Monday, November 01, 2010

I can’t believe I’m saying this...

Scrapbook Generation is moving to a new location.

It’s bigger!
It’s better!
It’s beautiful!

The best part?
You won’t have to reprogram your GPS to find us, because we’re only going a few steps away.

We’ve occupied Suites B and C of 330 E Battlefield for a little over six years. Soon, we’ll be settling into Suites D and E, where the Way Faith Community Church is currently located. With that slight change in address comes a huge change in size. We’ll be expanding our store from 3,000 square feet to 5,000 square feet!

Same great location. Same easy access. Same large parking lot. But everything else will be SO different!

Reasons you’ll love our new home:
• Our retail space will double. For example, after Scrap-a-Palooza, we won’t have to wait weeks before we can find space to display all the new paper collections. We’ll be able to have more paper collections all year round, plus bring in other products we’ve wanted to add to our inventory for some time. We’ll also be able to display products in a better way. Right now, I’m picturing a whole wall of Thickers!

• Our classroom will be spacious, and separate from the retail area. We think we can seat as many as 30 people comfortably (two at a 6-foot table) for classes and crops. Since we can seat more people at one time, we’ll be able to allow longer class times on Saturdays. No more rushing to get finished so the next group can get started! We’ll also have room for larger classes when popular guest instructors are teaching at SG!

Reasons we’ll love our new home:
• We’ll finally have a storage area. Right now, we have none. We’ve taken over a hallway and the loading dock where we are, and we have stuff stacked floor to ceiling in the office, but we’ve never had a place to organize and store the new shipments, retreat decorations, Palooza racks, and all the other items you seem to need to run a business. We waste a lot of time looking for stuff!

• We’ll have a better office. I’ve always described our current office as a hallway that wraps around a bathroom, and that’s pretty accurate. We’ll now have an office that can be a smooth-functioning area instead of a catch-all space for everything we can’t find a home for anywhere else.

• We’ll have a second office strictly for Scrapbook Generation Publishing. This area will also be our SGP shipping area, which is an important part of our business.

The next couple of months are going to be exciting!
The retail space has the potential to be an awesome, inviting area! The ceiling is exposed, with the ductwork showing, which makes the area look even larger. It’s just a really cool look. There is also an entry area that we can do some fun things with, once we can get in the building and really start making it our own.

And when will that happen? Much of our plans concerning when we move will depend on what the church decides to do. The orginal plan our landlord proposed had us simply switching places. However, the church may choose to buy or rent another building, and that affects what we do and when we do it.

Our new lease begins January 1, and the church will be out of the building by then. If the membership decides to take our current building, the move will be more hurried and we’ll have less time to renovate. It’s possible we would have to close for a few days if that is the situation. If the church decides to find another home, and moves out prior to January 1, we’ll be able to spend more time redecorating and getting things set up just the way we want them, without having to close down the store.

Of course, we’ll keep you updated on when the actual move will take place, and if we need to close for a few days, we’ll make sure you know well in advance.

I hope you join us in our utter excitement over this change. Six years ago, when we were looking for a place in which to start Scrapbook Generation, Karin and I peeked in the window of the 5,000 square foot part of the building, but we knew we couldn’t afford it. We took the smaller area instead, and it has allowed us to thrive and grow, with your help and continued patronage. It’s wonderful to be in a position to be able to make this change not with fear, but with confidence. And we have you to thank for that state of mind.

Now that you know our secret, what do YOU think? We would love to hear your comments!

31 comments:

Emily said...

You were excited to share the news - it's really earlier in MO -- I am so excited for you guys, and can't wait to visit the new store !! best of luck

Erica M. said...

That is awesome! When it had been vacated by the Little Gym I thought that would be a perfect spot for expanding! I didn't realize how big it was on it's own! I'm so excited for you girls! Congratulations!

Lisa said...

Congratulations! Can't wait to shop in the new store!!

dawn said...

I'm so verrrrrry happpppy for all of you. Bigger space is always better. Hope to come out one day and see it. Congrats on being so successfull.

p.s. still wish you had a store close to my home.

Terr said...

That is great way to spread you wings!

Anonymous said...

Woohoo! I knew it! That was one of my answers!!! Yay,Congrats!!!

Christina Hoffman

Laura said...

So excited for you ladies!!! I love that you can have more collections out to sell and the classroom space will be bigger. Congratulations on 6 years of hard work to get to this point. I feel so lucky to live close by to a top notch scrapbook store.

Kristina said...

YAY!! 2000 more reasons for me to shop more often than I already do!! :)

Anonymous said...

Woo Hoo!!!!! I am so excited for you guys (and for us). More space to organize is always a plus. Can't wait to see what you do with the space.
Traci C.

thearthurz said...

Yeah!! Great news!! I love that you will have more space for goodies!! :)

Anonymous said...

Sounds like it will be GREAT for all involved! Can't wait to walk in and see it "loaded" with all the new stuff...but I was right about needing to find another job to support my habit. Especially if your going to have even more stuff to choose from! Mom will be so happy..no stairs!

Amy from KC said...

Oh, I think I lost consciousness for a few seconds when I read a "whole wall of Thickers!" ;)

What great news. I can't wait to come down and visit the new store...of course the current store is pretty wonderful. I am so very happy for you all, it sounds as if the new store will be more comfortable for all of you. Since you spend so much time there, it is important that you all have space to do the things you need to do. You guys have done a great job making do with your previous behind the scenes spaces, but you really deserve the new and better ones. It's good news for all of us!!

Yvonne said...

How exciting!

Tammy Tutterow said...

I am so thrilled for the SC family! What awesome news! I can't wait to visit and teach in the brand new class room!

Kimberly Knapton said...

Sooo happy for you !! More room to play and organize and shop and play and.... LOL Really happy for all of the great success you have had. I alway feel so welcomed every single time I walk thru your doors. It's going to be so great !!!!! :) CONGRATS !

Shirley said...

Wow-o-wow! How exciting is that! I am so glad for you, and excited for me as well. That will mean more products for me to choose from! Yay! So glad about the staying at the same location,too. I never dreamed that building was so big, until I saw all the people coming out after church one day.

Congratulations!

Christa Allgood said...

So exciting!!! Congratulations!! I'm also a little selfishly excited because I'm a lingerer who likes to hang out after my class time is over! :)

Anonymous said...

I am so excited for you guys! My mom and I were making guesses as to what the big surprise was going to be. I have to say she got it right!!! Congratulations! I just wish I was 50 minutes away and could come to more of the classes!

Tiffany said...

OMG!!! I can not wait! SOOOO exciting!!

Anonymous said...

It's GREAT! I really like the location. I was affraid you'd be moving farther in town or somewhere with a lot of stairs. I don't plan on having any more surgery but you never know and I do know I want to continue coming to SG. In fact, I'd be willing to help with no pay I like being there so much. I'd be like Amy though and need a job to get more of the things I love but don't really need. Anyway, I'm so happy for you I can't wait to Friday night now. Christine Rantz

Kristi said...

That is GREAT news! Let me know if I can help in any way!

scrapinmo said...

Great news! I'm sure I will be spending more time at the store. Very happy for all of you.

jane-e said...

I've been wondering if you could use that space for classes and such. I am so very happy for you.

Danielle said...

Awesome! For everyone - you & your customers. I am most excited about the crop space. Can't wait!

Linda Gilliam said...

WOW are you kidding me, what I think is, it's FABULOUS!!! More space = more GOODIES!
I'm so happy for you all, sounds like it will be SOOOO nice for you and for us customers too!
Hugs
Linda

Anonymous said...

It only took me 5 guesses but I got it right - wahoo for you all!

Anonymous said...

Awesome news! :).. CONGRATS to everyone at SG! :)....


Ashley L.

Kim M said...

I think it is awesome that you will be able to expand, yeah for you!!

Merri Lynn said...

That is great news and couldn't happen to better people. Congratulations and continued success.

Anonymous said...

i can hardly wait. i'm picturing it now. more SPACE! more GOODIES!and more SHOPPING !!!! shhh don't tell the hubby. oh and lets not forget... NO STAIRS !!! mary anne

Annetta said...

Congratulations!!! This is great news!!!

 
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