Thursday, December 17, 2009

I guess I was right this time


I was so right with my Black Tie playboy window

It never ceases to amaze me how the collective consciousness works.
Here's the proof an article in the Times..Mad Men and 60s slick..interfaces perfectly with Hugh Hefner,Playboy and my Black Tie Christmas window...I guess I haven't lost my touch yet. Hit the link and read this

Monday, December 14, 2009

Getting back to the roots





As you have all figured out by now retail has not been good of late. Here I am at the top of my career and they pulled the rug out from under me. I am not saying that work has disappeared completely, but just a year ago everything was fine....now it's not....I still have design work on the board and there are clients endeavoring to update and even a few brave souls attempting to open new stores, so that's a good sign, but I think it will take a very long time to return to pre-recession numbers. As they say "Every cloud has a blah blah", and in order for me to make up for the decline in work I have decided to return to my roots. Once upon a time I was an "artist", yes I attended art school and yes I had all the visions of Paris skylights and New York lofts, somewhere along the way I got sidetracked, it's called eating, so retail display was the closest I could get to a creative career and receive payment. Gone were all the fantasies of Warholian chic . So...here it is 40 years later and I am back to where it all started, making art. Painting and drawing has always remained a part of my life, but as a vacation pastime, a refuge from the retail world. After a barrage of encouragement from friends and family I have applied myself to art with a vengeance..."Pet Portraiture" is due mainly to my sisters menagerie, horses, dogs, injured birds and anything else that wander on to the property. Because of the lack of funds, I deemed it an art as gift year. I thought rather than bore my sister with still another landscape of Cape Cod, I would paint portraits of all her animals, the results were better than I expected. The response has been very postitive....TAA..DAA!! I am an artist again... so here it is... My first promo piece. Click on ad to enlarge

Sunday, November 29, 2009

less is more

Fashion, Style, Trend, at times it all just gets too complicated, there is no segment of retail more complicated and frustrating than women's ready to wear... and I've paid my dues. It is an unfortunate fact that in the display industry Women's wear is considered to be highest level one can achieve, it is the Valhalla of all display disciplines. One can only hope to achieve perceived greatness in display by being employed by a local women's style maven, which may lead to even greater fame by being employed by a designer or retailer of national renown. The big stumbling block in this route to fame and fortune are with rare exception are the clients one must learn to deal with. I've worked with many and by in large found them to be selfish, spoiled, insecure and petty, [the dark side of the fabulous fashion industry] or worse, processed of the illusion that they are artists. Over the years I found myself preferring men's wear, home, auto, anything but women's wear. I think that my advancing age might also be a factor,I just am longer as patient as I once was, and less inclined bow to fashion du jour [or a retailers] every whim. "The Devil Wears Prada", was the clearest most concise representation of the down side of fashion ever documented. I am fortunate to have among my longest standing clients the exception to the majority of my experience "Annie Prue" Annie and daughter Stephanie are my favorite women's retailers. Annie is one of the very rare clear thinking retailers who can look past the latest trend to find lasting style. She has an eye for quality and longevity in the selections she makes for her store. Annie is the embodiment of the old rule; "a well dressed woman never wears more than 7 items, counting both shoes". I find it amusing that in this "post excess" period of recession the simplicity espoused by A.P. for many years is at the forefront of fashion again. Stephanie has brought to their partnership a more youthful take on Annie's classic choices bringing a new clientele who appreciate clean, modern, unpretentious dressing. This is the third interior I've done for them and my favorite to date. Just like their philosophy in apparel I tried create a clear simple straight forward approach to display of their goods. To invoke the old adage again "Less is More"



Wednesday, November 25, 2009

The Last Window

Here it is the last window, I've been doing this everyday since Halloween. Not that I am complaining, its a window dressers lot in life and this year has been less intense than some previous years, [due mainly to less work] 2009 is a year that I will be glad to see go, I've watched as my long time clients have struggled to survive the worst year in our retail history and I've struggled to maintain a positive attitude, it hasn't been easy to Ho Ho Ho through this one. I hope that over all sales are at least at a par with some of the pre- recession seasons from the past, although Christmas sales have been off for a decade or so, the Internet has seen to that.The only upside I see from this year long horror is less retail, with many national chains eliminating unproductive stores perhaps the owner operated locals can pick up new customers who value the pride, service and integrity evident only in small operations. Lets hope that 2010 is a better year.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

History repeating


I have posted previously about my formal wear account Black Tie,the owner Bob Smith and I have a very long association.It was in the early 80's that through some means Bob requested a trimmer and I was it. With few exceptions we have had a long and creative relationship. Bob has always understood the power of "perceived value" I attach to his products and the need for display in a retail establishment. Over the years Black Tie has grown into Tips Uniforms, Suzanne Roberts women's apparel and most recently Kitchenette a foodies fun store. I am proud of his accomplishments and proud to say I had a part in them all. Through the years Bob and I have come up with truly unique windows so many in fact that it is difficult to remember them all. We have had Angels,devils,waiters,chefs,restaurants,tycoons,proms,juke boxes,pinball machines,live rabbits,break dancers,endless weddings,tropical themes,Santa suits,elf suits,discos,jazz clubs,the Titanic [more than once] Paris, London, New York, and every single event that involves formal dress has been in his window..A few weeks ago Bob are I were discussing the upcoming Christmas effort.[perhaps the 34th one].I expressed my dissatisfaction with the past years windows, Were turning into Brooks Brothers! I said, What has happened to the Cecile B DeMille productions we used to do? [Age is the answer we used to be barely 30 and now were pushing 60] I've worked too long at this to allow myself to slip into display oblivion. I hunkered down at pulled out my old "L'Enfant terribe" head set and came up with the tag line, Cool,Old School,Yule, I will prove that I still have what it takes,to cause a stir and attract attention,little did I know what I was really doing. It wasn't until I stepped back to admire 3 days worth of work that I realized what had happened. The window was Bob and me 35 years ago,we were the characters in my little play..the world was our oyster,full of possibilities glamour and fame.We have been doing this for so long that the new generations we are now addressing at one time were us. history is indeed repeating. Take a look... http://picasaweb.google.com/vardisellis/BlackTieChristmas09#

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Merry Christmas


Here I am in the middle of the Christmas rush...a new window everyday,with no time in between jobs. Under normal circumstances I spend a few days thinking up a clever tag line or a play on words that suits the merchandise or the season W.W.D. is so good at it and I'm always jealous of their results. At Christmas you might as well forget it, there is never enough time and everything thing has been done already. Here are a few of my favorites; "A Gift for Giving" Macy's, I think, awhile ago or "Christmas Presence" a great tag line if there ever was one from Strawbridge's,our late lamented local department store [a hold out from a time when all stores used the more recently forbidden word "Christmas", after all Christ was Jewish,doesn't that cover everything? so whats the big deal?]. Speaking of the use of the word Christmas, in case you live on the moon I'm sure you have noticed the return of its use. Last year Target hung huge signs in their entrances that said "Merry Christmas"good for them! It is Christmas after all and after decades of tiresome political correctness retailers are facing the fact that it is Christmas, not the "Holidays"as it has come to be known, does that include the 4Th of July?. The concept of equal representation for all beliefs is all very democratic and I'm the first to admit its a noble gesture, but lets face facts here.. Christmas is the reason for the season and nothing can change that, its the BIG one and the majority rules, I shouldn't feel guilty expressing my wishes for A Merry Christmas, to anyone I meet. The awkward moments of instant profiling before you express the greeting are contrary to the very meaning of Christmas and made more absurd by the fear of wishing any party you meet the wrong seasonal salutation. That being said, its Christmas, love it, hate it, want to hide from it, wish it was over, but never feel guilty about expressing it in a moment of true Christmas spirit and maybe we really could achieve peace on earth.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

The Ghost of Christmas Past




Christmas will be upon us in a week or so. Before the Grinch takes hold of me I would like to share a memory or two of Christmas past. Whether we want to admit it or not many of our fondest holiday stories are retail related. Christmas, children and retail have gone hand in hand since some enterprising retailer first donned a Santa suit. I was born in Cleveland, Ohio and although Cleveland has been a national joke since our river burned, it was a very different place when I was a child. Downtown Cleveland was dense with varied retail and a Christmas shopping trip was a much anticipated event Cleveland's three major holiday decor musts were; Halle Brothers, Higbee's and Sterling Linder Davis. My maternal grandfather spent his entire working life at Halle's and both my mother and her sister did sales stints there as well. Even though Halle's was the highest end in Cleveland [and my family was not] we were loyal customers, due to the employee discount which my mother took full advantage of. Halle's always had the edge on its competitors at the holidays, due largely to their Santa's right hand man. A month before Christmas Cleveland's most famous holiday ambassador would start appearing on television after the local news, MR. JING A LING, a brilliant advertising concept. Upon reflection he was sort of an info-mercial, living advent calendar, talk show host. As I remember he would interview children with a jovial Dickensesque abandon that works so well at Christmas and promise his transfixed audience, [me and my sister] a key to Halle's seventh floor toy dept. Hence his name, the sound of keys he always carried on his arm..The song is still ringing my mind some 50 years later.......


Mr Jing a Ling how you ring a ling..keeper of the keys

On Halle's seventh floor....We'll be waiting for you to turn the key

Higbees had the famous Twigbee shop,[for children only] and served childrens meals in little cardboard toy stoves, Sterlings had the city's tallest tree and Francis the talking mule, Halle's trumped them all. The great department stores are gone now, but the success of their Christmas efforts have become legend in the minds of many.










Thursday, October 22, 2009

sidewalk retail




It's a beautiful October day and it has just occurred to me that my sidewalk retail days are numbered. It's time to drag out all my vestiges of Christmas past with the hope that I can eat a decent dinner tonight, the ramen noodle thing is growing old. The benefit or detriment of my profession is the accumulation of items used in past displays. I have one of everything and sometimes 2 or 3 or 5 or 7 or 9,...hold that thought time to pitch a potential customer...I'm back ...SOLD! a pair of french doors and she was thrilled that they were the right size...Excuse me again, the hood is happening today, lots of strolling, seems that trying to write and sell wasn't such a good idea. It has calmed down now and I'm 100 bucks richer. I've been creating weekend sidewalk sales since the bottom dropped out, on a sunny day you can shop card table boutiques all over Philadelphia. The recession has forced us all out into the streets, there are 3 on my block alone. I generally poke my head out on Saturday morning to see if my neighbors have started their outdoor display process, we always make more sales when we are all out at the same time, the better the selection the more traffic we can stop. Throughout these sales I have re- learned many of the rules that I apply daily to my customers. Practice what you preach. DISPLAY DOES MATTER even on the low level that I am presenting my goods. I arrange my stuff in 'stories' like "Neo shabby chic" or "Atomic age retro' and a good deal of the time "My God what was I thinking" stories, Don't laugh it works...It's the most basic rule of display create a "look" even if the items are junk. I've always said that the first 5 seconds that a customer enters a store are the most important, in my case they are traveling at 40 m.p.h. so I have almost no time to make an impression, nothing makes me happier then to see them pull to the curb...because DISPLAY WORKS. Another hour has passed and I am up 75 bucks, real good considering I've been selling cheap Kinko's copies mounted on foam core..It never ceases to amaze me how movie star portraits sell, [in black and white no less] I am fortunate to live in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood brimming with art students and pioneering couples. The art kids are my favorite, excited to be on their own in a urban environment, I was like that once upon a time, [now I can't wait to get out ] you can see it in their fresh suburban faces as they gleefully dig thru my castoffs. " I've just moved in down the block and I have nothing" is the mantra they all chant "Well step this way I have everything" is my reply. The one thing they do have are worried parents making deposits in a checking account to cover their purchases. Many are return customers arriving to scope out what that "old guy" has put out this week. It's now 30 minutes later, I smiled my way thru a tedious story of how the neighborhood used to be, blah, blah, blah, delivered by a cousin of the former owner of my building, [this occurs at least twice a month]. Everyone around here is related somehow or another so to maintain tranquility in the hood be polite and appear to listen, then tell them you have a call to make, she left. I can now relate my second big secret for successful sidewalk retail. Put out the juicy stuff that you have no intention of selling, at a price no one will pay and be prepared for that one customer that might be willing to say, "I'll take it" The look of your "stories" will benefit from a glamorous "shill" object and if you don't want to sell it you can always tell them it was just sold and the buyer is picking it up later. When you see the disappointed look on their face simply lead them to a bargain that they can afford....Be right back this might be a sale... here I am again, just sold a chair 30 bucks not bad, had to help her get it in her car, Sidewalk service with a smile. My total for the day was 200, hardly a days receipts at Barney's, but at least there is a good dinner for me tonight. Bon Appetit

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Reptiland
















Reptiland

Just when I thought that I had encountered every category in retail along comes a new one. Reptiland,[yes its spelled this way] Rep-ti-land. Just as the name implies it is a roadside attraction, devoted to reptiles and amphibians, established a generation ago by Clyde Peeling, a devotee of our scaley friends, Alligators, crocodiles,snakes,frogs,turtles and lizards. This is no Florida alligator wrestling side show but a legitimate accredited and licensed zoo. Located in Allenwood Pa. a stones throw from the country club white collar prison. I invited a friend Rene to accompany me, knowing this could be of interest to him seeing as how he is a landscape architect and we share a critical eye when it comes to display. We were not disappointed, a winding bamboo path takes you into the world primeval, live stage presentations, glass enclosed displays and a large croc display make for a interesting, entertaining and slightly scary,[snakes] afternoon, the Galapagos tortoises were my favorite,hugh lumbering creatures with a non threatening demeanor that makes them almost cute,despite their size and appearance. A new attraction this year is a butterfly house and I must say it was wonderful, a greenhouse alive with fluttering species of the delicate and precious winged arial acrobats. Such a delight that even this jaded synic has to admit I was impressed.There are so few real interesting vintage roadside attractions remaining that are not flea markets or dank caverns that I highly reccomend Cylde Peelings Reptiland. a perfect family outing. Go take a look http://www.reptiland.com/

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Truth in Advertising



Here's a story I can't help but comment on. We all know how photo shop has changed the advertising landscape, making us all feel too old, too fat, and too everything that people really are. Ralph Lauren really pulled a good one this time. Take a look at what some enterprising computer minion created. Poor Phillipa has been turned into a bobble head. The amazing thing is that this was approved for publication. Can you picture that scene...Yes, Mr Lauren we love it..its so new, so young, so right, just the thing we need to attract a new younger customer,[because his customer has moved to Florida and no longer cares about clothing] This demonstrates clearly how at times the fashion industry lives in a 7 th avenue ghetto and has no idea what the real world is about...and the Lauren people declined comment until the media put the pressure on. Phillipa [poor clue-less thing] has become the poster child for a number of fashion mag editors who are speaking on her behalf, raging on about its alright to be fat. which sells their mags big time, all she can say is I don't understand why I was fired, I've been working at RL since I was 15 "They were like my family" she said..Wake up kid this is Mad. Ave. your dealing with! family, shmalily, RL says she was let go because of "contractual issues" The media is going on about her being too fat, and I agree that the body image thing is way out of control. The real reason she got canned was because she became the center of controversy and bad press does not sell RL rags, [at least not in this case] All you have to do is follow the money, it doesn't matter Phillipa how long you worked for them. You became [by no fault of your own] a liability. You were caught in the middle of the "fat" wars, which sells magazines for the pro fat opposition, take comfort in the fact that I'm sure that minion who created the photo was fired as well. GAIN WEIGHT GIRL! and defect to the other camp, their waiting for you with open arms.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009























Just around the corner

Here it is Christmas time again and lucky for me I'm starting to book a few new jobs but nothing like it used to be. I have decided it is going to be a "Non Bling" season. No gold this year..and of course the designers of ladies apparel have already seen to that. This years BIG color story is grey and every shade of purple, and of course the ferrous accent is silver...No gold....Even red is difficult although some have no problem using it with purple... its not my favorite combo. Green on the other hand is good with purple, especially bright greens with violet tones..kinda Christmassy. The one thing that always works is good old black and white, my perennial favorite and sure fire standby with silver, easily lasts thru New Years Eve..Im sure we will all celebrate the passing of 2009, Good Bye! Im not sure what to this year..we have a holiday season that no one really wants coming on fast. There was a time when I knew what to do. "less is more" every time except Christmas... when more is never enough! ...this year everything seems to be too much, Any ideas? Dear readers, I'm open to any feedback on this subject. I've posted some shots from Christmas past, when Mr Fezziwig used to throw those big parties and everyone spent freely. I'm afraid of what the spirit of Christmas yet to come might have in "STORE" for us this year.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009



Its a Disney world after all

Disney has announces its plan for world domination. While the rest of the retail world has been floundering in self pity Disney has formed an alliance with Steve Jobs to re image the hundreds of Disney stores...Apple and Dis. are turning retail into mini amusement parks with endless Apple interactive thrills, a walk thru a forest of talking trees that know your birthday, set off simulated fireworks and no doubt recommend the latest must have present. Your cashier has become a "guide" who conveniently carries along a super I phone which can process your plastic and print a receipt,[no more check out cues]. This is very well timed, with suburban shopping malls melting away in vacancies, this will make retail agents salivate with excitement. I must say it is about time that mall arrogance and outrageous per square foot charges receive their "comeuppance" no doubt that Dis will have the upper hand in lease agreements. I love this. This plan proves the point that even the most dismal economics create opportunity, the exploitation of children is another subject,but I must say this is a brilliant plan. The time has arrived to move forward, no more "mia culpas". Take a good hard look at your retail plan, be brave and take a risk, try something new to entice new customers,[especially young ones]. Its a new retail scene out there, get with it or get out of it.

Saturday, October 3, 2009

I have worked for 35 years for a formal wear shop. Throughout my long association I have seen a number of formal neck wear trends, first it was the cross tie those little flat things with a pin in the center, [think Bill Haley and the Comets] Next was the Edwardian Carnaby street those BIG velvet bows worn with "puffy shirts". Which gave way to the Johnny Carson look, the propeller like butterfly bow, Then a brief moment of sanity the conventional although 'pre-tied" bow worn with wing collars, [think 80s waiters]. The 90s gave us western string ties and band collared [Nehru] shirts with Versace knock-off button covers that slipped on to the button, that was a tough one to like. The last 10 years we have suffered the long tie that turned the tuxedo into a pall bearers uniform. The latest d'riguer in neck wear is the ascot..I really wonder is straight American men will embrace this one. The ascot bears heavy identification with the likes of Hugh Hefner and George Hamilton, not to mention stereotyped 60s closeted men like those in "The Boys in the Band". A few weeks ago as changing their window display into the fall mode when I was handed a group of ascots. All I could do is laugh.. What are these? I asked in my best Dawn Davenport voice. "the latest thing" was the reply..so where are the Gucci loafers to go with them?..I think Ive been at this too long, at times it is difficult to approach new items with an open mind. I constantly remind myself that time marches on and there are plenty of younger customers who have no knowledge of the ascots previous lives. Before writing this entry I hit Google image and sure enough up came Brad, in an ascot tied scarf, how perfect and how lucky he is to have a stylist who is 20 years younger then him to keep him au courant.

If Brad is wearing it


Monday, September 28, 2009



too early

I just read an article about a retail firm in Canada that decided to mount Christmas last month. The result was not what they expected...I understand the motive,this has been the worse year ever but they should have known what would happen. I have worked for a retail luggage outfit for almost 20 years, we used to have 7 stores, before the collapse. Seven stores to make ready for Christmas is a load, so I started to merchandise right after Halloween, to be finished by Thanksgiving [and remember I have 6 others who all want to be ready in time]. Every single time I had to suffer the disdainful looks and verbal abuse of those who thought I was starting too early. My reply was always the same,"Speak to management" which never seemed to make them any less disapproving. I must admit that I agree with them, to a degree, and frankly if there is anyone who should dislike Christmas its me.The burned out lights, the shedding garlands, the glitter in my eyes, the 12 foot ladders, believe me I am anything but cheery in November. There is an old saying, "Make hay while the sun shines" at one time I used to make plenty of hay during the holiday season, so I would tough it out, but those days are gone. Christmas has become so exploited and overblown that it can't help but be disappointing. We have raised the bar on greed so high that the holiday is a anticlimax.This years sales figures will certainly break no records so I think this year we should cancel it all together, give it a rest for a year, then maybe we would miss it.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

the client of the year




I suppose there is no need to tell anyone how bad business has been this year, more than once I have considered getting away from all the doom and gloom and selling pizza, hot dogs or maybe doing a Laundromat, something mindless and profitable. Just when I thought the last 30 years have amounted to nothing, along came Debbie. Debbie is one of those disappearing breed of retailers who actually understands that one really has to work to succeed. She is an old school retailer, no attitude, no pretense, she even does her own window, her mission is to be the best, my kind of shopkeep. The only client this year who has not blamed anything on the economy. Debbie owns a children’s wear store, which is in my opinion is the hardest category in retail world next to the supreme pain, BRIDAL! and M.O.B. for those of you not in the business its “mother of the bride” watch for that post I have a whopper.

I have paid my dues as far as kidswear is concerned, back in the Reagan years one of my accounts was a kid’s store. Working with all the little outfits was fun and the window themes are endless. I tend to build kids theme around adult activities which can be very entertaining, little dinner parties, little cooking classes, little lawn maintenance, little bands of thugs and maybe a Tom Thumb wedding. Getting back to Debbie, she is the only kids act on Philadelphia's lower Mainline, the seat of suburban wealth and Olympic style competitive child dressing. Absolutely nothing is denied the all the Adams, Westleys, Zoeys and Melissas, after all a trophy wife must be accompanied by 24 karat trophy children..

This new crop of rug rats is demanding, they know what they want as long as it is what all the rest of them are wearing. It’s frightening how the media has twisted their little absorbent minds. Debbie called one day after tracking me down thru other clients. She related a story about her previous designer, she was not happy, in fact she removed all the adult outriggers he installed which are now rusting in her basement. If there is one thing I know about kids stores it’s about slatwall and binning….endless folded merchandise and face-out display…all those cute little outfits staring out from the walls just begging to be bought by a helpless bubba. The other problem with kids wear is the size runs from newborn to infant to toddler to 2,3,4,5,6 then the 8,9,10. Its goes on and on and on. The amount of product is daunting, and don’t forget, sleep wear, outer wear, toys socks and hair accessories. Lest I forget the latest version of the infamous Beenie Baby...every year someone tries to recreate that fraud of "perceived value" as a collectible item but no one has done it yet.


Debbie had a problem. I’ve seen some pretty awful stores in my day but Debbie’s won the prize. A nightmare of merchandise disorganization, stuff everywhere ,the floor, the counters all brimming with products totally out of control. She felt overwhelmed and distressed. The store was simply getting harder to handle and was in need of a new floor plan.

I am always amazed that considering I make my living in beautiful retail spaces [that often do very little business] that a store like Debbie’s was packed with customers dispite its condition, 3 sales people plus debbie,a herd of children and happy moms waiting gladly to give her their money. Debbie has what they want, and honestly that’s what counts…the rest is window dressing, [I cant believe I said that.] Debbie works real hard to make sure she has the goods. She bends over backward to satisfy customer’s needs, kisses babies, asks how their fathers operation went and gives free gift wrap. That’s why she is busy. Her customer could easily hit the baby gap, but they don’t because Debbie really cares.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

my name

For my entire life I have had to explain upon first meeting anyone new the origin of my name. I would like to get this out of the way as quickly as possible. My full name is Vardis Ellis Kriaris and its a whopper of a name,especially when you are 8 years old. Yes I am of Greek descent,in fact more rightly Cretan,[no jokes please] Three of my grandparents migrated to the U.S. from the island of Crete in the early 20Th century. The tradition among Greeks is to name the first born son after first the paternal grandfather,in my case Vardis and the second name the maternal which was Elias,but for some reason the name was morphed into Ellis,which I still cannot explain. perhaps to make it more American? how funny is that. My last name Kriaris is also a small short legged breed of goat that wanders the rocky hills of Crete,I always thought that appropriate esp. when you get to know me. My nick name is Vori, there are a number of stories about its origin, the one I prefer is the following. When my papou [grandfather] arrived here a railroad Foreman for whom he worked renamed him Vori, they say he was German, but there is no proof of that. I am second generation born here,which make me far less "Greek" than the image of the Gus and Nicks you find in pizza and diner restaurants thru out the states, although as I mature the Greek traits become more apparent to me. I am hard working, stubborn, self sufficient, opinionated and slightly suspicious of others motives. True to the image of Zorba, being spontaneous, hedonistic and a fatalist make me a proud member of the Greek-American family.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

my purpose for being here


The intent of this blog is to share my experience and thoughts however great or tragic on retail. Starting with my paper route and a bicycle to the present [and into the future, if there is a future in retail ]. The current economic conditions are a factor in my decision to share my knowledge. I would like to pass on my experience from a past retail world before the memory of how to "Keep Shop" disappears completely or falls deeper into corporate parody. I am dismayed at the proliferation of "Big Box" retailers who have all but destroyed our local retail identities. I am even more appalled at the current trend to replace shopping malls with artificial "Main Street" mixed use travesties posing as town centers all populated with national chains, while small town retail streets languish and are forced to gentrify and become, gift, card, antique and ice cream "Walk and Eats". Where are the hardware, stationery, news stands, grocers and army navy stores which used to be every towns mainstay. Local shops have fallen prey developers high rents and our increasingly media driven madness to acquire the latest, the biggest and a whole array of items we do not need. I intend to use this forum to educate, entertain and enlighten. To bring to the forefront retailers whom I,ve worked who shaped my opinions and taught me the skills which I will pass on to my readers.

Lagho,my rabbit


how it all started

I've always had retail in my blood, one of my first memories is my mother removing the the price tag from the plush rabbit that became my steadfast friend through my early childhood. He accompanied me on all of the outings my mother and I made, he sat next to me in the shopping cart while she pushed us around the Kroger market, he kept me company while I conducted myself like the perfect little gentleman as she searched the sale racks at the Halle Brothers Department store and he was there when I tried on my first pair of Stride Rites, Church shoes, she called them, for Sunday School. My mother was responsible for my first exposure to the "shopping experience" that launched me on my career in the glamorous, frustrating but always entertaining world of stockrooms and rolling racks.