Frameshop stuff
Jun. 28th, 2006 02:26 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jim_pExecutive summary: My picture-framing shop is back in business and now ready to hit the road :)
Here was my day today: First, head off to Fitchburg to do some paperwork regarding some land I'm selling (I'm selling part (only part!) of my Phillipston holdings to raise some capital for the business). Then it was off to Phillipston to care for the feral cat.
(sad note: I may have to put the cat down. Oh, near as I can tell he's healthy as an ox, but he's 120% totally un-adoptable, caring for him in the cabin is a real strain, and try as I might to place him as a barn-cat I've come up empty. grump.)
After that, it was back to Leominster. Turns out there's a print gallery in the mall that's going out of business and they contacted me to see if I was interested in buying any of their equipment. I popped in, said hi, chatted a bit. Turns out they're a chain that was mismanaged into the ground, so the judge finally ordered them liquidated. Poked around their back room with the manager. Noticed how some of their equipment was set up and had a few head-slapping "d'oh" moments. As in, they were *really* tight on workspace, so a number of their machines were set up vertically rather than horizontally as in my shop. In some cases it actually works so much better that I'm thinking of doing the same thing. D'oh.
There's a couple of toys I'm interested in, but I need to do some research before putting in any bids...
I then put on my marketing hat and asked her if their client list was for sale as well. She said "What client list?" She was as irritated as I was at this; the shop was part of a chain, so though she was the manager she had to do things the corporate way. This, apparently, did not include capturing client data for marketing purposes. I guess this is one of the reasons they're going Chapter 7...
Then it was off to Home Depot for some materials, then back to the shop for some building. Basically, I built a bunch of mobile frame-corner-sample display cases so that I could easily shift my sample displays between Leominster and Phillipston (and, BTW, be able to take them to client sites too!). Then I went to my computer and transferred my software and databases from the computer to the laptop, so I could take that anywhere too!
So the long and the short of it is, I can now see customers either in Natick, or in Leominster, or even onsite by arrangement!
I got a gig from the office already (the office mgr wanted some stuff framed for display, I told her I'd give her a good price :) ). Took delivery today of some materials for just that gig (it will be an exercise in seriously oversized work. Normal sizes are up to 32x40 inches. "oversized" is up to 40x60 inches. This piece is 42x60. I had to order 4x8 sheets of foamcore and plexi for this job!).
So, in short, I'm back in business! Yay!
Here was my day today: First, head off to Fitchburg to do some paperwork regarding some land I'm selling (I'm selling part (only part!) of my Phillipston holdings to raise some capital for the business). Then it was off to Phillipston to care for the feral cat.
(sad note: I may have to put the cat down. Oh, near as I can tell he's healthy as an ox, but he's 120% totally un-adoptable, caring for him in the cabin is a real strain, and try as I might to place him as a barn-cat I've come up empty. grump.)
After that, it was back to Leominster. Turns out there's a print gallery in the mall that's going out of business and they contacted me to see if I was interested in buying any of their equipment. I popped in, said hi, chatted a bit. Turns out they're a chain that was mismanaged into the ground, so the judge finally ordered them liquidated. Poked around their back room with the manager. Noticed how some of their equipment was set up and had a few head-slapping "d'oh" moments. As in, they were *really* tight on workspace, so a number of their machines were set up vertically rather than horizontally as in my shop. In some cases it actually works so much better that I'm thinking of doing the same thing. D'oh.
There's a couple of toys I'm interested in, but I need to do some research before putting in any bids...
I then put on my marketing hat and asked her if their client list was for sale as well. She said "What client list?" She was as irritated as I was at this; the shop was part of a chain, so though she was the manager she had to do things the corporate way. This, apparently, did not include capturing client data for marketing purposes. I guess this is one of the reasons they're going Chapter 7...
Then it was off to Home Depot for some materials, then back to the shop for some building. Basically, I built a bunch of mobile frame-corner-sample display cases so that I could easily shift my sample displays between Leominster and Phillipston (and, BTW, be able to take them to client sites too!). Then I went to my computer and transferred my software and databases from the computer to the laptop, so I could take that anywhere too!
So the long and the short of it is, I can now see customers either in Natick, or in Leominster, or even onsite by arrangement!
I got a gig from the office already (the office mgr wanted some stuff framed for display, I told her I'd give her a good price :) ). Took delivery today of some materials for just that gig (it will be an exercise in seriously oversized work. Normal sizes are up to 32x40 inches. "oversized" is up to 40x60 inches. This piece is 42x60. I had to order 4x8 sheets of foamcore and plexi for this job!).
So, in short, I'm back in business! Yay!
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no subject
Date: 2006-06-28 12:46 pm (UTC)Regarding finding a barn, somebody on
no subject
Date: 2006-06-28 01:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-28 01:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-28 02:24 pm (UTC)We should talk....
no subject
Date: 2006-07-15 05:32 pm (UTC)Anyhow, if you still have items you want to frame, I'm very portable now. I've got all my shop software on the laptop, and I built a case for transporting a selection of corner samples... do you want to come here or shall I go over there? :)
--jim
no subject
Date: 2006-06-28 04:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-30 12:57 am (UTC)