Packing my bags!

I'm heading out this Thursday, on my way to Indianapolis for a NARTS (national association of resale and thrift shops) conference.

This is my third conference and since it is so close to home, I am not really stressing out at all. No plane rides like the past 2 years in Atlanta, and San Antonio. I'll just make the 2 hour drive, with no worries.

It's so nice being able to take any and every item of clothing I might possibly want to wear. Usually I'm cramming the bare minimum in my polka dot suitcase about now.

So here's what I'll be doing all weekend.

Thursday: I'll meet up with a shopkeeper from Utah named Patty, and her husband Kenny who have become very dear friends to me. We will probably go to lunch, and there is a probably a chance of visiting an Irish pub before we head off to a meet and greet function where we'll hug all our buddies we haven't seen for a whole year.

Friday: We will be treated to an opening speech by someone from the organization, and then we'll load coach buses and tour other resale and thrift shops in the Indianapolis area. This is great fun to see how their shops are set up and how they run things. I learn a lot about how to serve the customers better during this part of the conference.

In the evening is an auction and cocktail party.

Saturday: This is the true day of learning, where I will attend workshops such as "Is your floor space working for you?", "Creating a customer service culture", and "Accountability is everything". Each of these workshops will teach me dozens of new ideas which I will scribble in a little notebook I keep in my hand at all times.

The first year I came home and we did what we called, "mini extremem makeover~SmartyPants edition". Remember the cutesy pink and green was replaced with turquoise, brown and lime green?

After my second conference, I decided I wanted to be a teen shop for real, and that I needed to brand the shop as a teen shop in order to succeed. We moved to a teen friendly location, and you all seem to love it...we do as well!

Who knows what I'll come home and do this year...there's no telling. I come home on a mission to make the shop better, and I always try and make at least one quick improvement. I'll let ya know what that will be next week.

Saturday night is free time, and Indy is so close, my husband will join me and maybe we'll go to Broad Ripple in Indy http://www.discoverbroadripplevillage.com/. There's this great steakhouse where the owner comes around and chats with you. I like that kind of hometown feel.

Sunday: More workshops, and sourcemart where I'll buy books and get info from vendors regarding new products to use or sell in the shop. In the evening we will have a dinner and dance at 21 Club at Union Station.

Monday: Closing session and I'll be whining and weeping as I say goodbye to my best buddy for another year.

Carmen and Ashley are running the shop for the weekend, so stop by and harrass...oops err I mean say hello to them for me.

I'll post some pictures when I get back home.