Friday, November 30, 2007

Too Green for North Adams

We've been steadily working on getting the store prepared for our Spring opening. I'm glad we still have a few months to use since we are doing most of the work ourselves...two pregnant gals re-doing an 1100sqft. store and sewing inventory. it's almost comical.
And trying to keep a grip on FocoLoco.
I was a bit bummed about holiday sales so far on the site. It's been a slower than expected shopping season so far, but just as I was getting ready to stick my head in the oven my partner called to say she had seen one of FocoLoco's shirts in Kiwi magazine's holiday shopping guide!
So very cool to get recognition from such a great green publication! It totally made my day.
As it turns out though, there is such a thing as being "too green". At least, this seems to be true here in North Adams, MA.
I knew from the grapevine that getting our signage and storefront designs approved by the local city planning board would probably be an uphill battle. We have been told no less than a hundred times that our chances of getting signage that is anything but black and gold approved are pretty slim. It's pretty understandable really... black and gold is exactly what I think of when I think "sustainable", "handmade", "baby and kids", right?
I'm actually thinking of painting the nursery in an all black and gold color scheme.
We turned in our most recent proposal several weeks ago and I hadn't heard any feedback yet so I went down to the community development office to see if they had made any decisions.
While no official decision has been made yet I was told that the consensus, so far, was that our storefront was literally, "too green".
This confused me because there are no less than 4 stores on Main Street that are painted primarily green. Hunter green and that traditional Christmas green. They are pretty darn green.
Yes, but those are a different green.
Ah, yes, that makes total sense.
Our green is "too bright".
Of course, I mean a children's store.... bright?
what were we thinking...

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

so long summer!

It's been about 3 long months and I am finally out of my first trimester of pregnancy with monkey #2. I'm so glad that part is over. It's funny how easily you forget about the really unpleasant parts of pregnancy until you are immersed in them again.
The summer was great, but would have been so much nicer if I didn't feel like I'd been run over by a Mac truck every morning.
Anyways, it's over now and I finally have some energy to update this badly neglected site.
On top of adding to the clan in the coming months, FocoLoco is also entering an exciting new partnership with our buddy, Libbie, and opening a natural/ fairtrade parenting boutique in our quaint little town of North Adams, MA.
We are planning on opening in March, just a month or so before I pop. I've been plenty busy trying to organize this AND grow babies AND keep FocoLoco going AND still being a fairly good parent to the little monkey I already have. Sometimes it seems a bit insane to go through with this, but I feel like I have to at least TRY. If I fail I will just tuck my tail and head back to my at home cave of an office.
I'd much rather try and fail miserably than seethe with jealously watching someone else do it in our town. If it goes well I think we will have a pretty rad store that all the families in the community will enjoy.