I answer all the phone calls at Pink Chalk Fabrics. This would be the second phone line that comes into our home. The birthplace of the shop. Sometimes when people call I wonder if they realize I’m actually answering the phone from my living room (that would be the room this photo was taken from).
Last August the business had clearly outgrown the extra upstairs bedroom and I looked at commercial space. Sky high prices!
After many late night conversations the correct answer revealed itself. Take over the dining room, prove the business concept and attempt to ride out a turn in the recession. 2 out of 3 ain’t bad. We took over the dining room (plus the front entry way and half the living room) and the business grew beyond estimates. Still waiting on that turn, come on already!
The flip side of the recession after Christmas was FINALLY a softening in the commercial lease rates here on the island. Goodness, who were they waiting for! I guess me and my conservative accountant brain. A match.
Moving was like one of those dreams where you just can’t get to where you’re going. The u-haul rental took quite a long time only to realize at the end of the ordeal the 10′ truck didn’t come with a ramp. Add in a stop at a local rental shop for ramps. Ahem, more than half the cost of the truck itself.
Once home, I got the truck stuck in the grass as I was turning to back into the garage. Add on 20 minutes to find my work gloves, fill a wheel barrel with gravel (fortunately we have a large pile of gravel just sitting around for such purposes, yes, sounds like another post), shovel said gravel behind wheels of bald tires on 10′ truck, and pray that it backed out successfully. It did. Girls really do know how do finesse these things the first time around.
Diana and Jacqui doing the hard work. We finished the move today except for the ONE cutting table that will require very strong men tomorrow (thank you again Diana!).
I’ve had this vision of workspace since I began the business two years ago. A lesson in patience beyond what my mile-a-minute brain is really comfortable with. Dinner tonight was grilled sausages and tator tots. Greg surprised me with a bottle of champagne to commemorate the day. Not a typical pairing but the perfect way to celebrate this very meaningful milestone.
I’m so looking forward to answering the phone on Monday! Thank you to all my fabulous Pink Chalk Fabrics customers for making this move a reality. xo Kathy
Oh congrats Kathy – how exciting for you all – and the house must feel so nice and spacious now!!
Congratulations! And yes, how lovely to get some of your house back.
Congrats! Must be so nice to get your house back….. Now just to have the time………
I can’t wait to see the new space filled up with all those fabrics. And sausage and tater tots sound great with champagne. You’ll remember that.
congratulations! what a fabulous reward for your patience.
It’s all so exciting to see! I’m glad you’ve documented it all with photos – once you’ve been in your official space for a while it’ll be so funny to look back at the days when you ran the entire business out of your dining room. I bet your house feels massive now!
Huge congratulations – I’m so happy for you!
Congratulations! You truly deserve all the success. Great job!
Congrats congrats congrats!
congrats on the move! and it’s so great seeing all those bolts of fabrics
Kathy, I am thrilled for you & I can’t wait to see your beautiful new space filled with fabric.
Very exciting! Congratulations!
And in the midst of all that you still shipped me fabric that arrived in SoCal in record time! Congratulations!
huuuuge congrats! it’s so uplifting to see someone so deserving living their dream. oh and all that fabric is yummm.
I love this *behind the scenes* post. Once again, hearty congratulations, Kathy! Good things come to those who wait…and provide fabulous customer service!…wishing you the best of luck.
Congratulations and much happiness and success in your new space!
Many congrats, Kathy! I am so excited for you!
Congratulations on the new space. I am sure you are so excited to get your dining room back. My first thought when I saw the picture of the dining room with all the beautiful fabric was “I want to live there.”
What an amazing journey! I love seeing your office as it was before the move, and hearing how you took over part of the house. I’m so excited for your move into a space you dreamed of. Moving is never fun, but I hope that image gets you through it. Can’t wait to see pictures of the new place!
SO happy for you that your dream is becoming reality! Congratulations and I look forward to ordering from you again….
The toughest part is behind you now! Enjoy breathing in your new space – and perhaps an Easter dinner in the reclaimed dining room?
What an absolute thrill this must be!
I am so excited for you (and glad it’s not me who is moving!)I can hardly wait to see pictures of the new space all filled with those yummy bolts of fabric. All the colors and textures……..ahhhhhh! You deserve all the success in the world. You are still, by far, my favorite place to shop and browse and I will think of the new place, and your smiling face, whenever I’m there!
Blessings, hugs and kisses,
Linda
Congratulations, this is SO inspiring!
I can’t wait to see the new space!
Congratulations
congrats! I can’t wait to see what you stock in your extra space. : ) Have I told you how much I love the Moda Grunge I bought? And the crossweaves…ooooh. Really into the luxury “solids” lately and you are on top of most of those lines. Love it.
Congratulations, Kathy! I hope you will have a little bit of time to spend in your now-reclaimed house, and best wishes for the continued success of Pink Chalk. It’s all about offering a great product, along with superb customer service. And you offer both in great quantities. Thanks!
Boy, this is so good to see your business thriving. Gives me hope for the economy as a whole.
But man, would I worry about all those beautiful bolts of fabrics just *out there* like that. *S*
Congratulations!
Congratulations Kathy!
I’m hoping to make that move sometime this year.
For now the dining room and living room will have to do.
Congratulations! What are you going to do now with your dining and living rooms back?
It’s all very exciting, congratulations!
How exciting for you! I hope your store continues to be everything you hoped for, because it certainly is fantastic for us, your customers.
Kathy, I’m so happy for you! I admire you so much. You deserve all the success and happiness and here’s to much more, whatever you desire! You grab life and make your dreams come true. Such an inspirational woman. Congratulations.
That sounds like quite a job! Good luck with the move and the unpacking. It must be nice to regain all that space in your home too!
Oh, happy day! I’m sure you’re going to love your new space filled with all that goodness. Keep on growing!
How exciting ! Of course the truck had bald tires, and of course it got stuck in the grass, and of course there was NO ramp included with the truck – sounds like something that would happen to me too! Your resourcefulness and fact that you are an amazing woman helped you solve that situation with only minimal delays! YOU GO GIRL!!
How very exciting ! New business space and new space at home too!
All in good time be sure to let us know when you might have a grand opening at the new business space, when you might welcome your customers in for a hug, and to buy fabric! You know Robin and I will be there! We are just looking for another excuse to come down from Canada and spend some more time on the island!
So very happy for you! Hugs from Vancouver !
Congratulations on taking the business to the next level!
Wow! Congrats to you!! I’m looking forward to hearing about your adventures!
Congrats Kathy what an adventure to start, I will be watching you with anticipation of many things to come.
Good Luck and God Bless Sandra (saayquilter)
That’s SO marvelous! Congratulations!
I wish U-Hauls had lift gates. I like the way you moved–using shelving. I really like that kind too. I’m so excited to see how it all turned out! Congrats!
I am so excited for you!!! WOW!! That fabric is gorgeous sitting in you dinning room…WOW.
Congratulations on an amazing achievement! It will be so different to commute to work… but then it is BI so that’s not saying much! Kudos to Greg for providing the bubbly- definitely an occasion for that. Cheers!
Congrats! I will have to place another order soon!
Beautifully executed move! Now what’re you gonna do with all that ROOM in your house?!! Wishing you all the best and lots of joy in your new space! Oh, and wishing us ALL a quick end to this “economic slump.”
That’s fantastic, congratulations!
Congratulations! I look forward to seeing photos of the new space filled with your furniture and merchandise!
Things are falling into place Kathy! Congratulations on having a home to yourself again.
wow Kathy! That is so great, all that in two years business is incredible. Keep going, can’t wait to see the new space set up.
Congratulations!!
I’ve been following your blog for a long time and feel so inspired by your work and accomplishments. This is the first time I leave you a comment, though. Had to.
Congratulations Kathy! How exciting that must be