O.K. I admit it. My store has gotten too crowded. Don't tell Linda, who has felt that way for years. In fact, the Bookmark is almost the 'anti-Pegasus', with it's wide aisles, and single product.
But, I have to admit my store has probably gone from crowded, to cluttered, to "oh my god, is this all going to fall on me!"
Every week I go through the same song and dance. "I've run out of room! I give up! Close the doors!"
Pat just shakes his head. He does think I'm some kind of wizard about finding places for all the new product. I amaze myself sometimes. There always seems to be another way to consolidate or combine. But the store is actually becoming difficult to maneuver around. When even I back into stuff, or trip over stuff, it's probably time to change.
What to do? My sales have gone up with every addition. I've diversified into a nice steady flow of business. I can order just about anything, and it will fit somewhere in my store -- if I had the room. Hard to argue with results.
But I've noticed, for instance, that I've gone from getting compliments about my store, say 5 years ago, along the lines of, "This is the best comic book store I've ever seen," to very few actual compliments, but lots of, "How do you keep track of all this?" or "You've got a lot of inventory!"
Of course, compliments and 50 cents won't buy you a cup of coffee. And every time something sells out of a crowded nook and cranny -- something I crowbarred into place -- it seems to confirm my suspicion that the more stuff I have, the more I sell.
Still, yesterday, I had a sense that I've gone too far.
I know all about sales. That, I've decided, is not the answer. I'd rather remove product and store it in the basement. I can't expand, because both stores next too me are solid. I looked very seriously into opening a second location, but you know all about that.
Mostly, I'm going to try to order just a little less, just a little less often.
Of course, I have been trying to do that with Manga for about six months now, and I've probably decreased the footprint by, oh, maybe a foot. Hardly noticeable.
But at least I'm willing to admit that maybe it's gone too far.
If only there wasn't so much cool stuff yet to get!
But, I have to admit my store has probably gone from crowded, to cluttered, to "oh my god, is this all going to fall on me!"
Every week I go through the same song and dance. "I've run out of room! I give up! Close the doors!"
Pat just shakes his head. He does think I'm some kind of wizard about finding places for all the new product. I amaze myself sometimes. There always seems to be another way to consolidate or combine. But the store is actually becoming difficult to maneuver around. When even I back into stuff, or trip over stuff, it's probably time to change.
What to do? My sales have gone up with every addition. I've diversified into a nice steady flow of business. I can order just about anything, and it will fit somewhere in my store -- if I had the room. Hard to argue with results.
But I've noticed, for instance, that I've gone from getting compliments about my store, say 5 years ago, along the lines of, "This is the best comic book store I've ever seen," to very few actual compliments, but lots of, "How do you keep track of all this?" or "You've got a lot of inventory!"
Of course, compliments and 50 cents won't buy you a cup of coffee. And every time something sells out of a crowded nook and cranny -- something I crowbarred into place -- it seems to confirm my suspicion that the more stuff I have, the more I sell.
Still, yesterday, I had a sense that I've gone too far.
I know all about sales. That, I've decided, is not the answer. I'd rather remove product and store it in the basement. I can't expand, because both stores next too me are solid. I looked very seriously into opening a second location, but you know all about that.
Mostly, I'm going to try to order just a little less, just a little less often.
Of course, I have been trying to do that with Manga for about six months now, and I've probably decreased the footprint by, oh, maybe a foot. Hardly noticeable.
But at least I'm willing to admit that maybe it's gone too far.
If only there wasn't so much cool stuff yet to get!