First...I AM MOVING MY SHOWROOM.....Could anyone have warned me how hellish it is to run a business as you are moving 15 years of bad habits....old stock....mountains of paper, inventorying and clearing out warehouses, Design Studio library with thousands of fabric samples, enough wood and stone samples to build a house, catalogs...why did we hold on to so many catalogs when almost every resource is on line???
Did I mention filing cabinets? Does anyone need any filing cabinets??? I just realized that our (smaller) but ultra contemporary new Showroom entrance glass door is not large enough for most of my furniture to fit through it...
The new showroom will be at 228 East 58th Street between 2nd & 3rd Avenues in Midtown. It is really upsetting for me to leave my beloved TriBeCa but I felt that my business needed a change. The neighborhood residents are coming in and expressing how sad they are that we are leaving, even the local online newspaper is upset at us. The count down started, move day is Friday March 26th and we will try to open April 1st...(no it is not a joke). Very soft opening as we have not even sent press releases.....I hope that any one in New York that reads this humble blog will be able to join us on our opening party, yet to be scheduled...
Did I mention filing cabinets? Does anyone need any filing cabinets??? I just realized that our (smaller) but ultra contemporary new Showroom entrance glass door is not large enough for most of my furniture to fit through it...
The new showroom will be at 228 East 58th Street between 2nd & 3rd Avenues in Midtown. It is really upsetting for me to leave my beloved TriBeCa but I felt that my business needed a change. The neighborhood residents are coming in and expressing how sad they are that we are leaving, even the local online newspaper is upset at us. The count down started, move day is Friday March 26th and we will try to open April 1st...(no it is not a joke). Very soft opening as we have not even sent press releases.....I hope that any one in New York that reads this humble blog will be able to join us on our opening party, yet to be scheduled...
In this mayhem, one needs a little relaxation, don't you think....well such is not the case.. Last week, on Saturday the 13th, we were hit by a violent wind and rain storm actually classified as a Nor'Easter - but more far more like a Hurricane in power - that took down some of our century old trees and power lines. I barely made it home that night driving endlessly trying to find a road home as falling trees were blocking nearly all streets and roads in Stamford. I arrived in a pitch black house, flooded, cold....my son and I moved all furniture out of the living Living Room while my husband was trying to find gas for an emergency generator to pump water out of the house....Yesterday was a beautiful day...we got our power back! One week without electricity, no heat , no water, no septic system, no telephone, no internet, no cell...
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Oh my goodness Francine
ReplyDeleteYou've really been hit with it all at once. Glad you have your power back and dry feet! Well I think that is a lovely compliment that the local residents and businesses don't want you to leave.. I'm sure a direct reflection of your business and self. If I weren't on the other side of the world I come for a visit.. have fun and good luck with it all.. xx Julie
Ack! The damage! My second year in business school, we lost power for one week (and also had septic system/well water). One of my profs lived across the street and allowed us to cart buckets of water from their hot tub into the house for flushing purposes. My roomie and I gave up and checked into a hotel near the end (which of course, made the power return!).
ReplyDeleteGood luck to you with your showroom move! Can't believe you're leaving that area but sounds like it will be a good thing. And what a tight turnaround! I will send my friend (and NYC resident) Jill over to check it out! :-)
My thoughts are with you on this enormous adventure, but if anyone can pull it off, you can!!! I am very excited for your opening on the first, you will soar. All the best your way. Tina
ReplyDeleteFrancine,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all congratulations with your showroom move! I wish you a lot of success! I hope to visit you one day!
And my goodness, what a bad weather you had!
I hope that everything is ok now!
xx
Greet
OMG, Francine !!
ReplyDeletePlease know, as a native to the Gulf Coast, I understand the storm and how it wrecked havoc.
Moving is something else entirely. Moving anything anywhere is a HUGE drama, but moving your long-loved shop has to be cathartic. I'm holding you hand from afar. xx's Marsha
Oh my goodness. What a time you've had. What with moving your business, you had the storm.
ReplyDeleteOur boiler has given up the ghost and I thought that was bad enough but, I can't complain when I hear of what you have had to contend with.
I wish you all the best with the move and hope that it goes smoothly and that your home dries out without too much damage. Mt son and his wife are in San Fransisco and are finishing their holiday in New York in April. They are only there for a few days, otherwise I would have told them to pop in and say hello from me !!!!
May your move bring you lots and lots of new clients !! XXXX
Francine you would of thought that storm hit on Friday the 13th with all that devastation. I can't imagine living without all those amenities this time of the year. I can live (barely) without the internet, t.v., but a flushing septic system and heat/hot water are basic rights!
ReplyDeleteTo imagine all that with the moving of your showroom?! If anyone could handle this stress with grace it would be you. I just hope you resolve the issue of getting your furniture through the doors of your new space easily.
I'm thinking of you and sending all the positive karma I can muster-up your way. I'm hoping by summer you can be somewhere for that relaxation and recharging that you will be very due. All my best to you x
I hope I did not appear insensitive about not mentioning the horrid storm situation in my comment. I centered my thoughts on your move and opening ahead, what I tend to do when a storm hits my life. I know it certainly was/is a bit much all at once, but your resilience and good mind will see you through it and we will all learn by your good example.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness Francine.....so much to think about and deal with. Moving a design studio is no fun,I know it took me three years of constant purging to finally clear out. Moving it all at times too. Then a flood, had that this year too so I am totally sympathetic! The sooner all this is over the better you will feel. Good luck and soon you will be in your new location and that should be worth it.
ReplyDeletewow... no wonder you have been "undercover" i was going to call you to see if you were ok... moving is always so hard... and i agree, do we need filing cabinets? well i feel better having one... it secures the paperwork trail that the government wants us to hold onto... wish we did not have to..
ReplyDeleteyour new location will be great.. you have such an amazing business people will flock to you wherever you are... but i fully understand leaving tribeca...
the storm looks terrible... so sorry you had to go thru all of that. we had something similar in seattle 2 years ago.. our power was out 19 days... it was so bad.. at first it was romantic... then as the days went on... we all turned into raging animals... we are so spoiled.. it made me appreciate turning on the faucet, turning on the stove, opening the refrigerator, and having a warm bed.
2 doors down from me... a 60 ft tree fell on their home at 1:30 in the morning.. crashing thru their living room.. so scary. my friend was on national news as the largest tree in seattle hit their home destroying it and almost killed her and their twins... all fine now... thank goodness.
so believe me, i truly am glad you are ok.... xx
when i come in august we must get together...
Wow that must have been a harrowing week cut off from everything, glad to see you made it through ;)
ReplyDeleteOh my word, Francine! That is terrible! You have been in my thoughts lately - I certainly understand the absence. Dear me...
ReplyDeleteI'm certain your new showroom will be stunning! I cannot wait to hear more soon.
xo,
Sarah
Best of luck in the new venue. Inertia is more dangerous than change. Look forward to seeing it next time in NYC.
ReplyDeleteI do hope by now the doors to your new space are opened and the storm has passed and the clean up under way. Everything always happens at the same time, doesn't it? Have a very happy Easter and I wish you all the success in the world at your new address. xv
ReplyDeletei was quite excited to hear of your move.
ReplyDeletei lived at 210 east 58th st, and then i moved to 348 e 58th. i walked to work everyday.
i would kill to be living and working there again.
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you are over worked right now, but how lucky you are! indeed!
xx
You have a hell of a task, just pace yourself.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to your new show room. Hope you share it with us. Yvonne