When I was a little girl my favorite toy was my cash register. I would sell toys for hours to my playmates and was always devastated when I had to clean my store up.
The first thing I purchased for The Confectionery was a register.
I never thought we would get to this point, definitely not during a pandemic.
Since 2006 I have tried to find a way to work full time for myself (accomplished 2017!) and open a gallery space. The first versions of my gallery included a coffee shop or bakery, but the theme of supporting local, supporting woman powered, and selling my own work have remained the same. I took jobs that would give me the experience I needed to open a shop and for the last 15 years I have had a traveling storefront for my jewelry and sweet soaps while working full time and saving my pennies.
We have been looking at buildings to house manufacturing and shipping for almost 2 years. We had decided to wait until the pandemic was over, but in mid-September I was approached by two wholesale distribution companies who wanted to represent my work nationally. In the last two weeks of September I sold out of Christmas inventory 3 months early and we have picked up 50+ new wholesale accounts.
My husband, Nick, and I saw 2003 Lincoln Ave on September 28th. I had keys in hand on the 30th. It immediately felt like a second home. Nick grew up a few streets away and attended UE, we were married in Neu Chapel in 2000, and my UE jewelry studio is across the street. AND pizza, Chinese, bookstore, COFFEE…other small boutiques. It is a magical little corner of Evansville. The neighborhood has been amazing.
I thought I might drown in October. While renovating and designing is one of my favorite things, trying to do that and keep up with manufacturing and shipping nearly killed me. I called my bestie week 3 and told her to pick me up so we could take it all home. She said no. Sternly. Maybe laughed at me a bit-I can be a bit extra sometimes. Have we met? Other friends helped so much to paint, clean, put in tile, build beautiful things… I feel so blessed to be surrounded by kind, generous, wonderful friends and family.
We soft opened about 2 weeks ago and we celebrate our Grand Opening on Saturday. I am a little weepy, a little exhausted, a little excited, and a lot terrified. Most of all I am proud of what we accomplished in so little time. My daughters are delighted with the whole experience (they are the mermaids after all AND they are cutting the ribbon on Saturday), my husband is glad to have his kitchen and house back (even though he misses me SO much all day), and I’m enjoying my home again.
This feels like a new beginning, but honestly, it’s somewhere in the middle-ish.
Thank you for being a part of our story.
I would not be able to do any of this without you.