Labor Day...My Store...My Labor of Love

Well...It is "Labor Day Weekend" & I am spending it at my store...


I'd love to say that everything is "Honky Dory", but truth be told...


Things are tough !!!


The economy "SUCKS"


Yeah, there I said it...


I "HATE" putting all that negativity into the atmosphere.


I've always been a firm believer in putting "The Secret" out there.


And now that it's out out there, I have some decisions to make...


FIRST let me tell you that...


Operating a brick and mortar store today is becoming an impossible task.


Expenses are high...Landlords think that there properties are "GOLD"...not to mention all the other EXPENSES.


When I look around, I see so many empty storefronts & it makes me "SAD".   :(


It makes neighborhoods look so depressed.


What are the solutions ???


I wish I knew...


I'm way "TIRED" of trying to think outside the box

AND

is closing in on me !!!

But, I am having a...

One that my sister, Lorraine, & I have been contemplating for awhile now...

Just the other day Lorraine received her "Top-rated seller" Certificate in the mail (I'll photograph hers tomorrow).

And

After much searching...(I received mine some time last year), I found mine buried under an avalanche of paperwork.

Lorraine's is hanging on the refrigerator...

so that her family will see that she actually "DOES WORK" & I am going to hang mine front & center at the store.

In additon to being "Top-rated sellers", Lorraine & I are also...

So, here comes the...

"IDEA"

(drum roll please...)

  On September 20th, 2011 (our store's 24th Anniversary), we will become an...

We will help YOU sell your "TREASURES".

Our expertise will help YOU get the best price for your items. 

 And here's our other 

"IDEA"

If you have lots & lots of  "TREASURES" to sell.  Lorraine & I will host a SALE for you in "Your Home".  As soon as we brainstorm together, we'll fill you in on
 "ALL THE DETAILS".

Feeling much better know that I have thought "Outside the Box" & now I am going to enjoy the rest of this BEAUTIFUL "Labor Day Weekend" with my 

 "Friends & Family"

Always Looking Forward & Never Looking Back,
Kathleen Sforza
Lorraine Sforza Razzano

and if all else fails...

we will have to turn to this...

;))))))))))

Town & Country Gifts
1213 Castleton Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10310
718-447-8237

Websites:
Kathleen Rose's Collection (an eBay Store)
Lorraine's Favorite Finds (an eBay Store)

Blogs:
Lorraine's Favorite Finds
Accessories By Ashley Rae

Merci Beaucoup...Grazie...Gracias...Danke Schön!...Thank You SI Advance Writer Tevah Platt

Dear Tevah Platt,




Thank you in a very special way...
Kindest Regards,
Kathleen Sforza
Lorraine Razzano
Jeanette Sforza

Today, we were fortunate to have been mentioned in an article here: Women come of age in the marketplace in the SI Advance (our local paper here in Staten Island). I've never really given much thought to being a woman & being self-employed. It was something I just did. When Tevah came into the store, she asked me questions about being a woman in business. It made me think...how did I start the thought process of opening a business...

In 1986, I was about to be laid off from Ohrbach's (a store on 34th Street in NYC). I had just left Macy's (about 9 months before) & I started hearing rumors in the market (vendors in the fashion industry) that Ohrbach's was going to be purchased by Steinbach's. Everyone in the office thought these were just rumors, but I believed them to be true. Companies usually float these types of rumors so that there isn't such a shock when a store closing is announced. Well a few months later & sure enough, we were told that the store would be closing. The company offered us severance, but I saw women & men in their 40's & 50's who could not get jobs. I was only about 26 at the time & I had job offers (I was at the beginning of my career & therefore my salary was lower). I decided at that moment that I would be the one in control of my destiny. I was not going to allow a company to toss me to the street after I dedicated 15 or 20 years of my life. So...I talked with my parents about opening a store. My Mom was looking to do something since all of us (my sister & brothers were grown). So...together we embarked on a dream & we opened a "Country Store".

Throughout my career I always have a "Business Plan". My thought process is as follows...

It starts with an idea. I really only think about it for a short period & then I make it a goal. Then...I write down my goals...I usually give myself a time frame...a week, a month, a year. Then everyday...I make sure I do something to achieve that goal. I think that by setting goals you're more apt to follow through on them. I guess you might call this my business plan.

My nephews always tell me I try to do everything for free. My feelings are that you can have all the bells & whistle business plans in the world (lots of research...estimating sales...etc...), but in the end... you just have to start selling. Like the NIKE ads say "JUST DO IT". I invest little & then I sort of pay as I go. I wanted to sell on the Internet & I wanted to do it as inexpensively as possible. So, I listed a few items on eBay & sold them. I then opened an eBay Store for $15.95 a month selling new items. Later I opened a second eBay Store with my sister Lorraine selling vintage, antique & retro items. If we started with $100.00 inventory, that would have been a lot. From there, I registered our domain names with go daddy for both stores (cost $10.00 a year for a www.). Then we started blogging here on Google's Blogspot {That's Free!} I did have to invest in a digital camera about $150.00 & my sister & I already had a computer & printer, but if you had to invest in a computer & printer, it would probably be about $600.00 for both.

We sell here:

http://www.kathleenrosescollection.com/(an eBay Store) New Items



http://www.lorrainesfavoritefinds.com/ (an eBay Store) Vintage, Retro & Antique Items



Of course this year I have a long list of goals. One of my short-term goals (within the next 3 months) is to open an Amazon store & my other goal is to develop my own website by September. I do have some goals that some of my family think are impossible, but I always put "The Secret" out there...Dreams really do come true...magazines, books, television. All things are possible...








In the end, I would say that "TIME" is what I most put into my business.

Kindest Regards,
Kathleen Sforza

Town & Country Gifts
1213 Castleton Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10310
718-447-8237

Websites:
http://kathleenrosescollection.com/ (an eBay Store)
http://lorrainesfavoritefinds.com/ (an eBay Store)