Looking back and moving forward

While unpacking and cataloguing items brought back from my store on Nantucket I can’t help but think about all of the experiences the first season of owning a store provided. Hands down, my favorite part of opening the store has been meeting so many wonderful and interesting people including my fellow Wharf neighbors. I really enjoyed the stories shared, and laughing with so many visitors. Whether it was someone’s first trip to Nantucket, their 20th or they live on the island, I enjoyed talking about so much more than just clothing with them.

One of my favorite guests was a retired dentist from Canton. He was interested in the swing that I sell and initially took my business card so he could think about it. He came back to the store a few minutes later telling me that he enjoyed talking to me so much that he wanted to buy the swing immediately.

He told me that my business card shouldn’t just say “Designer / Founder”, it should “also say beautiful lady”. When he was next to me at the counter he asked me the cutest question. Since he was with his wife, he asked me “do you think if I buy her a bloody Mary she’ll make out with me on the dock?” He was so cute, engaging, happy and wonderful, and one of the many highlights of my summer.

There was also the charming lady from South Carolina who visited the store several days in a row, until we started to joke and say, “see you tomorrow” with a smile and laugh. She came in with her daughter, then her mother and daughter and sometimes alone. Each visit with her was full of laughter and mutual admiration. She loved the REMY shawls and a few of them now enjoy life in South Carolina.

At times I heard confessions, counseled a parent or jilted lover, but mostly I laughed. Often I would see someone standing under my REMY sign outside having their picture taken. Other times I’d have kids coming in bashfully smiling, telling me that “Remy” is their name. One little boy named Remy was a little upset to know that the Remy who owned the store was female. Guests asked to purchase a sign I painted, a rock I painted and anything that had the REMY logo on it.

When I learned someone’s name was also Remy I gave them something with our logo on it. I felt such pleasure in seeing smiles on younger children’s faces as they finally had something with their name on it because growing up I never was able to find anything saying “Remy”.

I’m busy working on new designs for next summer on Nantucket and hope to see some REMY pieces in other locations and fabulous vacation spots. I look forward to more stories, expanding our customer base and followers and learning more about new people we meet.

Thank you for a wonderful first year experience.