The Making of a Store, Part 3

Have you ever watched Restaurant Makeover? We haven't had cable in years now, but when we used to watch TV, it was one of a handful of shows that I found very interesting. I'm a sucker for a makeover, but the kind that involves hammers, flooring and wallpaper, not nail polish and a trendy haircut (although those can be fun too). I have written about store makeovers before here and here. Every time the Design Sponge posts a store makeover, I get so excited. I wish that they had a weekly column. Come to think of it, if you have links or before-and-after photos of stores you like, send them to me, I would be happy to do some more research.

I love seeing empty spaces turned into unique little shops, particularly when done on a humble budget, which always seems to bring out the creative side in people. I find that is when the best ideas are born, from the necessity to think outside the box and come up with smart, clever ways to decorate, those that cost nothing but look amazing. Indeed, a tight budget often brings out the best in all of us, whether it is through digging into your closet for that dress you haven't worn in years and giving it an upgrade with new buttons and a belt, or finally fixing that old table that has been lying around in your garage instead of buying a whole new dining room set. The pendant lights above are made from old fans. They look great and they are one of a kind.

I especially like spaces that appear hopeless and turn into cozy little shops. This one is particularly impressive since it was a moldy old hardware store and was transformed into something completely opposite, a girly flower shop named Honey of a Thousand Flowers.

As much as I love seeing humble neighbourhood shops thrive, I am equally disheartened when they don't. My own neighbourhood has slowly lost a bit of its charm over the years and I now walk in front of many spaces for lease, with rents too high for anyone to succeed. I try my best to spend my money close to where I live, buying local and supporting small businesses as much as I can. I know that I could probably save a few bucks by ordering online or going to big box stores but I am conscious of the impact that my money has over the long-term success of such stores and I want to see them around for decades more. I cannot imagine a world where mom-and-pop stores don't exist and have been replaced entirely by big corporate chains and I often wonder if people associate their shopping decisions with the disappearance of neighbourhood shops. If you feel that a small business in your city offers good product, great service and a cool shopping experience, don't think twice about buying something from them, support your neighbourhood businesses, even if you could save a dollar or two purchasing from a bigger store. It really does make a difference in the long run. You might find it really sad when you realize that the shop is gone and didn't make it and by then, it will be too late. Hats off to all those courageous people who have opened their own store and do their best to keep it going. And good luck to Honey of a Thousand Flowers.