Indulge me. I am compelled, with a big smile on my face, to recount the great and visual tale of our biannual seconds sale, which occurred last Saturday January 26th (ostensibly from 10am to 5pm.) A teaser would be...we sold over two thousand seconds in one and a half hours flat...gone... vaporized.
We had a work force 10 strong, working three pay stations. We had a designated line manager, a few rogue sales persons brave enough to work the floor and Lee at the door alternately welcoming and holding back the masses...we had to stagger the entries...think crowd control with sugar on top.
I arrived promptly at 9 am. The line was swelling already. Two women, first in line, brought camp chairs, blankets, the unauthorized biography of Jerry Seinfeld, and lattes (obvious pros.) I learned later that this was a mother/daughter combo. They each landed 4 glassybaby seconds with an additional 5 for their daughter/sister in law in Texas. We always welcome personal shoppers. Mom came into our shop during the week after the sale and described that it was the best event...a great mother daughter time. They will definitely return in June. A scout told me that they were in line around 8am...two hours of Jerry, coffee and sale anticipation. They have heart. I love it.
Other anecdotes...at the height of sale critical mass, I glanced onto the floor where we had 12 eight foot banquet tables lined up carrying, over their weight capacity, our 2 thousand seconds. I honestly saw one customer skitter under the table on all fours to the other side...a decidedly tactical and somewhat primal glassybaby move...so funny. Back to my station duties. The shoppers took the mayhem in such stride...it was truly humbling and makes the sale a lark. I bantered and exchanged general sweetness with so many that came my way. I would say:"Congratulations...you survived." or "How many did you get?" One couple asked for a 16 pack traveling box. They had flown in from Boise expressly for the sale...possessing a deep love and appreciation of glassybaby...so die hard, I love it. This was the obvious exception to our normal 'down and dirty' sale packaging of grocery bags and newspaper. They took flight later that day with their box of 10+ seconds. Well done. I learned also that someone had flown in from Florida for the sale. They checked out in a different line.
My line clogged at one point. A wonderfully warm buyer could not unzip her well loved, over the shoulder, textile, satchel/purse. In a decisive moment, as she realized the delay she was causing, she entreated me to hand her the scissors. Then, she made a lethal incision in her bag...leading quickly to her debit card. Clog solved.
One last tidbit on the sale...a customer in my line waived her plastic bag wrapping rights as her seconds were safely nestled in her Louis Vuitton bag...'green' and sheik. We send our warmest thanks to everyone who with such good nature and shopping karma braved the sale in the cold, cold January degrees.Thank you for making the sale a huge, fun, abbreviated success.
End note. The volunteer daffodil bulbs at my house have valiantly arrived again...a harbinger, like our glassybaby spring colors, of good things to come. We embrace this mezzanine between winter and spring. We embrace you and glassybaby seconds and imminent spring color.
Until Next Time, Nicola
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