It's happened! We are officially in our new space at 103 West State Street!
Last month was quite the whirlwind as we got our new location renovated and ready for the big move. In spite of my best intentions ("of course this time around things won't be so last minute..."), it was chaos right up until we opened our doors. We were scheduled to open at 6PM on August 1st, and if you were there at at 5:59PM, you most likely saw us scrambling out our door with ladders, empty boxes and a big ol' shop vac, still decked in our "grubbies" & flying by the seat of our ever-lovin' pants. My best intentions were heaved right out that front door with our last-minute mess, but open we did! And ever since then, it's truly been a joy to welcome customers new and old into our new space (if you have't had the chance to visit yet, we hope to see you soon!).
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| One day before opening... |
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| Less than an hour before opening... |
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| We're open! |
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I don't know about you, but moving has proved a common theme this month. Besides moving our shop space, these past few weeks I found myself
- Helping a friend pack up to move herself and her boys to the midwest.
- Wishing a customer all the best for her family's upcoming relocation (to an island! Yes, just a tad bit jealous).
- Hugging our summer employees farewell as they prepared to head back to college.
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| We wish Roci (pictured here), Abby, & Katie all the best in their college endeavors! |
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All this moving reminded me of something I read recently - that with every "yes" we embrace regarding an opportunity, there are also "no's" which will inevitably accompany those opportunities.
- As my friend said "yes" to moving closer to family & their support in the midwest, she also said "no" to the familiarity of home and friends she and her boys had here.
- As our customer said "yes" to making the move to island life, she also said "no" to so many conveniences the mainland offers (what is a family of 5 to do without Costco & Trader Joes?).
- And as our employees said "yes" to heading back to college, they said "no" to home-cooked meals, sleeping in, and a great job (cough, cough - we miss them already!).
Moves can be exciting, but they're seldom easy-breezy. And weighing the "yes" with the "no's" can paralyze us at times.
When I was first presented with the opportunity of moving the shop, the potential of what we'd be giving up almost got the best of me. It meant saying "no" to momentary comfort, familiarity, and more time with my boys this summer. We'd just gone through a shop renovation last year and frankly, it just seemed crazy to move all over again with all the effort involved.
Yet, I couldn't deny that God seemed to be opening doors, and in saying "no" to the momentary chaos Jason and I knew would ensue with this move, we would also most likely be saying "no" to the good the move could bring. In the end, we didn't want to regret not jumping all-in when given the opportunity.
One thing God seems to be teaching me over and over again is this: good moves, the right moves, are always worth the mess and effort to get there.
Have you found this true in your own life? Often it seems so much easier to let an opportunity pass us by, to choose current comfort and stability over embarking on the unknown. But I challenge you (as others challenged us in our decision about the shop), to consider your life a year from now, five years from now. Will you regret not saying "yes," not pushing into the hard for a season to gain the desired end result?
Less than 2 months ago, I was sitting in our old shop bemoaning what I'd be leaving behind (I loved that space!): |
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| Goodbye 108 N. Union Street |
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But now I can honestly say I don't regret for a moment saying "yes." The dust and splinters and late nights were all worth it (just please don't ask me to install another shiplap board anytime soon!).
Are you currently wrestling with a "yes"? Hold onto common sense (it's there for good reason), but don't let fear hinder you from making a move in a positive direction. Sometimes you just have to hold your breath, and take that leap of faith:
1...
2...
3...
YES!
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Well wishes as we say farewell to summer and hello to fall. May you embrace with courage and hope whatever "yes" lies ahead for you in this new season!
Best Wishes & No Regrets,
Kari
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| P.S. Grateful for all the help and well-wishes we received in our move. (Shown here minutes after opening, and seconds before throwing on more appropriate attire, with my mom - the most dedicated renovation side-kick a daughter could ask for!) |
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