A Community Effort

Christopher Thau believes that versatility is the key to a successful business. In 1995, when he founded Christopher's, a 3,600-square foot gift store in Kirkwood, Missouri, he wanted to follow his customer's hearts and minds.

Today, Thau calls Christopher's a "trend" store, because rather than tying himself to any particular product category, he buys only what's in style. For instance, when it first opened Christopher's did a lot of business in draperies. Now Thau's business is 25 percent soaps and lotions, and there's not a drape in sight.

"Basically, I blow with the wind," he says.

Other hot product categories include dinnerware, glassware, placemats and kitchen towels, frames, garden accessories, lamps, and decorative furniture. With a list like that, bridal business seemed a natural fit. The question for Christopher's was, how to find that business.

Thau began by participating in local bridal events, but they were expensive — with booths costing between $300 and $500 — and time-consuming. And for all the effort and expense, the events weren't very successful. "We never saw those people again," says Thau. "They didn't come into the store."

Last February, Thau decided to forgo the booth to hold a bridal event in his own store. "It's a much more civilized way of doing it. We can give customers quality time," he explains. Thau chose February because of the prime wedding season in May and June, and while January would have been even better, the weather in his neighborhood (the St. Louis area) is too unreliable at that time.

To compete with department store bridal events, Christopher's invited other area merchants to exhibit at no charge. Participants included Kirkwood Florist (which donated fresh arrangements for all the tables, as well as an antique wedding dress to display), Jim Summa Jewelers (a showcase of engagement rings), and Vellum stationery store (custom invitations). The nearby Kirkwood Bakery provided a cake and brochures. Sales reps from Christopher's major lines — Gail Pittman, Mariposa, Peggy Karr Glass, and The Thymes — also attended the event.

To get the word out to local couples, Christopher's advertised its "Bridal Affair" on the radio for ten days. Thau also placed two ads in the Webster-Kirkwood Timesand did a mailing. The other participating vendors advertised the event with bag stuffers. The total cost of advertising for Christopher's was less than $1,000.

Each bride that registered received a gift bag of two Pimpernel coasters, samples of Christopher's lotions, a Trapp votive candle in a mercury glass cup, a Pittman plate, and coupons from participating stores. And since vendors contributed to the giveaways, the costs to Thau were minimal — just the price of an additional staffer and a few dollars' worth of punch.

Christopher's registered seven brides on the day of the event, and has since registered an additional three from business the event brought in. "If you register just a few brides, but you do them right, they'll tell their friends," says Thau.

Each bridal registry averages about $2,000 in sales for Christopher's, thanks to salespeople trained to help brides consider casual entertaining and products for every room in the home. As a result, the Bridal Affair added about $20,000 to Christopher's $830,000 sales volume last year. Not bad for a $1,000 investment.

While the other stores that participated didn't give sales figures, each has told Thau that they'll definitely participate again if invited.

And yes, Christopher's is planning a repeat event next year.