Sunday, January 31, 2010

Video of The Shop

This is an EIGHT minute video of my shop the day after we closed. I took this "silent movie" for myself so that if I ever feel like looking back at it and remembering it, I would have it.

Sadly, my video camera wouldn't hold a charge so I used my mother's FLIP video camera which worked great but has less than stellar high def capabilities. I walked around s-l-o-w-l-y. It's not very interesting and the shelves are pretty empty with products having being sold out, but you get the idea if you ever wanted to see the little shop of Product.

I'm feeling really good, by the way. I feel like the shop closing is a good thing because doors appear to be opening right in front of my eyes. But we'll see.


xo Jo

pssst! As I said, it's long and boring ...it really was for me. Historical documentation.


Friday, January 29, 2010

Last Day

Goodbye my shop.

kiss kiss.

On to new things. Back to old things. Open the door because here I COME BABY!

Friday, January 22, 2010

Emotional Shop Closing

Is has been a very emotional couple of weeks for me since our decision to close the store. Almost everyone that has come into the shop is a repeat customer and, while they are shopping, I've mentioned that we are closing the shop at the end of next week.

Their first reactions are usually worry and sadness.

"Why? What's wrong?" When I let them know I'm o.k., then they immediately say, "Oh no, where am I going to get your soaps, and smell them, and touch them?" ... "I can't go back, Joanna! It's all I use now....."

I love my customers. Apparently, they've gotten hooked on handmade soaps and smelling-before-buying. So I am gathering all of my local customers' names and email addresses and will contact them if I start going to a regular farmer's market or find a monthly location where I can display my soaps.

Today, one of my regular monthly customers came in and chatted me up with political conversation, thoughts on living in other countries, and ideas of a better life before we moved onto a soap chat. He always comes in alone after his shift at the hospital, buys 5 or 6 bars of different soap, talks about the world, his wife and grown up children, and jokes that being physically dirty is the reason he stopped in.

I have really loved my time at the shop for so many reasons, but in this post I want to thank all of the customers that came in because they were curious, dared to try one of my products or soaps, and came back. I loved meeting you. I loved talking to you. I wasn't pretending, except for the crazy guy with the hands like shovels that wouldn't leave the shop.
c r e e p y d u d e.

We are down to our last few days. Today was busy for me with organizing equipment and doing inventory. It wasn't a wildly busy retail day, but I told the customers about the shop and sure enough they scooped up a variety of soaps, fearing they wouldn't be able to smell them for awhile. "Can't live without these, Joanna....." Very sweet story: A 17 year old guy from the fishing shop two doors down came in for his mom "just because she was at home all day doing laundry and stuff and she'd probably like this stuff". Could there be a nicer kid? Dropped over $30 of his own money because he thought his mom was working hard at home. I can only hope my son stops to think like that when he's that age.

My heart has been doing the involuntary tightening twist these days and it's not been easy. The decision was a hard one and it was really sad at first, then brutal and heartbreaking, then it moved towards being realistic and reasonable and now I feel like it is absolutely the right decision and that it will really help me hone in on what I need to focus on with the business and life in general -- for now. The experience was incredible and I'd do it all over again. I have been wearing many hats for many years, but this balancing act was by far the most fun to "endure". Every day was a joy. I looked forward to getting to the shop every single day. There wasn't a day that I stared at the clock so I could go home.

I need to thank every single one of you who walked into the shop over the last fourteen months and changed my life. You know who you are. So.. as part of growth, both personally and professionally, I will hone in, focus, work harder than ever and make magic. This is what I need to do. But I do have you all to thank. You have touched me.

One more week in the shop. I will continue to keep you updated as we go, of course. Shop hours next week will be:

Monday through Friday: Noon - 6 pm for sure.

Saturday and Sunday we will be moving and cleaning (I think). If we can swing being open on Saturday we will be, but I just don't know...

Thank you.

xo

love, Joanna

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Very Short Sale AND...We Have Some News

For our first sale of 2010 we're offering Crème Fresh at 10% off, from today through Monday, Jan 18th. Here's what we say on the site about it:

Ze brie and ze butter on ze baguette can’t hold a candle to our latest and greatest moisturizer, Crème Fresh. Smooth and silky, Crème Fresh sinks in quickly, moisturizes deeply, and leaves you feeling velvety soft. You have to use it to believe it. Ooh la la!

And now, it's offered in a new formulation that's slightly lighter but even more potent. Because in addition to the moisturizing and anti-aging properties of the grape seed and coconut oils, Crème Fresh is now made with a copious amount of aloe juice that helps heal damaged skin.

Want to grab some? Hit the site and use the coupon code creme10 during checkout to get your 10% discount.

Now about our store....

First, the bad news: we're closing our retail store. While we loved meeting and working with customers in person, it divided our attention, and balancing the store with the formulary work was taking its toll on both sides of the business. Combined with the slow economy, we just can't justify keeping the retail location open.

The good news is that we aren't going out of business. Not by any means. We still have a formulary and will continue to provide the same handmade, freshly formulated goodies to our retail and wholesale customers. So don't worry!

AND A HUGE THANK YOU! Every one of you that came over the past year made our shop and formulary a wonderful place to work; we thank you sincerely and look forward to many more years of providing you the soaps, scrubs and balms you love.


xoxoxox

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

We Are Back In 2010

Happy New Year to all!

After a very needed, long and wonderfully relaxing vacation here at Product Body, we are back today faced with a pile of orders, both from online and wholesale. This is great for us, thank you!!

I do want to let you know that we were cleaned out of products because we were open right down to the wire on Christmas Eve and folks were coming in for last minute gifts. The shelves are empty, so today, I have to whip up a ton of product to send to customers and to fill the shelves back up.

Luckily, I have some soaps that are due to be unveiled and brought to the floor....

So if you have an order placed with us, please have some extra patience and know that we are formulating your products and it will be fresh, fresh, fresh and we will ship it as soon as we can. We promise!

Again, happy new year and we thank you for being a part of Product Body for yet another year. We love you!!


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