Retail Therapy: Chrissy Bee

>> Thinking about opening a shop? Read on and find out what really goes on behind the register...

Quick facts:
# of employees:3
Did you write a business plan? No
Day your doors opened: August 28th 2006
Owner: Deborah Genet

1. Name one thing that completely took you by surprise when you first started Chrissy Bee - something that neither biz how-to books or any "SCORE" workshop prepared you for.

Next time I would be much more hesitant in ordering a lot of inventory up front.

Getting open! My build out time for the shop took almost double what I had anticipated. So during this time I incurred the carrying costs (ie rent) and had merchandise piling up waiting to be sold. Some of my merchandise was already 3 months old before it ever got out on display. Next time I would be much more hesitant in ordering a lot of inventory up front. I would plan on this lag time and probably try to negotiate a free month of rent or something like that into my lease (to cover this transition period).

I've definitely grown to know my customers and figured out a way to merge their needs with my taste.

2. I once heard someone say "A business that doesn't grow eventually dies..." How has Chrissy Bee evolved since you first opened your doors back in 2006?

The merchandise selection has become more fine tuned. I've definitely grown to know my customers and figured out a way to merge their needs with my taste. I've also noticed gaps in the market in terms of items I'm looking for and the the prices I want to retail them for. This has actually been the inspiration for the chrissy bee product line I'm currently working on. Everyone said manufacturing is the way to go, so I created a chrissy bee line and have started working on samples (all local production) that will eventually retail in the store. I totally agree with evolving. We've seen huge leaps in online stores in the past few years. The next big project for us is the internet. we are currently designing an e-commerce site where people will be able to buy directly from us. I hope to have it completed by the end of June 2008.

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3. If Oprah decided to give you $10,000 tax free for your business, but you had to spend it in one week, what would you do with it?

I'd pay down the credit card debt!

4. Owning a shop means constantly wearing different hats. Here's how Deborah ends up spending her time:


10% Buying
5% Marketing & Promo
20% Production & Operations (photos for site, hang-tags, display)
50% Customer Service
5% Fulfillment/Shipping
5% Accounting/Billing/Finances
5% Sourcing products/vendors

Chrissy Bee has received rave reviews on sites like citysearch and yelp. For an "upscale" shop, it definitely doesn't come across as upscale-posh and unfriendly. She even has a child-friendly corner to help moms out. It's clear that Deborah is a customer service genius, so I've asked her to give budding store owners 5 actionable tips that can make a huge impact on your bottom line... 1. Acknowledge everyone that comes through the front door immediately and politely. Even if you are working with another customer, a simple smile & "hello" always makes everyone feel more comfortable and welcome. 2. Offering to "kid sit" while mommy is shopping the store has been really helpful. If you help to occupy the child's attention, it frees mommy up to browse, try things on, and hopefully purchase distraction free. Trust me it's worth it. 3. Always offer help once the client is in the fitting room. I always offer to grab other sizes, run things to and from the fitting room, and ask what they are liking and not liking about specific things. Based on their responses I can offer up alternative items that might be more suitable. never abandon the customer in the fitting room (unless they've made it clear they don't want your help...almost everyone does!). 4. If I don't have the size, color, or specific style the customer is looking for, I always offer to "special order" it for them. It's really easy to send your vendor an inquiry about availability and it makes your clients feel important to know that you'd go out of your way to help them. 5. Always follow up! If I tell a customer I will email them when a new shipment arrives, I do. If I do a special order, I make sure the vendor will meet deadline and the customer is in the loop on the whole time-line process. I offer free hemming service, I make sure my client has their new pants back within 48 hours. The easier you make it for your customers to shop at your store the more likely they are to think of you first, come back to you first, and refer their friends to you first.

>> So you think your goods and art are perfect for Chrissy Bee?...

I travel pretty regularly between New York, LA, and Las Vegas going to markets. it's really the best part of the job.

5. Do most of the other designers you carry approach you, or do you
actively seek out new designers/crafters? If so, where?

It's kind of a mix. I travel a lot! I'm always looking for new vendors and designers to work with. I travel pretty regularly between New York, LA, and Las Vegas going to markets. it's really the best part of the job. In SF, I attend the local design fairs like Thread Lounge, Capsule, Appel & Frank, etc... looking for new lines for the shop. I hand out a lot of business cards at these things. I pretty much leave it up to the designers at that point to follow up. I am lucky because my shop has a good reputation in the area as being independent designer friendly. So I am constantly being approached by designers via email, and phone about looking at their lines. I try to look at everything but my inbox is usually over-flowing every morning.

6. What is your process in choosing merchandise and what 3 things can artists do to stand out in your mind?

I look for things that seem to be unique to each designer. I don't want 5 brands that look the same in the case.

I don't have a specific process I use in terms of selecting merchandise. I feel like I am constantly looking for new brands, whether it's at craft shows, tradeshows, online, in the shop, or out shopping myself. I look for things that seem to be unique to each designer. I don't want 5 brands that look the same in the case. Each designer must have a specific style, collection, or type of material/design that makes the line unique to them. I always consider the retail value in relation to the item. A good question to ask is "will my customer pay x amount for this item?".

With that said, I guess the three things I look for are:

a) QUALITY - Attention to detail, are the clasps hand made, are the chains they are using stock or custom, etc

b) COHESIVENESS - I want to see a collection that is well thought out, offers a lot of choices within it, and looks good grouped together for merchandising purposes.

c) VALUE - I am always looking for a good value to pass on to my customers. I often come across similar pieces from different designers. The pricing can be all over the board. I would say, be aware of your competition and try to think about retail (not wholesale) pricing when presenting a line.

7. How do you go about choosing artists to represent in the gallery?

When we first started out I just chose from all the people I already knew through the San Francisco art scene ( I used to work in fine art). The more openings we hosted, the more I was able to expand the network of artists I knew. I also get regular submissions from artists now who would like to show here. I generally invite artists whose work I feel will show well in the space. The gallery space is quite high so small pieces don't represent well in the space.

>> LINKS
www.iheartchrissybee.com

In the area? Stop by and say hello: 622 Shrader Street, San Francisco, CA Tel. 415.221.3020

Thanks Deborah!!