The truthiness is out. Snacking, especially by millennials is IN and by IN I mean that according to some statistics more than 80% of millennials are willing to drop a few extra coins in specialty stores selling upscale and a tad-more-expensive-than-a-Hershey-bar snacks and chocolates.
Of course that kind of attitude warms our hearts. We enjoy hearing that people value quality over quantity (or cost) and are more selective in their choices for consumption.
Yes, we know that healthy food is in. So is healthy recipes for chocolates and snacks. We are hearing more often the importance of organic chocolates, natural chocolates, as well snacks which are full of healthy ingredients.
Sweet Tooth is researching new brands of candies and chocolates in order to fill the request for these sorts of snacks. We are adding new items and eliminating most candies which are simply sugary. We normally avoid snacks and candies which are sold in groceries and in/out stores. We know that those stores do not make certain that the temperature, the light and moisture which destroy the quality of the candy and snacks are kept within the bounds of what is recommended for freshness.
Often those stores do not rotate their candy and snacks. Therefore the customer cannot be certain that the candy and snacks are as fresh as they should be.
"Blooming" on chocolate is often mistaken for mold. However blooming is not mold....it is the separation of the cream, butter and chocolate which naturally occurs if the candy is aged or not kept in the correct environment.
Do I cringe when I see people dispensing their own candy in a grocery store? Do I want to run away from those barrels of candy when I see a store employee loading candy on top of what is in the barrel, rather than rotate the candy?
Yes. I have to admit that after 24 years these things make me a little annoyed. No matter the cost, the truth is that the savings isn't worth the possibility that these precious chocolates and snacks are not worth eating .
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Thursday, July 7, 2016
What Sidewalk Sales Are All About
It is probably 110 Heat Index outside right now. And we are preparing for our Annual Sidewalk Sale. Let me say, that years ago we smartened up and put our Sidewalk Sale indoors where the cool a/c made all the difference in the world.
We started Sidewalk Sales when we were in our first location at the Farm Shopping Center. We joined in with other retailers to take the mid-summer opportunity to offer left over merchandise at 50% or 75% off the retail price. Everyone liked it so much, that even when we moved to the Harvard address where we are now, we continued the Sidewalk Sale.
Jeff was especially enthusiastic. He bought 2 canvas awnings, set them up outside, got out the old boom box and a bunch of Christmas CDS (probably cassette tapes when we first started), pulled out 2 box fans and a canvas Director's chair and he was set to go.
Of course over 23 years, we have had all sorts of weather, from blistering hot to rain, wind and cool temps.
We all took turns sitting outside with our merchandise and we just didn't know better.
Fast forward to our Harvard store where we first realized (DUH!) that we could do all of this inside and wouldn't have to sparkle (sweat) anymore.
Sidewalk Sales are full of bargains. Holiday merchandise and everyday items at deeply discounted prices. Most retailers love Sidewalk Sales because those days help us to send lots of good merchandise home with folks, clear out space for 4th quarter goodies, gives us the opportunity to see that "once a year shopper" who is probably also hitting garage sales on the same weekend.
Jeff's theory is that people like to rummage through boxes and crowded tables. I was not convinced at first but have since seen evidence that Jeff was right on target. There is always a surprise or 2 at the bottom of the box.
There is definitely a psychology to shoppers who enjoy Sidewalk Sales and we really depend on that psychology to help us through the dog days of summer.
What do we do with any leftover Sidewalk Sale items? We box them up and donate them to schools and other organizations in town which can benefit from getting free stuff to use for their programming.
Hope to see you at Sweet Tooth July 8 and 9...this year we'll dress up the Sale with a snack table and our own fun personalities.
On to ordering for the 4th quarter. We'll talk about that later.
We started Sidewalk Sales when we were in our first location at the Farm Shopping Center. We joined in with other retailers to take the mid-summer opportunity to offer left over merchandise at 50% or 75% off the retail price. Everyone liked it so much, that even when we moved to the Harvard address where we are now, we continued the Sidewalk Sale.
Jeff was especially enthusiastic. He bought 2 canvas awnings, set them up outside, got out the old boom box and a bunch of Christmas CDS (probably cassette tapes when we first started), pulled out 2 box fans and a canvas Director's chair and he was set to go.
Of course over 23 years, we have had all sorts of weather, from blistering hot to rain, wind and cool temps.
We all took turns sitting outside with our merchandise and we just didn't know better.
Fast forward to our Harvard store where we first realized (DUH!) that we could do all of this inside and wouldn't have to sparkle (sweat) anymore.
Sidewalk Sales are full of bargains. Holiday merchandise and everyday items at deeply discounted prices. Most retailers love Sidewalk Sales because those days help us to send lots of good merchandise home with folks, clear out space for 4th quarter goodies, gives us the opportunity to see that "once a year shopper" who is probably also hitting garage sales on the same weekend.
Jeff's theory is that people like to rummage through boxes and crowded tables. I was not convinced at first but have since seen evidence that Jeff was right on target. There is always a surprise or 2 at the bottom of the box.
There is definitely a psychology to shoppers who enjoy Sidewalk Sales and we really depend on that psychology to help us through the dog days of summer.
What do we do with any leftover Sidewalk Sale items? We box them up and donate them to schools and other organizations in town which can benefit from getting free stuff to use for their programming.
Hope to see you at Sweet Tooth July 8 and 9...this year we'll dress up the Sale with a snack table and our own fun personalities.
On to ordering for the 4th quarter. We'll talk about that later.
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