CHAPTER, Shop Talk, Shop Updates

Chapter Mercantile | A Pop-Up Shop Update!

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Chapter Mercantile by Adored Vintage in Portland, Oregon

Oh my goodness, this past week has been a whirlwind! In a good way though! Oh, I’m not sure if I mentioned it, but two weeks ago I dislocated my ribs. Super fun! And then I got a cold on top of that.

So this week has not only been very productive, it has also been a week of healing. Staying put and still to allow my body to heal has been difficult. My ribs still are not healed all the way, it takes a full 6 weeks I suppose, but I’m just over 2 weeks and I’m already off my heavy painkillers, so to me, that’s great progress!

Anyhow, let me get back on topic! I’m sure you don’t want to hear me moan about my aches and pains!

Ch-ch-ch-CHAPTER!

This photo above is a photo I took two days before our soft opening. Hmm…where do I even begin about CHAPTER and the inspiration behind it?

Firstly I wouldn’t describe CHAPTER as a vintage shop. In fact on the A-frame we have to put outside the store, I purposely didn’t put “VINTAGE” as one of the shop descriptors. I think the word vintage has been too misused now.

In Portland VINTAGE means two things.

1.] A shop that sells old/thrifted clothes mostly from the 90s, price points between $25-$50.

2.] A shop that sells authentic vintage clothing that carries eras from the 1900s to the 1980s, usually bright colorful with lots to look at.

These are two big generalizations of course, but for the most part, those two genres is what a Vintage Shop in Portland is.

And Chapter is neither. While I do have vintage in the shop, I wanted the vintage in the shop to both accent and also fit in harmoniously into everything else. And because I adore neutral colors so much, all the vintage in the shop fits into that color palette.

I was so tickled yesterday when a few girls were surprised that my mannequins were wearing vintage and antique pieces. They thought they were all new clothes! (I mixed vintage and modern together.) When I get this reaction I know I’ve hit the nail on the head. The Adored Vintage/Chapter woman is someone who appreciates vintage clothing and recognizes the significance of these storied garments, but she also is someone that reinvents the story of the garment. She wears the garment, it doesn’t wear her.

Chapter Mercantile by Adored Vintage in Portland, Oregon

I’m going to take actual camera photos soon, but for now, here are some snaps I took with my phone. It’s a bit more filled out now as we have lots more plants!

Originally I wanted to be a vintage shop meets a general store meets a florist, but I think that last part is going to be meets a plant shop. Most, if not all, of the flowers I’m going to sell will be dried ones (I just prefer them…hehe…as YOU KNOW if you’ve been following my shop for awhile). Also I thought with the addition of live flowers, the shop just became way too girly-girl and I wanted to make sure I didn’t get too cutesy in the shop.

I am really looking forward to how the shop will take place in the future. For years now I have been asked if I would ever open up an Adored Vintage brick & mortar store and I always said, “no, probably not…” because opening a vintage shop just isn’t where my heart is at and while I adore vintage (hence my shop’s name!) I am also passionate about interiors, home decorating, and plants/flowers.

CHAPTER  is more in line with who I am at my core. Eventually I’ll be adding more modern clothes with a slightly more masculine feel. I love the tailoring of men’s clothing. However, all in due time 🙂

Stay tuned for more Chapter pop-up shop updates and news!

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CHAPTER, Shops to Adore

Shops to Adore: iGigi General Store in Brighton UK

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I have been having so much fun finding inspiration for my pop-up shop, CHAPTER! One of my favorite instagram accounts, The Shopkeepers, recently featured a shop I have been admiring  from a far for so very long, I Gigi General Store. I’m not sure why I’ve never thought to share other people’s shops I admire, perhaps because this blog was so closely tied to my vintage shop. However as the days go on by, it’s becoming more of a journal of thoughts, inspirations, and personal recollections.

Shops to Adored: IGigi General Store, Brighton UK
image credit: @luciemcadams/Instagram

What is so wonderful about Instagram is the ability to “visit” shops around the world I may not ever get to visit in real life. Through other people’s lenses, I can get a glimpse into wondrous little places that I’m sure if I were there in person, I’d probably give a little yelp of happiness and skip about “tra-la-la-la-laaaa” and be just as happy as bees in a field of dandelions.

Shops to Adored: IGigi General Store, Brighton UK
image source: The Shopkeepers via @catherine_frawley /Instagram
Shops to Adore: IGigi General Store, Brighton UK
image credit: @carrie_thecottage/instagram
Shops to Adore: IGigi General Store, Brighton UK
image credit: @katya.aga/instagram

CHAPTER Mercantile (my pop-ups official name) is Adored Vintage mixed with a General Store and a Florist. So you can see why I Gigi General Store holds so much inspiration for me. I love how neutral it is and yet so textural and cozy. That’s the sort of shop I want…a shop that makes people smile and a place where they feel like they can linger. Kind of like a library. I love going to libraries. I just wander around for hours.

Shops to Adore: IGigi General Store, Brighton UK
image credit: @theannaedit/instagram
Shops to Adore: IGigi General Store, Brighton UK
image credit: @teawithruby/instagram
Shops to Adore: IGigi General Store, Brighton UK
image credit: @zebster101/instagram
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CHAPTER, Shop Talk

CHAPTER Shop | A Pop-Up Store by Adored Vintage

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The idea of CHAPTER started bubbling around my mind back when I lived in California. At one point, before we decided to move, my husband and I were looking at retail spaces next to one another that had the option of being connected. It seemed ideal! But I also realized at that time, I wasn’t ready to open up a retail store with a more Adored Vintage aesthetic.

Chapter Pop-Up Shop by Adored Vintage

Why do shopkeepers open up shops? I’ve thought about this a lot since I’ve been asked so often ‘WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO OPEN UP AN ADORED VINTAGE STORE?” (Haha, they’re not yelling at me when they ask, I promise!)

And I would ask myself “Yeah girl, when are you going to open a vintage shop?” And honestly, every single time I really thought about it, I just knew in my heart I didn’t want to do it. Maybe it’s because Portland has so many vintage shops already and truth be told, most of them are not doing so well. (That’s not me being shady, I’m friends with most of them and this is what we’ve talked about.)

Question: WHY are you opening up a Pop-Up called CHAPTER, why not do an Adored Vintage Pop-Up?

Answer: I don’t want to open up a vintage shop, while I adore vintage (duh, hence the name of my shop!) I like a plethora of other things that want to sell. A vintage shop would be too niche and limits the audience I want to reach. I’d really love for people to come into my shop and just OOooo and Aaaaaahh with me over all the pretty things. If someone came in the shop and said “OMG, you’re speaking to my soul! You get me!” that would seriously make me so frickin happy!

So what will you find at CHAPTER?

If a vintage shop met a general store met a florist and once in awhile had a dalliance with a cafe, that’s CHAPTER.

On weekends we’ll have baked goods and have coffee/tea service available. But that’s not really set in stone. Since this will be a POP-UP shop, I think I’m only going to do it for one month, maybe two depending on how it all goes.

The aesthetic is feminine, clean, bright, romantic, and lots and lots of neutrals. Alongside vintage homewares and antique and vintage clothing we’ll have modern clothing with classic and simple lines (lots of linen, my favoooorite), poetry books, art books, art prints, candles, more candles, minimalist modern jewelry, art for your walls, apothecary, perfume, notecards, stationery, little things to delight your soul…

If you would like to visit my Pinterest board for Chapter Shop Inspirations, please do!

OK…side note… another reason I don’t want to open a vintage shop is because I don’t want to stock certain types or colors of vintage. I don’t want to have brightly colored printed dresses in my shop. I KNOW…I’m weird. But I can’t very well have a vintage shop and only sell white/cream/grey things, could I? I mean I COULD, but wow, how limiting!

I hope CHAPTER sounds like a place you want to visit. And if you’re planning on a trip to Portland, Oregon this Spring, be sure to stop by our pop-up shop, enjoy a bit of tea, and buy yourself a little trinket or other.

CHAPTER Pop-Up Shop by Adored Vintage

WHERE: Hosted by ORN HANSEN at 2627 SE Clinton Street, Portland OR

WHEN: April 2017

Soft Opening: March 31st, 2017

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Personal, Shop Talk

In Which I Talk Nerd & Business Stuff

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HOLY CATS you guys! The new Adored Vintage is live! It’s ALIVE! It’s A-L-I-V-E!!

Okie dokes, if you’re having loading issues with the new site, just CLEAR YOUR CACHE and DELETE them cookies girl!

I feel like the last few weeks have been a whirlwind… oh gosh, I don’t even know where to begin. Even after the new site launch, I really haven’t taken a breath. Ok, I’m going to take a BIG OLE DEEP BREATHE right now.

Ahh, that’s a bit better.

Adored Vintage | Shop & Business Talk

Okie dokes… so I spent the last few weeks building the new website and Adored Vintage is now powered by SHOPIFY. I am super loving the new digs! I was previously using Zen Cart, which is kind of like that old super comfy couch at your parent’s house that is really dated and there’s a dent in some of the cushions that’s the same exact shape as your body…so you’re COMFORTABLE and you don’t want to move.

Because being uncomfortable sucks. 

Anyhow, this summer has been kind of a weird one for me. Can’t say it’s been my favorite summer. However, I have also done A LOT of growing up within my business. I am going list these out because really, I have to convince myself of these accomplishments.

  1. I am becoming an Accounting Queen. OK…maybe not queen, maybe like Dowager of Downton. But dang, I am impressed with my (so far) dedication to every other Monday accounting. Logging miles and expenses and checking finances. Super boring business stuff NO ONE tells you about.
  2. I have AT LAST perfected a SOP for webshop updates. OMG. I’m super jazzed about my new system. It involves SKU assignments, lots of tags, lots of sharpies, a Processing Log notebook, and re-arranging the AV HQ (AGAIN!)
  3. I FINALLY organized the shipping/cleaning supplies section of the studio. JEEZ LOUISE. This was one of those projects that kept getting put in the back burner and then when it would come to shipping products I would find I ran out of label paper, or tape, or padded envelopes. Now that ALL the materials are in ONE place and super organized, I’ll know when my supplies are running low and need to reorder.
  4. And built a new website. Doi.

So let me tell you a little bit about the process of building my new website:

  • I spent a total of approximately 40 hours on it
  • I cried twice during the process
  • I victory danced 3 times, maybe 4 when I figured stuff out via Google/Youtube/Forums
  • I had to restart the rebuilding process after I spent 2 days on one version coz I broke something and didn’t know how to fix it (auuuuugggh)
  • I ate approximately 6 fast food meals (I know, I know…) ok, I lied. It was more like 10. I can feel your judgement!
  • I re-watched all of Rupaul’s Drag Race Season 4-7 during the process.

I was so nervous about changing over to Shopify because I was worried I wouldn’t be able to figure out the file structure. That moving over would prove I really don’t know how to code websites. Turns out, if you can read code, you’ll be ok. Thankfully I have about 10 years of web design/development experience under my belt and thankfully Google exists. There’s still A LOT I don’t know about Shopify, but all in good time. It took me a good 2 years with Zen Cart to really hammer that nail down.

Now that I’m getting more familiar with my new digs, I keep thinking to myself “Why didn’t I do this sooner? Why?” There are still several things I want to change on the website, but I need to take it a little easy on the coding stuff for a bit.

So, what do you think of the new site? Are there features you think would make it better? (Constructive comments only please! I DO take them all into consideration as many of the new site features were customer suggestions!)

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