My Love

I FINALLY finished "Audrey: The Second Year." It's been a very emotional process because every video clip I added reminded me of the all the awesome video clips that were accidentally deleted (I'm reaching a point of acceptance). While it's not as good as "Audrey: The First Year," I still love it because watching her grow up is the best. It starts off a bit slow, but it picks up! (Movies via youtube: here.)

I missed adding Tori Rawley and Andria Harmon to the thank you list (thank you Tori and Andria!). I'm sure I missed more, but I'll make it up to those people in "Audrey: The Third Year," which is currently kicking booty.

I Don't Even Have an MBA!

Forewarning: This post is way too long. This will be rare, I promise!

Oh, Dunkin Donuts. The day you opened your doors next to Noodles & Co. on Kirkwood, I predicted your doom. Did you forget to fully research ye ole Bloomington? Researching (#1) how large our population is, and (#2) how much of our population likes coffee and donuts (um, 99%) is just not enough for a town like Bloomington. First of all, I feel pretty comfortable stating that Dunkin’s prime time must be morning. I also feel pretty comfortable saying that people are more than willing to spend big $$$ on coffee and donuts in the morning. But there’s more you need to know!

Ok, if Dunkin Donuts had hired me as a consultant, here’s what they would have heard:

1. There are two MAJOR competitors within one block of the proposed location. Does Bloomington have a big enough population to support three in one block? Probably not, but this is just a small observation.
2. Does Bloomington, in general, support corporate businesses? Actually, yes / somewhat, but a good local joint will take away a lot of your business. Don’t expect to come in and take a chunk out of the local businesses’ devoted clienteles. It ain’t gonna happen. If the local business sucks, then you have a shot. In this case, you don’t.
3. What is the foot traffic around your proposed business location during your peak hours (i.e. morning)? Um, nil. Trust me, I work right across the street. There are days I walk into work without seeing another human being on the street. Not what you’d expect, I know… but something you’d learn with a little research.
4. But, you say, there 40K students on campus and they love coffee and donuts! Yes, but they are almost NEVER in this location in the morning. They do venture over for lunch…but even then the population of students eating lunch in this location is fairly small in comparison to the student population. This is because there are VERY few classrooms near this location (it’s mostly administrative buildings).
5. Lastly, did you actually SEE the proposed rent from your landlords??? Perhaps you missed one zero in it?

Just think: I would have only charged you $1,000  for my consultation and you would have saved at least $500,000. Sometimes paying for market research is worth it J.

Other businesses (I think are) doomed and why:

• Campus Candy (location is WAY TOO expensive for their small revenues)
• Panda Express (too many competitors, food sucks, rent too high)
• B Boutique, Hey Nineteen, and any girly business with the name “Bella” in it (the overhead just trumps your potential earnings, too much competition)
• Sweet Grass (not enough sales, renting too much unused square footage)
• Finches (many people will disagree with this, but they just don’t get enough business)
• 90% of Bloomington's bakeries (because there have been 30 other bakeries in your location before you…so duh, don’t do it!)
• That new soup business on the square (for every reason listed above and a million more!)

Ok, it’s important to note that there are always some businesses that stay open without making a profit…meaning the owner pretty much finances it on his / her own because he / she loves it, OR because he / she doesn’t know how to do the books, therefore he / she doesn’t realize they are actually losing money (until it’s too late). Here are a few that I think fit this bill:

• O’Child! Darling store that the owners must feel very passionately about, but there’s no way they make a decent profit with that product and that rent.
• Baked! (a cookie store), Green Bananas (a clothing store), and this hippy store on Indiana that I don’t know the name of: I think these businesses make money, but not because of the product they advertise. Haha. 

What are some others, Bloomingtonians?


Images from here.

"Happy Spring!"

...said the snow.

They Also Sold Thongs (not the shoe kind) to Kids

Oh, before I forget… have you seen all the press about the push-up triangle bikini for…GIRLS (ages 7-12)!?!?! Check it out below. Since the uproar, they have re-categorized it as “padded.” So much better. I am ordering one for Audrey right now just in case they no longer offer them in 5 years. 

link

The Perfect Saturday?

Today I had the best brunch of my life with the girls and the babies. (Unfortunately Seja couldn't make it, but we forgive her since she was on a family trip.) On the menu: baked cinnamon apple french toast, fruit salad with every fruit you can think of, some sort of amazing cheesy-egg-sausage pizza, pigs in a blanket (sausage wrapped in bacon), and mimosas!! This was followed by a three-hour nap, then a dinner of corn pops while watching "Wallace and Gromit." Next is shrinky-dinks! Yup, pretty close to perfect.

This is the perfect time to introduce part of the cast: my Bloomington girls! We've basically been a tight crew for about 8 years or so. These women are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G, to say the least. Amazingly smart, fiercely loyal and caring, and FUN! Top row L to R: me, Seja, Kelly. Bottom row L to R: Sarah B, Sarah W, Melo. Sorry boys, every single one is attached! Except me of course :)!

Irrational Pet Peeve

I know it's a waste of energy for this to be a pet peeve of mine, but I can't help it. I can't stand how Mickey's feet and hands are so out of proportion with the rest of his body (on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse).

But honestly, what really gets me are Daisy's and Minnie's feet. Their feet are bigger than their torsos!

Photos are here and here.

Chad's Surgery Went Well

Just an update from a previous post. My dear friend Chad's surgery went very well. I visited him at the hospital last night and I can say that he has the most amazing support system: an always-positive wife, his wise-cracking buddies, and a family that is tight as can be. Good times ahead...