Who Do We Do It For?

[teddy_radiator]

Shortly before Christmas, a regular customer walked in wearing the coolest muffler I'd ever seen. It was a true, Tom Baker-Dr. Who job, with multicoloured stripes of various colours, the result, she said, of using up lots of small bits of yarn. She'd knitted it herself! I told her how gorgeous it was, and exacted a promise that, when I made the time, she would teach me to knit. I've been wanting to learn forever.

Yesterday, she came to the shop again, and draped it over my neck. And hugged me. "It gave you so much pleasure," she said, simply. That's not the first time it happened. That honour goes to a rose that had been cleverly wrapped and shaped into a rose and fastened to a pin. When I remarked how clever and pretty it was, that customer did the same. She unpinned it from her blouse and pinned it on mine.

Our shop is ailing. I cannot truly see us hanging on much longer, as much as it grieves me to say it. The Hubs and I built it from scratch from the floorboards up, and we had two amazing years. Now, we cannot pay the bills, and I think we know it's inevitable. People are giving us great ideas, and we will try, but I have to face facts that in a couple or three months, I will go from Teddy the owner of the Victoria, to plain old Teddy. I'll have to hope I can get a job, and so can the Hubs. It's more difficult for men. His ego is tied up with the job more than mine.

And I think of all the lovely customers who have supported us faithfully. They come regularly. They give me gifts and Christmas pressies. They love what we do. There's just not enough of them.

I am very glad Droxy picked me up and brought me to your doorstep. You guys really are one of the few positive things going on in my life. Please excuse me for being so mauldlin. The last thing I want is for this to become a pity party. I just writing what's going on. I'll be okay. I've been down before, and I'll be okay. I just want to know we've done everything we could to keep it going. I'll be wracked with guilt every time I wear that muffler if I don't.

Comments

[alabastard.livejournal.com]

I feel for you. I lost everything when I invested in a company with someone who had the experience in the field I lacked, but who then ran when things started to get tough. I hope something happens that allows you to keep the shop, though have faith that if not, it's meant to be that there is something better just around the corner. Things often work out like that, as it did for me.

[teddyradiator.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much. I am feeling philosophical about it. I know we are truly doing everything we know to do, and if we can't, well, we'll have to just be very careful and start a new stage of our lives. It can't be any scarier than starting a restaurant from scratch without any prior business..or restaurant experience!

[ayerf.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry to hear that. I hope - fingers crossed, touch wood - that you do somehow manage to keep going.

Good to hear about such lovely, generous customers, though.

[rivertempest.livejournal.com]

How very neat that those customers did that. For the longest time, I've oft despaired of the human condition. But this brought a smile to my face, as well as other things I've seen in the past few days.

I agree, men’s egos are very much tied to what they can provide for their families, and if that falters, so can they. I have every faith that you can support each other as you’ve done it through the good times. Just cling to each other more through the bad.

I won’t pretend to know how you feel, with your ailing shop, as I’ve never had that opportunity, but know that we are here should you need us. Sometimes, all you need is support to make it through the bad days.

[teddyradiator.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much. The support I've had over the last few days here has been one of the most incredible stories I have ever been part of. The response has been beyond belief. I tell people here about it (I don't go into all the dreary details but..)and none of them have, either.
I feel part of something extremely special.

[melusin-79.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear this. What do you sell? If there aren't many customers around where you live, can you sell on-line?

[teddyradiator.livejournal.com]

Just looking into Mr R's face on your message made me feel a lot better! lol

We are a tea room, and we do sell tea all over the country. I also have a published cookbook, Brits and Grits, which we sell at the shop and although we aren't set up to automatically sell online, we do get occasional requests through our website for shipping requests. We are primarily as restaurant but a tea room with 85 different teas.

[mimimanderly.livejournal.com]

You know that you are on YOUR path when things start working out to your benefit faster and more furiously. You have already witnessed this: the gifts and loving sentiments from customers, the warm reception here at LJ. Sometimes things that are not on your path are sloughed off in the process, and that can be painful. It hurt when DA banned you. But if that didn't happen, you wouldn't have made all the friends you made HERE. Rest assured that even if your shop closes, painful and inconvenient as it may be, there IS a reason. You may not find out right away. Hell... it may take a couple years. But eventually, you will find yourself in a better place than you are now, even though that may seem unimaginable NOW. This has happened to me several times. Each time, I would feel like I was going through Hell... that I would never be happy again. And each time, I emerged from it able to see WHY it HAD to happen, and how it bettered my life in the process. I hope that you, too, can experience that when all is done.

[teddyradiator.livejournal.com]

Mimi, the encouragement I receive here is so uplifting. We may have to close, but we know we will be okay. We have lived through so many experiences that made us realise that we needed that change in order to grow. Some have taught us tough lessons, and others have been life experiences, and we will be okay. But the sincere heartfelt messages I am receiving do help. I am augmented by them, believe me. Thank you for being such a dear friend.

[dickgloucester.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry you are finding things so tough. What does your shop sell? You say you've got some things to try, but there are many people on LJ with good ideas, so you could try throwing out a request for information.

It's heart-warming to hear of such lovely and generous people who appreciate you.

[morethansirius.livejournal.com]

You really should look at the muffler and the pin simply as the gifts of love they were. Those customers will miss you dearly if you do have to close. Think of them fondly when you wear their gifts. No guilt allowed! I hope things start looking up soon. In the mean time, have some virtual eclairs.

~Points to icon.~

They'll make you feel a little better and have absolutely no calories!

PS. I guess I shouldn't mention that I'm lusting after the Baker Who scarf. Tom Baker has always been my favorite Doctor, although Tennant has given him a run for his money.

[teddyradiator.livejournal.com]

Yum. Just let me go and get a cold glass of milk to go with those. There my favourites! Thank you for your words of support. I will try to send a pic of this magical scarf. When I put it on, I feel happier. I think she put a Cheering Charm on it.

[bonsaibetz.livejournal.com]

I'm very sorry to hear of your business troubles. What type of business do you own? It is a retail establishment? A service or food establishment?

Many sectors are feeling the extra belt tightening in this economy. Do not take it as failure, but that this is the state of the economy largely. Yes, I know it gives no comfort to the fact you may have to close shop, but take from this that you've lasted this long in this crappy economy.

My mother had a deli she bought back in early 1979. It was a brisk business at first, but then the economy was still shit in 1982 and business began to slow. But my mother branched out into catering, and when that wasn't doing as well, she got into studio catering in Hollywood. Eventually she morphed the business into wholesale food manufacturing and she had quite a few items in the Trader Joe's fresh case until her retirement in 1998.

So do not think of this as a possible end, but the chance for you to look for new opportunities. Good luck.

[teddyradiator.livejournal.com]

We are an English Tea Room. We do sell teas and tea fittings all over the country, and I have a published cookbook, Brits and Grits, which we sell in the shop. It's not done too badly. It's actually on Amazon, but they really charge high overhead for it!

It sounds like your mom had a great business sense. I don't know that we have that kind of imagination, but we are trying our best to do everything we can. We have a lot of local supporters who really love us, and some of them are offering some good advice as well.

thanks for taking the time to write and for the words of encouragement. I really appreciate it.

[bonsaibetz.livejournal.com]

One thing you may want to branch into is creating your own packaged brand of Southern style scones. Take recipes that you've developed and package to sell in shops across the South. Like a Southern pecan scone recipe in a wax coated bag with your brand label on it. All people have to add is liquids, i.e. egg or melted butter or milk. Call your brand something that combines Englsh and Southern.

Check out local gourmet shops and independent markets to see if there would be an interest in a line of products.

Look into branching out into catering, like my mother did. Sometimes people want to hold teas at *their* house, but don't want to do the work.

I checked out your web site. Perhaps starting a monthly book club to meet at your tea room, specializing in English and Southern writers.

Go to bridal fairs and promote your place for Bridal shower parties.

Offer an economical alternative to a lavish reception for those who only wish to have champagne, cake and tea. Simple champagne and cake receptions used to be a fashionable decades ago as an alternative to expensive full spread receptions that would go on for hours and include a full meal and dancing. With the economy the way it is, people are still going to get married, but they will try to find more economical ways to celebrate, yet try to keep it elegant.

Set up a children's tea once a month with story time from any children's authors passing through your area. Contact Scholastic and some of the other children's book publishers and hook in with their PR and press department.

Etiquette lessons. In a tough economy, good manners mean more now than ever. Contact anyone who teaches etiquette lessons and work a deal to host lessons at your place.

Do your have historical tours that go through town? See if you can work a deal with the local historical association who coordinated the walk if they can finish up the tour at your shop.

There are just a few ideas I could think of.

If you don't Have a Facebook and Twitter account, get one. Get your customers signed up so you can let them know when interesting things are coming up.

[teddyradiator.livejournal.com]

Thank you for all your excellent ideas. We do implement many of them. We have book signings, lots of bridal and baby showers, birthday parties, etc. We also have a very active FB account, and have very strong affiliations with the local British pub and the Electric City Playhouse, a local theatre. We are sort of 'brother and sister' there, and do a lot of joint activities.

[bonsaibetz.livejournal.com]

That's good to hear. WHich makes me even sadder that despite all your proactive work, you're still having trouble. There is some regaining of consumer confidence, but that is slow to return. Then again, January is always the worst month. Was for my Mom, except for the studio catering line, which we'd go back into swing as production companies came back from Christmas hiatus. Wholesale food production for Trader Joe's, and the deli really eeked along in January because everyone is going on diets (Ooh, maybe a post-holiday season calorie light menu for January!) and paying off Christmas credit card bills.

I noticed your hours of operation and you're closed Sun. & Mon. Valentine's Day is on Monday. Will you be open for V-Day? Might be a good chance to draw guys in to bring their dates since Valentine's Day is *THE* most crowded night of the year in the restaurant industry.

[teddyradiator.livejournal.com]

If we're still going, we may do what we did two years ago. We had a Valentine's evening for couples. Really romantic, candlelit, really nice food, sexy desserts, roses for the ladeez, it was a High Tea, which meant a 3-course meal with a different tea for each course. Great fun, but we didn't make much because we hardly charged anything for it!

I'd love to do something like that again. It was a beautiful evening, and everyone who came loved it. We'll see if we can afford it.

[teddyradiator.livejournal.com]

Thanks, babe...I'm holding on as hard as I can...

[teddyradiator.livejournal.com]

Sempra hugs....almost as nutritional as Severus hugs....recommended daily requirement of Severus...giggle.

BTW, would you like to see a sneak peak of Chapter 2 of LML?

[duniazade.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry to hear that, especially as your place seems to be very nice and it's clear that both of you have invested so much love in it.

I suppose you must have already heard this, but how about giving cooking or baking lessons in your shop?

Courage and good luck. *hugs*

[m-mcgonagall-65.livejournal.com]

I spent several months without a job recently and have finally got one. It's hard to not know how the future is going to go, but we wouldn't look for new opportunities if everything was going well.

*hugs and good thoughts*

[blueartemis07.livejournal.com]

Many hugs and good thoughts your way. I love tea rooms. I'm no where near you, but I send you good vibes.

[sunnythirty3.livejournal.com]

Wow! Just watched the video on your website. I love scones with cream and jam. As a devoted tea drinker, I hope you still continue with your love of tea in this cappuccino crazed world. :D

[teddyradiator.livejournal.com]

Thanks! We have a lot of good friends who are trying very hard to support us in every way. We had a great day yesterday (the local university was cranking back up, so lots of students and parents were there) and others who'd seen our newsletter and facebook page about our problem. We have a lot of people who love what we do - we just need to get them coming more consistently. We really don't want to give in until we feel we've exhausted every possibility.

[andyissadangel.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry to hear about your shop. I really, really, really hope you will somehow manage. I read all comments, and all friends have some good ideas. I wish I could help in any way, but I'm like 3000 miles away... I can give you just support trough virtual hugs :)

[teddyradiator.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Blue. I do appreciate all the good karma coming at me from all over the world. It means alot to me.

It stinks that it blocks my precious Muse a bit. I can't relax and let him come to me very easily with this hanging over my head. I sense him hovering, waiting patiently for me to give in to him, but I also know he understands why I don't. I'll be okay. I have great friends and they will help me survive!

[andyissadangel.livejournal.com]

You just have to wait patiently, everything will work out somehow:)

[dozmuffinxc.livejournal.com]

People are, occasionally, brilliant. It's little acts of kindness like the giving of that scarf and the rose pin that remind me of the spark of the divine in each human being. It's so telling, too, that your customers are so giving and seem to care so much for you and the work that you do.

Here's to hoping for a year of prosperity for you and your hubs. Many happy returns in the new year!

[teddyradiator.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much. We are rich in friends and support, that's for sure. Whatever happens, we know our friends here and in our hometown are looking out for us.