12 months ago we opened our brick and mortar toy and comic store. On 3/1/2020 we received the keys and were so full of hope. For the next 20 days we worked tirelessly on building out the space, filling the store with fixtures, then stocking the shelves and hooks.
Each day that passed talk about covid filled the air, but at first it was just something of distant lands. Then cases started popping up in the US with the first in IL being at a hospital nearby. As things got more serious we pushed even harder to get the doors open to hopefully get some sales in before the lockdowns that we heard might be coming.
Then we opened our doors for 2 whole days, to then be forced to close them for 10 weeks.
Our shows canceled one by one going out months, and even until the end of 2020 all during this lockdown.
Amazon refused to ship our items for close to 2 months as they would only ship "essential items".
The post office was a disaster and shipping times were taking forever leaving customers upset.
All odds seemed to be stacked against us, yet here we are a year later. We learned a lot about ourselves, our customers, and our business. Feel like we learned more in 12 months then most businesses need to learn in their first 5 years. 2020 tossed so much at us that we had to pivot over and over and above all else we learned that plans go to shit real fast and it's about how well you can adapt to your situation.
Can't wait to see what our second year brings us. Business plan is ready...and we are ready to adapt yet again if needed.
Congrats and well done. I sincerely hope you’re through the worst of it, because now you know just how much you can survive!
Thank you and I hope so too!
Congratulations on the first year. I know things must have been pretty dang tough for you and your family during the last 12 months, yet you survived. Hope things go a heck of a lot better for year two for you.
It was a challenge, but kept fighting and that is key. For a solid 7 months it was pretty ugly since so many people around here are living in fear. But more and more people are getting out of their homes and visiting stores again. Good times ahead...I hope!
Good luck on the next 12 months. As you post about your business consider tagging the ctp community. A bunch of people trying to grow their business over there too.
I'll have to look into that community. Don't know anything about it. Missing a year has me totally lost these days.
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STOPGlad to have another shop owner on here brother. Best of luck going forward through 2021!