointland.com/2014/07/25/alisons-bag/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/07/26/tropical-sleigh/

Soft Opening Scorecard
http://needlepointland.com/2014/07/27/report-card/

Erin Goes Dark
http://needlepointland.com/2014/09/24/the-big-picture/

Opening a shop is an amazing amount of work.  Running one is even more work. Some days I wonder how shop owners manage to do it!  Many hugs to all of you doing retail needlepoint.  You are much appreciated.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright May 5, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.