I'm annoyed. Shopping in boutique stores is no longer as exciting as it once was for me. Maybe it's because I know most of the products I see (sorry if that sounds snotty but c'mon, look at what I do all day). I've noticed now more than ever that little stores are almost as boring as large department stores and mall stores because they're quickly becoming a cut and paste copy of all the other little boutique gift shops in town. The same candles, the same wrapping paper, the same trinkets, same, same, same! Ugh. There's a heaping load of wonderful finds online to discover, there's no need for small stores to all carry what the next guy has. What is happening small business owners? Some of you are losing the magic that makes shop ownership so, well, magical in the first place.

Retro Etc , a Stockholm shop that I visited with Danielle and Emma .
The owner mixes old with new for a fresh medley that is anything but carbon copy.
Great example of a how to run a small business.

Oh I know what may be weighing you down. Gift shows. While they provide a great means to find talent and view products up close and personal, try not to become completely hooked on shows for sourcing new products - branch out - there's a lot to be found on the web and thousands of talented artists are waiting for their lines to be picked up by shop owners like you. I know many who ditched the last gift fair and scoured the web or even indie craft fairs like Renegade and Felt Club to find new and exciting things for their stores. That's more like it. This is where blogs and online sites like Trunkt, and Etsy come in super handy. They're completely free to browse, accessible 24/7, and your store won't look like every other one on the block - yours will stand out.

Remember, some of these talents cannot be found at a gift show because they either do not have the means to create 10,000 pillows if approached, do not desire to go big time (and that is perfectly okay), or they cannot afford the thousands of dollars one needs to invest in a booth, booth help, and travel. It doesn't mean they won't be there someday, I think many artists aspire to showing at a gift fair at some point, but for now you may need to find them at sources online.

Sorry if I'm going off on this subject a little. Background: I remember my struggle. I was helping a friend with the launch of her handbag collection back in '05 and nearly every single shop owner I spoke to said, "Does she show in the gift fair down in NY?" and the moment I told them she didn't, they lost interest instantly. It was like I told them she spit on the fabrics she used to sew the bags (ala Who Spit On My Polymorphic Cape?). In their eyes, a gift show appearance is the golden ticket to entering the world of retail - or that it somehow says you've hit the big time, you are driven, you are professional, and you're now entitled to play with the cool kids. I love me a good gift fair, but there are other ways to find talent, keep your store unique, and maintain your vision (shouldn't your shop showcase your finds and favorite things?) without sole reliance on trade shows. Plus, some indie artists are mothers and fathers and have day jobs, they are plenty talented and professional, but they will never be interested in showing at gift fairs. This doesn't mean you still cannot write to them if you find that their craft fits your store. Am I right?

If you own a store (online or brick n mortar), how do you find your collections? How do you keep your store from becoming a copy of all the others, selling the same merchandise? I think lots of us are curious to see what the modern store owners are doing to score their finds. Anyone care to talk shop?

To read additional posts on the topic of store ownership, click the words shop girl below.

For an example of a smart shop owner, read about my friend Enna.

{I'm not knocking gift fairs, I see their place, attend them, and even write about them for publications from time to time. However I know some very creative store owners that are building entire shops using only finds they've come across online or through word of mouth, and as a result their business is thriving. Gift fairs are great, but is there more? That's the topic I'd like to explore.}