Bursting at the Seams

It's Friday and I am not writing my blog for buy local.  Not because because I don't want to or because there is nothing interesting to write about.  I have met with at least three local business owners over the course of the past two weeks.  I have hung out with far more at a few networking events.

I am not writing about them because I am taking a pause to document another landmark for our little family business.  Paul and I have been working together since 2003 when we renamed Torok Ceramics, our first smaller attempt at business, Heritage Flooring.  We have grown from a part time gig to a full time business.  We have graduated from a sole proprietorship, to a partnership with employees.  We continue to depend on our happy customers to be our best sales force but have begun to gorilla market like crazy people.

It has been a stretching, learning and growing experience for all involved.  This month we celebrate our relocation to our first store front.  To understand the magnitude of this evolution you have to see what our operations look like now.  For honesty's sake, I am going to show you what we generally hide from our customers. 

This is our current office space...

This is our warehouse.

You may notice there are a few extra things in our "warehouse".  A double jogging stroller for the Jr. Associates, a few camping chairs, bikes, our freezer, tackle boxes and folding chairs.  Our "warehouse" is our garage too.  Just like our family, it has been doing double duty for several years.  I look forward to not having to play Twister to get to my freezer every week because of our supplies and tools.

When our customers call us to find out where we are located, we slyly offer to bring samples to them.  We have a P.O. Box for our mailing and we almost never schedule appointments at our office.  It is just not big enough for two people to have a discussion.  We have built our business slowly and therefore did not want to take on too much overhead. However, we have decided now is the time to expand.

This is where we are moving.

I cannot tell you how much excitement is brewing.  For the first time since we began our professional installation company we will have all of our operations in one place.  Our employees will have a hub and our communication will be more efficient.  Our customers will be able to benefit from our design center and gallery of completed work.  We will host seminars on DIY projects, interior design and occasionally business.  On a personal note, my husband and I will be able to finish a majority of our work in a location other than our home. It may be time to stop joking about writing off our mattress because it no longer applies. Shop talk will remain at the shop...most of the time.

We have a lot of renovating, cleaning and organizing to do over the course of the next month and we can't wait to get started.  When we are done we will invite all of you over for our grand opening and it will be a blast!

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I should mention that I will continue my series on the Great Small Business Adventure after we are all moved in.  I have been delighted to sit on Barb Hranilovich's back porch and discuss her invention of the BeveraceCADDi.  I have spent time with Chad Jordan and discussed his growing business in gourmet popcorn at Cravings Popcorn.  I have a lot to say about Rycus Flooring and my friend BJ Rycus.  I hope to meet Angela from Annabelle's Pet Station too.  The best part of my buy local series is meeting all of these great local entrepreneurs and I can't wait to continue to share them with all of you!