Photos © 2011 Curly Girl Design, Inc./Leigh Standley. all rights reserved.
As our move date to 'big' Marmalade quickly approaches I thought I would keep you abreast of our progress! The spot we are moving into in the town center used to also be a gift shop, so it was easy to imagine it being a retail location, it needed a little “Marmalading” up for it to be everything I imagined. Here is what it looked like before:
Good bones, cute, simple…ok, if I'm being honest, sort of bland in my opinion, but I make greeting cards for a living. I paint everything orange. Who am I to judge? Credibility aside, it was a long way off from my vision so there was work to be done!
So 3 weeks ago, when we took the keys, we opened the door to this:
The previous owner even left us a nice note wishing us well. Always a good sign. My first order of business, regardless of what else I wanted to do with the space, is pull up those dang commercial carpets that have been there for one hundred years and pray to all that is good and holy that there are wood floors under there. Now, we asked around before we got to this point, and the old magic 8 ball 'outlook was not good'…most people, including the landlord suspected concrete or plywood. And even if there were wood floors, they would most likely be coated in asbestos. Wheeee!
So we pulled up the carpet, tested for asbestos (negative!) and:
BAM!!! Perfect, beautiful (downright gorgeous at certain points) rock maple floors that had never, I repeat NEVER been walked on. I'm not going to lie. It brought a tear to my eye. This is as far as I got with the photos before they finished the floors and then swiftly covered them up with protective board while the painters and electrician came, but I assure you they are awe inspiring. This week the painters make it really come to life and then the downstairs carpet gets put down…and we begin the fun stuff!! More photos soon!!
WOOD FLOORS!!! You hit the jackpot! Can’t wait to see more of the progress!
I remember years ago when we were house hunting in an older neighborhood. I think I spent 6 months pulling up the corner of carpets and *hoping*!
What a wonderful beautiful surprise to find those fabulous floors. Best wishes for the rest of the reno. Can’t wait to see the progress and would LOVE to visit in person someday. Cheers
How great to find those floors!!!Cant wait to see the finished Shop:O)
Oh, my gosh… How can you stand it? How completely exciting! This a beautiful sign of good things to come-
oh, honey! the new marm is going to be SMASHING! xoxoxo
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
That is awesome!
love
amy
x
so the inner 5th grader in me or is it 3rd wants to say… you said abreast. ha! And the rest of my just wants to say—I can so hear you saying every word of this. Brilliant. Congratulations and I can’t wait to see the full unveiling! Bravo! Bravo!
This is going to be a darling store… I just *know* it! I hope to one day plan a trip around visiting just your store!
Just trying to see when the new space would be open. I am a little disappointed to see you slam the previous store and owners as that shop was a big part of the downtown for many years. People genuinely (including me) liked the owners and were sad to see this location close. The store was anything but “bland”. It looks like these photos were taken just before they closed up, so these pictures do not reflect the true personality of the store. The style is not yours, but that does not make it “simple”…how about elegant?? See the connection?? I understand that you are excited to bring your vision to the space, but from a business perspective, you need to be mindful that your inventory is really quite different. Of course you need to change it to fit your personality…that only makes sense. No need to slam or be negative.
I have to concur with the comments of the previous reader. I’m a little surprised at the approach used to describe An Elegant Affair’s space and style. Excitement understand, negativity – not so much. I’m unclear as to the relevance, as well as the benefit, of speaking even the least bit derogatory about this shop, which successfully occupied space in Belmont center for 10 years. Bland? Asbestos in the carpet? Sounds a bit crass.
Maybe your descriptives have been misunderstood. However, as a blogger, I’m sure you’re aware of the power of the written word.
I wish you the best, Curly Girl, as I’m sure your shop will be very successful. Just remember though, sometimes the best motto is “If you’re not going to say something kind, don’t say anything at all.”
I have worked in Belmont for about 15 years and I’m always looking forward to new stores in the center and love to support local businesses. I was very sad to see An Elegant Affair close, but will frequent their Winchester location. I think the key to their success is a great product (with universal appeal) and exceptional customer service—over the years I’ve purchased my wedding invites, birth announcements, and other invites, and have found their designs to be innovative and unique, with an elegant flair. I keep going back because of the way they treat their customers and how supportive they are of local businesses as well.
It sounds as if they passed their graciousness on to you with their note—what a great way to welcome you to that location. I hope you continue to promote a store the way they did.
Oh you guys! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE allow me to footnote my remarks! I in NO WAY meant to comment on An Elegant Affair as a shop or retail experience!! They have been a CUSTOMER of ours for years and it was a truly lovely shop! And in every way ‘Elegant’. I was purely commenting on the raw space and my experience of renovating it.
You will have to excuse my lack of grace in my descriptors as I was in ‘interior design’ mode… It was simply about the bones and the condition of the space we inherited, not at all meant as commentary on the shop, it’s owner, or the selection of product that they carried. I truly apologize if it was taken that way as it was not my intention.
Glad you wrote back, Curly Girl. It was totally clear to me that you were making a decorating reference to the space available and not the previous store at all. We’ve all dealt with the same thing with home decorating projects. I think a couple of folks got caught up in misplaced store loyalty. To them I say, “It’s not all about YOU.” It’s about design possibilities, construction options, rennovation potential, and luck. Lucky to have a sound little store with, “good bones”. I’m a little sad to see a favorite store close after many good years in business too, but I’m thrilled that it looks like a HAPPY, new store will be taking it’s place. How dreary if that cute space were to become a cell phone store or a vacuum cleaner repair shop? I’m so glad that Marmalade is coming! I applaud you for taking the time and expense to save the original floors and bring them back to beautiful. That says a great deal about your store already! Well done, Curly Girl!