Shiny Happy People

I realized something this week that surprised me. When I mentioned it to Jeff, he agreed.

In eleven months, we have not had one difficult or unhappy person in the store.

At least to our faces.

I know we haven’t gotten everything right. And I suspect a few of my outfits have been a topic of conversation on the drive home.

There are plenty of things I think about as we approach our first anniversary. What has worked. What hasn’t. What I would do differently. What I still don’t know. Opening Herschede has given me an education, and some of the tuition has been expensive.

I had a vision for the clothes, the space, the music and the experience I hoped we could create. I had hopes for the business and concerns about whether I could make it work.

I don’t remember having any particular expectations about how nice people would be.

And yet, that is one of the things that has caught my attention most.

People have been unbelievably kind.

Through all our successes, challenges and mistakes, the people walking through the door have consistently been a pleasure.

That deserves a little more attention than I’ve given it.

When you own a business, there is always something to think about. Something that needs your attention or a decision you wish you could revisit. It’s easy to spend so much time thinking about what could be better that you don’t stop to appreciate what has been extraordinary.

I know we all arrive somewhere carrying things other people can’t see. Pressures at work. Worries at home. Opinions, beliefs and frustrations. I have mine. I assume everyone who comes into the store has theirs.

And still, people want to be nice.

That feels like a useful thing to remember when so much of what we hear about each other suggests otherwise. My view from the store has been considerably more encouraging.

I would like to think the room has something to do with it. We’ve put a lot of thought into making Herschede a place where people feel comfortable, where they can linger, explore and feel like themselves.

But I can’t take credit for the kindness people bring through the door. I can only appreciate it and recognize what it has meant to me.

It makes the days more enjoyable. It gives me something to look forward to, even when I’m preoccupied with everything else.

Before we opened, I spent a lot of time thinking about what I wanted people to experience at Herschede.

Eleven months later, their kindness has become one of the best parts of mine.

-E