Putting Together a Store

Hello! You saw my sign in the last post... I didn't mean to keep it a secret, but have been really busy. Anyway. Way back when I first started this blog, one of my first posts was a visit to a nearby furniture consignment store. I had been going there for years as both a customer and a consignor. One day, in February, when I went into the store I found out they were closing because the property they were at had been sold. Instead of reopening, the owners decided to Do.  Something.  Different.

 No.  Good.  I was at a point where my kids are growing up and leaving home and was looking for something to do.  I had interviewed at a couple of places...  This opportunity was too good to be true.  The owners were willing to sell their name, expertise, etc.  After talking with Darling Husband (and kids), we decide this was worth pursuing and doing! 

I had to find a space.  I've seen a couple of blogs lately that have found a cute space in a downtown looking area.  I'm in a basic (older) strip mall that has a lot of good foot traffic and a couple of the businesses have been there a long time, there are other consignment stores nearby.  I'm right next to one that's been there since the 1980s.  (Before consignment was cool!)  It is in an area that I, and presumably lots of other women, have to traverse frequently. 

Per the former owners' advice, I looked for a place with about twice as much square footage.  So my place is 2900 sq. ft. and consists of two units that I opened up to one another.

Consign DeZigns was on its way to being reborn!

I had some help painting!  A friend and Six-Foot Chick worked on the gold wall.  Fun-Sized Chick worked on the grey.  I did most of the green myself.  Darling Husband cut in near the ceiling for me.  I was working with a sprained ankle (with a boot and brace), so couldn't go up and down ladders.  (You may notice that in one of the units I inherited some "lovely" flooring!)

As a paint side note:  Budget, budget, budget was on my mind all of the time.  I went to my local Porter Paint store (where I purchase my Ben. Moore) to see if they had any 5 gal. OOPS paint--YES!  They did!  The warm grey was purchased as it was.  The gold and green they graciously tinted for me.  The price??????  The gold and green cost me $20 each, the grey cost me $30--for 5 GALLONS!  I checked with the other big box stores and they didn't even have 5 gal. oops paint! 

A wall was put up at the back of the main unit so I would have an office and receiving area.  The owner of the building installed double doors in the back for receiving large pieces of furniture.  (I actually like receiving all furniture back there, since it's easier than worrying about fitting through the single door.)

Because of the cheap price and (supposed) ease of installation, I chose plank vinyl.  It was not as easy to install as you may think!  Darling Husband, Six-Foot Chick and I worked on it one Saturday for 6 hours and made no progress.  Blessedly, a handy friend at church asked me how it was going the next day, when I told her our problems, she and her husband helped me for a couple of evenings in a row and we got it mostly all done.  When they weren't there, I plugged along by myself (I didn't wear my boot if I was doing floor work).  (I look like a Lone Ranger, but I assure you, I'm not!)  The trick to this was getting it started off right.  After that, it wasn't so bad--but you had to know the right way to line it up and snap it in.  Knee pads and gloves--essential!

Lastly, and these photos are not good, but you'll get the idea.  An old, funky, dated laminate reception desk came with the deal.  (The former wooden one was sold before the owners knew I was buying the place.)  Again, being budget minded,  I purchased wood trim and applied it with liquid nails.

Then, I painted the entire thing out with homemade chalk paint, using the grey wall color (and Plaster of Paris using Sherry's recipe).  It's not my dream desk, but it's so much better and will "do" until I can become profitable enough to get another one.