Thursday, September 24, 2015

A Crafty Arab will no longer be at Ventures

This afternoon I went to a meeting with a product specialist of one of my main brick and mortar stores, Ventures, in Pike Place Market.

I had just bought 3 Scrabble boards the previous week and planned on dropping off some newly made tile earrings at the store shortly after.

A Crafty Arab Scrabble supplies

I began selling earrings and other handmade items with Ventures after completing their Business Development Training winter 2010 classes. Theses classes were instrumental in launching the Arabic Alphabet Animal Poster. Since then, this store and staff has been extremely helpful by providing me with lawyer assistance, product development, and realizing when it's time to let go of inventory logistical nightmares and hire an accountant. I even started selling at their SeaTac airport store.

I had assumed our meeting was to analyze the 100 items sold in their store last month.

No.

I was told that because my husband made too much money at his job, I did not fit into their new incubator system that focuses solely on growing low income entrepreneurs. My items could remain in the store if I choose to finish out the year.

I'm sad that the store that started it all is pulling the plug. But I have to look on the bright side and think that maybe God sometimes closes the door but opens a window.

I've already been to Pike Place and gotten a directory to decide on other locations I want to sell because my sarcastic cards, barrettes, I Heart Seattle pins, and earrings seem to do very well with the tourist market.

A Crafty Arab I Heart Seattle and Seattle Map pins

Wish me luck and if you have any leads on stores that might be a good fit for my items, plus some newly made Scrabble earrings, let me know.

A Crafty Arab Scrabble tile earrings in the making
A Crafty Arab Scrabble tile earrings ready to go to your favorite shop