There comes a time in every retailer’s life that you have to reexamine yourself and your business. So much has changed since I first opened my store. Our vendors were once faithful to us. They didn’t sell their merchandise online or to Target. They gave us high quality products in constantly changing designs. Now, new products are sparse and those that do come out are not innovative. Stores like Target and Urban Outfitters have made it part of their policy to copy the designs of the few artists that do come up with different things, while other artists figure that they might as well join them rather than have their products knocked off. If you would have asked me five years ago if brands like Poketo, Dwell, and Petunia Picklebottom would ever be in Target, I would have said a resounding “No Way, Jose”! But, alas, they are. And I’m sure that there will be many more brands added to the line up. Will I be buying them for my store? No. No way. No how.

So, what now? Now I’m focusing on creating my own products and finding products that are hard to find. Will I still go to market? No, probably not. Target goes to market, Urban Outfitter’s goes to market. I want the product that is too new for market. That’s what I want and I’m hoping that’s what my customers want.