Jan 13, 2011
Reinventing themselves: Shops fight off tough times by changingBy Jim TottenLivingstonDaily.com

As the economic downturn took hold several years ago, Mondi Miller watched the flow of customers slow to a trickle in her Heirloom Oriental Rugs shop in downtown Brighton.

“Nothing was happening,” she said.

The shop owner eventually realized she had to make a decision: change or close up.

“We’re reinventing ourselves,” she said.

During the vibrant economy of the 1990s, interior decorators from southeastern Michigan used to bring customers into her high-end shop to look at hand-knotted rugs which took workers in India up to two years to make. The rugs sold for $1,800 to $10,000 depending on size, and original oil paintings went for $180 to $2,300.

All that changed when the economy tanked. Mondi Miller said two local decorators moved out of state; no one was buying handmade wool rugs.

“With the economy, we could have hung in there a little longer,” she said. “But if we didn’t change, we would have had to close.”

Read complete article.




Social Connections


📣 Meet our speakers! 📣The Garden Center Show, presented by Lawn & Garden Retailer, is excited to announce our Keynote Speakers! 📣 Michelle Sherrier: Owner of MC Design Academy and host of The Retail Whore Podcast📣 Tim Quebedeaux: Owner of RetailKPI and Service Provider for The Garden Center GroupBe sure to check them out, along with our full, FREE conference schedule for The Garden Center Show, Aug. 6-7 in Rosemont, IL.🔗 Register for FREE: LGRMag.com/GCSRegister🌐 Learn more: www.gardencentershow.com🚌 Bus tour info: lgrmag.com/LGRBusTour#GCS24 #GardenCenterShow #GardenEvents #InPersonEvent #Networking #RetailStrategies #SpecialtyRetailers #GardenCenter #Conference #speaker #keynotespeaker ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
Gift Shop Plus Winter 2024
Get one year of Gift Shop Plus in both print and digital editions for just $16.

Interested in reading the print edition of Gift Shop Plus?

Subscribe Today »

website development by deyo designs