Look What's New in the Neighborhood

Gypsy Lea's has new neighbors here in Sauk Rapids. Lillians is a foo-foo purse and bling store that sells on the same four day per month occasional sale schedule that we use at Gypsy Lea's. Lillians was in a different location in Sauk Rapids and moved next door when the space opened. We all think that our similar sales model and crossover clientele will make co-location a boon for both shops.

Now I have never been to Lillians before the move. Just not Mr. Flannery's type of merchandise, but lots of our dealers and clients have raved about Lillians and the wonderful things they sell.

We wish Lillians good business and good times. We're thrilled to have you in the neighborhood. Who knows, just one more reason why Sauk Rapids is the place to go. (At least four days each month).

Mr. Flannery

PS -- Lillians is a franchise operation that started in Buffalo, Minnesota. Buffalo is were the occasional sale concept started with Second Hand Rose and where Kris, Gypsy and I were all exposed to the model.

I Had a Pressing Engagement

If I don't get my shirts to the laundry in a timely manner I must resort to a less than time-honored tradition, and iron them myself. My great aunt Ruth taught me how to iron a shirt when I was in 7th grade. As I was pressing away today I realized that I ironed the shirt in the same order and detail that she had taught me so many years earlier. I guess it is imPRESSED into my brain.

The peanut gallery assembled to see what was up.

Willie to the right of me and Simon to left.

Of course Gracie was unimpressed and decided that a nap was a much better idea.

Two shirts ironed. I feel accomplished.

Then its on to the next task generated by living alone. The cat boxes need to be emptied. BAHHHHHH!

Mr. Flannery

Gypsy Lea's - Before the Magic

I am always amazed by the way Gypsy Lea's looks when we open for the monthly sale on the 2nd Thursday of the month. The shop uses such a unique business model that I am surprised how it is implemented. We are only open 4 days each month, which seems very strange. And we are a multi-dealer shop but there are no assigned dealer spaces. The 4 day each month model has some interesting features that I'll talk about some other time. Its the no assigned space model that I'd like to feature.

Most multi-dealer shops assign so many square feet to each dealer and that dealer is responsible for stocking and styling her space. The dealer develops her own vignette, style and merchandise. Hopefully those features will coordinate and compliment each other and give some cohesion to the shop as a whole. The shopping experience is that of walking down the street looking into a number of distinct small shops.

Gypsy Lea's uses an entirely different model. We have 8-9 dealers, each with a distinct style and variety of merchandise. However that merchandise is displayed as a whole. My hogs are intermingle with the rusty roses from Kris and Gypsy's smoothly black painted flowers. There are shopping vignettes, but not booths. The shoppers are treated with a display that integrates all the items into a unique style, maybe rusty floral hogs. The downside is that set up cannot be delegated to the individual dealer preparing her space. It has to be set up as a whole by a crew over a short period of time. That's the magic.

I was at Gypsy's on Thursday attempting to pin a few hogs back together. The magic hadn't happen yet. Gypsy and Kris had spent some time in one corner that looked good, but the rest of the shop was still in its pre-set up mayhem.


I love this green glass bangle chandelier that Gypsy got at auction last week. Its going to be a feature item near the check-out counter.

This is my locker unit, still on the dolly waiting to be rolled into its final space.

This is the area where Kris and Gypsy have started set up. It will look even more betterer by next Thursday.

Gypsy bought some "clouds" from a defunct lighting store. They are going to add a new look to our lighting displays.

This is a cool baubled candle stand that will also be featured.

The only thing interesting right now about this orange crate end is the name of the owner, Dale Bumstead.

The homemade chocolate sauce awaits display on some wonderful piece of furniture.

My columns, currently without their capitals in place, fully assembled, will flank the passage way to the lower level.

My red chicken brooder piece will be a ceiling medallion for a chandelier this month.

I am happy that I don't have to figure out how to integrate this mass of merchandise. I just lift and haul and place as I am told by the masters of the set up. It will look great by next Thursday.

Mr. Flannery

A New Line of Purses at Gypsy Lea's

Two months ago Gypsy dipped a toe into the sellin' purses waters. I don't know nuthin' about them, but a lot of the women seem to be quite enthralled by the choices. Most are made from parts of fur coats with fancy baubles, beads and bangles. They aren't "Hogerific", but I guess they're cute.

Mr. Flannery

Cables, Cables Everywhere

Well, here is an expose of another of my many foibles. I like electronics stuff, new school, old school it doesn't really matter. I especially like picking up the stuff at auctions. I am always up for buying a box of cables or an old VCR (I think that I even have a Betamax somewhere). I've been reassembling my computer/television/stereo system in my workspace. Of course I keep finding new or different things to incorporate so it will always be a work in progress. Here are some views of the current state of affairs.

One of the downsides of buying things at auction is that they may not work. These three VCRs were DOA. I tried them, something is wrong, so now I get to pay to dispose of them. (Maybe I'll consign them to auction like the previous owners did. Bahhhh!)

I need cables to connect things together, to split the signals and to mess up the house. Here are some of the boxes.

I'm going to put this wide screen monitor on the mantle to get a great satellite picture in the sitting area. It isn't connected yet because I have to crawl into the kitchen cabinets and drill a hole to the cabinets in the family room. Now I'm pretty sure this is no problem, but then I'm a little troubled about where those pipes and wires run inside the wall.

I also seem to collect a lot of remotes. These are for the old 36" TV in the sunroom.

I installed a new (for me) HP printer and bigger 2nd monitor in my office yesterday. My workspace is "almost" there.

I'm headed to Gypsy Lea's in Sauk Rapids to prepare for the March sale. That event is next week and I'm running behind, as usual.

Mr. Flannery