Since opening the studio, things have been changing around here. In the run up to the grand opening I found myself saying "yes" to orders, people also opening up new shops and desperate for stock. Really I should have been saying no, concentrating on getting my own stock made for the big weekend. But then, most business folk never like to say no do they. The upshot of it all was that I totally underestimated the time and effort required to pull everything together and as usual the sewing went on the back burner, otherwise there wouldn't have been a studio to open!
In contemplating this and thinking back to when I was tempted to give up wholesale some time ago but was talked out of it, I've realised that I just don't want to do it anymore. It has become a chore and that's not what this game is all about. Don't get me wrong, over the last five years, it has done us so much good, getting our name known and getting us out there, really it's the only way to do it. But now that I have this fantastic space that's just crying out for lots of one-off pieces, a place to experiment with products and get feedback direct from the customer, I can't really throw this opportunity away can I?
I've gone through the figures with the accountant, looked into getting someone to do the sewing, but is that what Primrose Hill is really about, someone else doing it? And at the end of the day, I would still have to have some kind of input, fabric and ingredients ordering, managing it all, that's not what I want to do.
So, the decision has been made, after 5 years of hard slog and being the basis of how the business started up, no more wholesale. It's been a really hard decision to make but it's done now, and I've put it here on paper so to speak, so I'll have to stick by it..! The only outlet I will continue to supply is the Fotheringham Gallery, as they were the first business to support us and they sell our products so well, I want to keep that relationship going. And as it's a gallery it's on a commission basis which is totally different to supplying shops.
We've also learnt over the last couple of months that people seem to think that the word "interiors" means that you make curtains for a living. Now this is something that I used to doing when we lived in Stirling. I had a sewing lady who made up curtains and blinds etc for me, but since moving up here I've kind of gotten out of that side of the business. Again, having thought about going back there I've decided not to, it's just not something that I want to do. So, Primrose Hill Interiors is now just Primrose Hill and we're focusing more on the studio side of the business as you can see
here. A little bit of housekeeping has been done and I think it looks a lot better, what do you all think?
So, there we have it, a rather long rambling post for first thing on a Monday morning, you've done well if you've gotten this far! It's good to put these things out there though, people like to follow the story of a business and know the history of it all. I'd be interestd to know what all of you guys think though, have any of you gone through the same changes or thoughts with your businesses, do let me know as it's great to get feedback.
Right, off to tackle a rather large "to do" list.
L x
