some progress and some funny stories

Inching forward as the year comes to a close...

* changed my store name to "Makers Dozen."  thought it had a nice ring to it and encompasses everything I will sell, since all merchandise will be hand-made by an artist.  I will also make a point to open with 12 or 13 artists on display

* purchased a website domain.

* came to an informal agreement on a space very close to me in the Italian market.  hope to have lease signed late this week

whats next?

* I am meeting a few artists this week.  a screen-printer from philly and a furniture maker from new york.

* I'll start working on the website, though not sure how much i can do without any of the merchandise 

* I am going to go to a few salvage places and see if I can find something that would make for a good store sign to hang out front of the gallery.

Whats happened in the past week that is funny?

* I sent a christmas card to a stranger.  no response yet.  (we met when I delivered her christmas tree.)

* I performed the heimlich maneuver on a friend last night.  thats gotta count for some major karma points.  (actually, I also gave a homeless man a half of my bagel sandwich a few days ago, too.)

over n out.

go birds, thank you Chip Kelly.

-Chris

Sole Proprietor and an update on a potential artist for the gallery

signed up for my EIN today - Christopher Downing Love is now the Sole Proprietor of the Cozy Corner Gallery.  

I am putting an offer in on a property that is on a corner.  and the name itself is not original - but that of the best bbq restaurtant I have ever been to, in Memphis Tennessee... later this afternoon I am going to call the folks of Cozy Corner in Memphis and make sure they're okay with the name...

 in other news: had an awesome call with a woman at the Center for Southern Folklore in Memphis.    My favorite painting that I have in my house came from a bar in memphis; and Southern Folklore is in touch with the artist - Stephen Hudson.  Hopefully I can speak directly with him and purchase some of his work for the gallery...

here's the Stephen Hudson painting:

History behind the painting: Furry Lewis, born in the late 19th century was a prominent Beale Street blues performer.  in his later years, he was known for hosting folks in his apartment at 4th and Beale streets.  (he had beef with Joni Mitchell after she wrote a song following a visit to Furry's apartment.)

... more to come on the purchase of additional Stephen Hudson paintings...

and if anyone is reading this blog, tell me if you like the painting(?)

The all-important initial post of my blog!  At the recommendation of one smart young lady, a Ms Tina Yuan, I am starting a blog to track my progress towards opening a small art gallery and boutique in Philadelphia.  Thus far, I have made decent progress in getting together an outline of what I hope to accomplish with my gallery; not a full-fledged business plan as of yet, but definitely something to work with.  here are the highlights: I want cozy, comfortable, accessible - from a price-point perspective; and I want the community to feel welcome.   I want the occasional workshop open to the public.  I want schoolkids to be able to meet artists, artisans and 'makers.'  I want a mix of international and local.  I want color and optimism; diversity and originality.  I want to personally 'like' every item on display... At the outset, my goal was a gallery dedicated to paintings; over the first few weeks I have moved towards a gallery that has some crafts, pottery, women's accessories - handmade scarves and jewelry, possibly lighting, in addition to paintings.

With respect to my approach to buying, I am making small purchases to start.  While my margin will take a hit, I want to test different types of art and merchandise to see what resonates with the customer.  If something does work, I can reach back out to the maker and purchase additional units.

the price-point will be low/medium.  in addition to making collections accessible and affordable, I like the idea of quick turnover, which allows the gallery to feel fresh and will hopefully lead customers back to the gallery on a more frequent basis.

... Progress thus far:

* I MADE MY FIRST PURCHASE ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14th.  6 paintings from a brilliant artist from the UK.  very excited.

* Had an awesome meeting this past weekend with an ex-coworker that has started her own clothing line with a friend.  Looking like there is a very good chance I make a purchase from her.

* Went to see a small vacant property on 9th street a few weeks ago.  Rent was higher than anticipated, so I am going to wait to see if the landlord comes down... and at the advice of a friend with experience in this field, I am going to wait on finding a space until my collection of merchandise has more depth.

Whats next?

* get a catalog from an artist I have been talking with in Memphis.  I have a piece of his hanging in my living room.

* find a way to connect with a few painters in Granada, Nicaragua.  the owners of the hotel I stayed at in November have been communicating on my behalf.  fingers crossed.  their work is beautiful.

* research galleries and boutiques in the area to get a better understanding of what makes for a successful store layout.

* have a brewski or twoski. (immediate future)

Last note of my first post: I was very lucky to have worked for a very cool company and to have worked with, and for some fantastic people.  But I want to do my own thing; be my own planner, buyer, marketer and researcher.  I was able to save enough to give this a shot for a year; it certainly means a lifestyle change and a paycut.  But thats cool.

nighty night,

big Chrissy