# It's Official



## Lindy

On September 15th my store will be opening.

I have chosen a different storefront from the first one I talked about.  This one is a newer building and I like the landlord.  I start my reno's on September 1st (I'm putting in a pony wall to separate the production area from the retail area) and he is only going to charge me for half the month.  I have the keys now and he has recommended that I paper the windows so we can get people talking.....

Here are some pictures:

Here are the front windows:












Here is the rest of the area looking back from the front:











This doorway leads to a storage area that I can utilize for my oils, molds, etc., etc.






And then the camera batteries died.  So I will post some more pictures as this progresses.

I am so pumped and there are so many of you on here that were totally encouraging as I started my business almost 2 years ago.  Thank you for that early encouragement - it gave me the courage to start this ball rolling.....


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## BakingNana

What a fabulous space!!  We've traveled to Canada a lot on vacations, but never been to BC.  We seriously need to plan a trip.  Can't wait to see it in person!!  The best of luck to you!


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## agriffin

Oh wow!  Congrats, Lindy!  Keep us posted.


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## Lindy

Thank you so much!

Baking Nana we live in the mildest climate in all of Canada and we feel like we're in heaven!  Definately an area worth visiting....


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## Domino

congratulations! I wish you much success~!


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## Lindy

Domino thank you.....


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## BakingNana

Lindy said:
			
		

> Thank you so much!
> 
> Baking Nana we live in the mildest climate in all of Canada and we feel like we're in heaven!  Definately an area worth visiting....



The coastline must be gorgeous.  What's the best time of year to visit?


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## Lindy

Depends on what type of temperature you like.  August is our warmest month.  Summer temps are usually around 25* C (77* F).  Our coldest months run around 5 - 10* C (41* - 50* F).  In August & Septemeber our ocean is at its warmest.  If you go to Savary Island (http://www.thesunshinecoast.com/savaryisland/) you would be in for a treat.  Uhm - in case I forgot to mention it - I love it here.

My Mom, brother and great-niece were out kayaking last week and had dolphins coming right up to the boats.....


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## Hazel

Congratulations Lindy!

I wish you the best success.


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## IanT

veeeery nice!!


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## dubnica

Congratulations!  

My niece lives in Vancouver, I went to visit her in July...Vancouver is very nice.


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## Lindy

Thank you Hazel, Ian & Dubnica.  

Dubnica Vancouver is very nice, we're about 90 miles north (5 hours because of the 2 ferries it takes to get here :? ).


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## krissy

congrats Lindy! i look forward to seeing your pictures and hearing about how it is going!


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## Lindy

Thank you Krissy...


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## Hazel

When's the grand opening?

...and are we invited?  

Seriously, I'm very happy that this worked out well for you with finding a better place and landlord.


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## Lindy

Absolutely!!  Consider yourself invited.  I'll be opening the doors on September 14th and my grand opening will be mid-October.....

Ordered the wood today to build the pony wall and have bought a couple of things for the store already.....  Going to try and not buy materials until the move, we'll see if I can get away with that....  And Hazel - thank you


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## Hazel

Cool!   

Hey everybody! Party at Lindy's in October - last one to sign up has to sleep on the floor.   

Wow...Sept 14 isn't very far away. You're going to be really busy. I hope you have a lot of support from everyone. But it sounds like you're well on your way.


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## NancyRogers

How exciting!  Best of luck on your new store!


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## Lindy

LOL @ Hazel...... fortunately I have a lot of the display hardware for having been doing trade shows and home shows.  I have pretty much enough inventory already sitting at my kiosk in the mall, but of course I am still getting more made.

Nancy - thank you.....


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## Hazel

That's good. You'll be ready in no time at all.


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## Lindy

Thanks Hazel.....


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## Bukawww

Amazing LIndy!  Can't wait to see pics!  Have LOTS of fun!


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## Healinya

That's so wonderful!!! I can't wait to see more pics.


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## Lindy

I'm in the Kiosk in the mall for the last time this week.  Next Wednesday I gain full access to the space and can start the renos so there will be more pictures to come then.

Getting a really positive response as I hand out my flyers announcing the move to it leaves me feeling very positive.....

Thanks Bukaww & Mary!


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## donniej

I wish you the best of luck... and I can't wait to see some pictures!!!


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## Lindy

Thank you Donnie!  I'll get some pictures of the windows early in the week and then post them.....


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## Lindy

As promised here are some progress pics...... 

The front of the store papered...







Closer up of the same....






One pony wall completed except for the finishing touches....






This is the area that the pony wall is set up in....






Here is a view of the other pony wall started....






All of the construction will be completed by Sunday with touch-ups being done on Monday.  Next week will be all about bringing in the fixtures and setting up the retail area as well as the production area which is what is going behind the pony walls.

Getting excited......


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## soapbuddy

Congrats! Way to go!


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## albo

coming along nicely!  can't wait to see it set up and ready to go.


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## cwarren

Congrats !!


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## dubnica

I am excited for you!


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## Lindy

Thank you everyone....


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## donniej

It looks like a very nice shopping center.  I hope it has good foot traffic.... and helps your sales!


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## Lindy

Thanks Donnie,

The most popular bookstore in town is 3 doors down from me, I have a men's store right next door which will help boost my shaving soap and supplies sales, a adventure/kayak/dive store 2 doors down and a computer store/repair centre right next door. They all generate a lot of traffic.  This is also one of the most popular "tourist" corners from May until October (we have a very long tourist season), plus right around the corner are some artist coop galleries........  I think it is probably the best location in town for me.  It's better than the mall in my opinion because the traffic here is mostly buyers whereas the mall have a lot of mallers that are there to just walk (seniors), the teens, the disabled, & the poor who don't really have a lot of places to "hang out".  So they are buyers and other than that the traffic in the mall is fairly light.  The mall was great for me for starting out, but I believe this location is where the future of the business lies, because it's a trendier / funkier area and a better fit for the business.....


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## Hazel

This sounds like a fantastic area. It's great that you found it instead of taking the other store.

I think you're going to have outstanding success.


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## Lynnz

Oh Lyndi how exciting is this!!!!!!! thanks for sharing I wish you all the best and looks like a great location, sure you will do really well...........Will be checking back for updates :0)


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## Lindy

Thanks Hazel & Lyn!  Tomorrow I start the clean-up of the store (vacumming and steam cleaning the carpet so that Tuesday I start the load-in....

Here is the long wall completed except for finishing touches...






And here is my uncle finishing up the back of the short wall, again still need the finishing touches which will be done on Tuesday....






More to come....


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## SonyaX

Good luck from the other Sunshine Coast (in Australia)! Great to see how it all goes! Hope you get run off your feet.

Sonya


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## Lindy

Hi Sonya!  Thank you!  It's nice to meet someone from the "other" Sunshine Coast.....


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## Lynnz

Oh great to see the updates :0) I am so excited for you


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## LatherLondon

Congrats, it looks very exciting!!


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## krissy

you have a little more than a week left! i am so excited for you! i cant wait to see how it looks all put together!


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## Lindy

Thanks for the encouragement.  One week today I open....

Today we finished most of the details on the walls, but we didn't have quite enough so now it's tomorrow.  I got the carpets vaccumed and steam cleaned.  I also got some of the shelves up.

Here are today's progress pictures....












Here's the production area:











This is the view from my front door:


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## Hazel

Wow! It looks fantastic! You're really moving fast with all the work.

Great view from the front door, too.


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## PrairieCraft

Nice view!  Your space is looking good.  I love renovation projects!  Thanks for sharing.  Can't wait to see your shelves stocked.


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## Lynnz

This is soooooooo inspiring I would so love to have a little shop one day so now this tells me it dosen't have to be just a dream it can happen WOOHOO


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## krissy

it's looking good! i cant wait til the 15th!


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## Lindy

Thank you so much!!!  2 More Days!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here are pictures from a couple of days ago.....


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## agriffin

WOW!  That looks great!


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## Lindy

Thank you....


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## Lindy

35 hours and 16 minutes to opening......  :shock:


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## Hazel

Are you okay? I hope you haven't hit that panicked "OMG am I crazy?" phase. Everything will be fine. Your shop is beautiful and you're well prepared. Best wishes on this new chapter of your life.


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## Lindy

Hazel thank you so much - I'm fine.  Exhausted but fine.  Today while we were still setting up I had 2 customers come in to the store and buy!  I thought that was so exciting......

Here are pictures of the showroom completed for now.  I still need to work on the window display but that will take some time.  The production are isn't anywhere near ready for me to work in but I will be able to get that done over the next few days.

So here are the pics of the store ready to open....































Thank you for sharing this journey with me everyone........


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## albo

looks fantastic!  wish I could be there to check it out.  all the best for the official opening!


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## Hazel

Lindy,

It's gorgeous! I'm amazed at how quickly you pulled it all together. No wonder you're exhausted. I'd love to come in and wander through your store. Maybe someday I'll make it up to your area.


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## donniej

The store looks great!  I'm so happy for you and will be anxiously watching for your updates on how the business does.


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## Lindy

Thank you so much!  I expect it will take time to really build the retail of this up as customers get used to finding me here instead of at the mall.  I got a wholesale order today so that's good!  Of course I have to order the ingredients for it because it's something I don't usually stock!!!  :shock: 

Today has been spent setting up the production area and this is going to take a few days but by next week I will be ready to start kicking the production area plus prospecting......  This feels good.


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## LatherLondon

Your store looks great!! Congrats on getting it looking fantastic!


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## Lynnz

Woohoo wish we could all toast the new venture with you  love that you have shared this with us


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## NancyRogers

Congratulations!  It looks amazing!


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## Lindy

Thank you ladies...... this has been a fabulous journey so far and it feels amazing to be at the next chapter....


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## donniej

Update please!


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## Lindy

Thanks for asking Donnie!  

The retail end of the business is slow, but that is giving me time to pursue the wholesale end of my business.  My ad hit the streets today and the grand opening is in 2 weeks so I'm looking forward to watching how this fall continues to develop.


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## Wick's End

Hi Lyndi!
I'm new to the forum (found you all yesterday) and so glad I have! Although I didn't get to travel your journey in the forum with you as your business bloomed into a store, read this thread and watched your pictures as your dream opened up for you with excitement! Beautiful store! I am really happy for you! I am Pershing a similar dream as yours but my main focus will be as a supplier to tourist stores and other places.
Do you have a registry for people? That would  an idea to boost return customers. Just a thought that I have. Are you ready for your grand opening?!  What is the date set? And is your production room finished? I am excited to see a picture of it! 
I wish all the best to you with your store. What is the name of it?


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## Lindy

Thank you Wick's End.  I have a Soap Club for my retail customers with their email and I'm going to start a monthly newsletter for them too.

My Grand Opening is next weekend and definately ready, lots of product made.  The store is called Malaspina Soap Factory Inc.  I'll get some pics up of the production area soon.

Wholesaling is a wonderful end of the business, for me it is part of the business to help round things out.  Good for you for being willing to pursue your dreams.....


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## Wick's End

I'll be watching. I understand how busy you are.
Thank you for the encouragement.


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## Stella

I am new to the forum, too. I just read this topic, and you have done such an amazing job! Congrats on this new adventure.

 It's so fulfilling when dreams come true. WTG!


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## Lindy

Thank you Stella...


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## Lazy Bone

I am a little late... but CONGRATULATIONS! I'm so excited for you! Your shop looks great!


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## meadowyck

This is the first that I've seen of this thread.

Thanks for sharing your dream with all of us.  

How did your grand opening go?  I hope you sold out, or wait maybe not all sold out as you need time to make more and have ready....

I use to have a gift basket business back in the late 80's when folks didn't know what a gift basket was.  It was a wonderful time having my own shop.


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## Lindy

Thank you - the Grand Opening was pretty quiet - I don't I advertised it enough, but that's okay.  It was busy the day before and the day after....  I do love having my own shop and I can see the growth happening even just over the last month, which is encouraging.


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## meadowyck

glad to hear that you can see an increase during your first month.

Remember advertise, advertise, and advertise.

There are many ways to advertise without having to lay out a large amount of money.

example:  make up small samples of various soaps, attache a business card and send someone (if you can't get someone to watch your store) or go on a day that you are close, if you do have a closed day and go to near by shopping malls, wall around and offer free samples to folks.  If you have several different (5 - 7 types of soap) sample allow the people to choose their sample.

Display your samples on a very nice silver serving tray.  You might even offer some type of deal on the back of your business card that has an expiration date so that they would need to get into the shop within the next few weeks.

One thing that also did good for me was I had a birthday registration.  So when someone came in I asked if they wanted to register as they would receive (in your case soap) a free bar of soap on their birthday.  This also builds a list for you to send notices out about events or new products that you have made and that are now available for sale.

Keep us posted.  

I think your timing to open before the upcoming holiday season is very good and wish you the best.


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## Lindy

Thank you for your suggestions.


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## mariflo

Hi Lindy,
How is it going?
I loooove your shop water front view !!!


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## Lindy

Thanks Mariflo - it's going okay - like any new business it is a little slow but in the 6 weeks I've been open I am seeing a constant growth week to week, plus people are not asking about aromatherapy consultations as word gets out that I'm a Clinical Aromatherapist.  Loving it and thank you for asking.


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## mariflo

I am so happy for you! 
A steady growth is excellent news. And it will only get better ... 
Way to go!!!

mari


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## loveit_latherit

Good for you Lindy! Good luck & many blessings!!


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## Lindy

Thank you!  I've now quit my part-time job and can focus strictly on the business....


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## Lynnz

Yay Lindy that is fantastic I am loving your profile pic!!!!


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## soapbuddy

Good for you!


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## Lindy

Thank you Lynn & Soapbuddy....


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