Hi everyone!
Do y’all remember when I was on MSNBC saying how we’d never sell yarn online unless things got “really bad”? Well here we are.
First, let me say thank you. To those of you who are patiently shopping via our virtual shopping appointments, by sending us messages on Instagram, by emailing…I am incredibly grateful. You are keeping my employees busy which is allowing me to keep them working. To those of you who are buying gift cards or some of our yarns on our webstore, THANK YOU. I am working quickly to put more and more on that store for you. Your shopping is keeping us alive right now. Thank you to everyone who has been flexible in taking store credits for their classes that are being canceled or rescheduled.
So what’s going on here? Well I am working from home so that I am separated from my team and the shop, in the event that someone is exposed. We are working furiously to get more onto the webstore and also to develop some video content. We have a spring look book about to launch as well. Oh, and we just did this cool thing with Franklin Habit that you will be hearing more about in a moment.
Personally, I am either moving 100 miles an hour and focused or in a complete breakdown. I have two mortgages on our building through the SBA lending program. We also have a very substantial loan that paid for the renovation on the building when we moved in. Eagle Bank (who is a godsend) has been very flexible with two of our three loans so that we can stay afloat as sales begin to dip, or we are forced to close entirely. The SBA backed third loan is something I am also working on getting deferred payments on. I am working with other business owners to lobby with the city and state to allow for a variety of concessions to keep our restaurant and retail community afloat through all of this, as we expect to not be fully operational again until July or August. Our City is responding and we expect a relief package to be passed this evening at the emergency Council meeting. Fortunately Phil and I sold our townhouse in Old Town in December, and that money can serve as a cushion for the business for at least a month.
My focus is on being able to provide for my four staff and myself while also putting much needed stress relief in all of your hands in the safest way possible (while home schooling Maddie!) At the moment we are:
- open but limiting the number of customers in the shop and asking everyone to head to the bathroom upon entry to wash hands
- offering virtual shopping appointments that allow you to see our inventory live via video
- taking phone, email and instagram orders
- shipping lots of things!
- offering curbside pick up
We will take it day by day. I will keep posting what the plan is for that day or week. I can only focus on right now because thinking about a month from now is overwhelming and terrifying. Remember your mental health right now. Turn off social media if it is overwhelming you. Pick up your yarn and needles or hook and remember the soothing benefits of that fibre running through your hands. Appreciate being still and at rest, as much as you can. I will see you all soon, I hope.