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The Gifted Retailer

GDA Staff -- Gifts and Dec, 3/4/2011 3:27:20 PM

The secret to Shannan Harris', owner of of Moments on Main in Red Wing, MN, success? Keep the store bright and fresh.

Gifts & Decorative Accessories: What do you like best about being a retailer? Moments on Main
Shannan Harris: I really enjoy making sure the store is bright, fresh and happy for our customers and friends.
It's a great feeling to hear how many people enjoy shopping here and finding things they don't see everywhere else.

It means a lot to build relationships with customers and to be able to talk with them about their lives and their families and help them with just the right purchase.

G&DA: What was the most valuable piece of business advice that you ever received?
SH: Start out your business with a POS System in place. I can't imagine not having one.

G&DA: What is/was your most successful promotion?
Moments on Main SH: It really is a combination between our annual birthday party every April and our three seasonal open houses.

We have a one day Birthday Party on a Saturday around the middle of April every year. I actually opened the store on my birthday in 2005, April 14, which seemed like good karma. So we celebrate birthdays instead of anniversaries. There is a 20 percent off storewide sale that one day. We always have yummy cake from the local bakery and usually gift bags or door prizes of some sort. It is very festive!

We have three major floor re-sets and open houses that follow - Spring, Autumn and Holiday. We are closed leading up to the open house and there is a "Sneak Peek" event on the Thursday prior to the open house weekends. This is usually when we see many of our regular customers. There is a larger sale for the three-hour party the rest of the weekend. There are always goodies and sometimes door prizes as well.

We also have a birthday club and customers get a mailed postcard good for 20 percent off their purchases one time during their birthday month and they get a free Tyler Birthday Cake votive candle.

G&DA: What three products/lines are you best sellers?
SH: Tyler Candles
The Good Bead/Bauble Lu Lu Jewelry
And whatever the season/holiday is....that entire seasonal look is always the front of our store and it is a real mixture of merchandise that reflects the current time of year.

G&DA: What are you doing to attract new customers? Moments on Main
SH: We are using Facebook somewhat regularly and will be starting a frequent buyers program. We donate a lot to our local community and I believe this helps continue to bring new people into our store. We are also located on a prime and busy corner of Main Street. We spend a lot of energy and effort making our store inviting with flower boxes and changing our curtains each season and new awnings. Many times customers say that the exterior was what made them stop and come in.

G&DA: What was your most effective display?
SH: I would guess it was one of our holiday displays. We rotate using a large white flocked tree and a few years ago it was in one of our main windows and with the window boxes decked out for the season it really was pretty! On three of the other windows we painted snow globes with little snowflakes in them and then featured smaller, narrower trees inside the store which looked like they were in the snow globe. That was one of my favorites.

G&DA: How do you find your best employees?
Moments on Main SH: Be related to them! My mom, Kay and my sister-in-law, Sue have been here since day one and I couldn't do it without them. My part-time employee, Jan and I worked together for five years at a furniture store down the street and I knew I could trust her completely. Her skill set was perfect for our store. Fortunately I don't have to look for employees on a regular basis.

G&DA: What was your biggest retail problem and how did you solve it?
SH: I am still working on it. The entire accounting/cash flow/inventory management area of my business is still tricky for me personally. It is not my favorite part and I tend to have a mental block about it! My goal this year is to try and improve my knowledge and understanding of these areas. I have stepped back from many of my community volunteer commitments in order to make this a priority in 2011.

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I love shopping at Moments and all my out-of-town relatives do too! It's always fresh and beautiful and a friendly shopping experience.
Laura Blair - 2011-03-08 09:14:29 EST
Moments on Main is a great shop in Red Wing, MN. Shannon has so many great items for gifts and for your self. Her shop is a great fit to RedWing.
Stacy - 2011-03-04 16:13:55 EST

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