Hello everyone,
Well, this week has certainly been memorable!
As you know, I’ve been on a mission to clear a huge amount of footwear to make way for our boutique reset. Some of the bargains really are incredible – shoes that were £120 have been reduced to as little as £10!
Admittedly, quite a few are occasion shoes and heels, so I’m still waiting for Cinderella to arrive for some of them! But little by little they’re finding their new homes, and it’s so satisfying to see them heading out of the door.
Because we’d had posters in the window saying “Huge Stock Clearance”, lots of you were coming in looking rather worried…
“You’re not closing down, are you?”
We found ourselves reassuring customer after customer that this is simply a stock clear-out to help us create a brighter, easier-to-shop boutique with a much better buying strategy going forward.
Then came Tuesday…
Our Summer Sale officially launched with 20% OFF all clothing (excluding already reduced items), so I decided to have a bit of fun with the new window posters.
They say “Closing Down Sale”… but I’ve stuck the word NOT in huge bold black letters right in front!
Well… believe me… hardly anyone seems to notice the NOT! 😂
People have been rushing in looking quite distressed, only for me to explain,
“No! We’re NOT closing down!”
I’ve had hugs, sighs of relief and lots of laughter. One customer admitted she’d completely missed the word “NOT”, and my lovely neighbour told me the whole town seems to be saying,
“Oh, how sad… Karen George is closing down!”
Needless to say, we’re becoming quite the talking point in Emsworth!
The good news is… it’s working!
The shop has been wonderfully busy this week, and it’s been lovely seeing so many of you taking advantage of the bargains. You’re getting fantastic buys, and I’m making space for the exciting new direction the boutique is heading in. Everybody wins.
The school holidays have started too, and Emsworth has been buzzing with grandparents treating their grandchildren to days out. The sunshine has certainly helped, and it’s been lovely seeing the town so full of life.
We’ve had some brilliant moments in the shop this week too.
One lovely customer, who plays the cello professionally, was absolutely delighted to find a beautiful pair of classic black patent heels. She told me they’re one of the few things audiences actually see while she’s performing! They’d been reduced from £120 to just £20, making them a very happy purchase indeed.
Another customer tried on a pair of our fabulous Robell seersucker trousers, loved them so much she came back with another colour too. We love it when that happens!
Although selling things at these prices doesn’t make me a fortune, it’s all part of a much bigger plan. By reducing the amount of stock I hold, I’ll be able to buy more thoughtfully, introduce new collections more regularly and create outfits that work beautifully together. I genuinely feel excited about where the boutique is heading.
So if you’ve been meaning to pop in, now really is the perfect time.
Whether you’re looking for holiday dresses, sandals, trousers, footwear or just fancy a browse, there are some amazing bargains waiting for you.
Talking of holidays, our gorgeous Dress Addict dresses are proving incredibly popular. Their famous crushed cotton fabric means you simply screw them up into your suitcase and unpack them ready to wear – perfect for travelling.
And this week’s featured item is this lovely lightweight jumper. It’s just right for those cooler evenings that are sure to arrive eventually and, like so many things in the shop at the moment, it’s available with our Summer Sale discount.
Thank you, as always, for your support, your encouragement and for keeping us laughing this week!
Have a wonderful week, and I hope to see you in the shop very soon.
Karen xx
