| The old tale about a bride and groom receiving | | | | cupboards. |
| half a dozen toasters from well-meaning relatives | | | | 6 They would be the type of thing that would |
| on their wedding day has passed into 70s history. | | | | encourage a dinner party atmosphere between |
| But, what to buy the modern couple? It's a | | | | diners rather than put up communication barriers. |
| question that is guaranteed to drive their guests | | | | In short, they would encourage conversation. |
| to near insanity. | | | | 7 There would need to be a range of items, from |
| Toasters, bed linen, TVs, pots, pans and all the | | | | the cheap to the expensive so we could not rely |
| rest of the boring household necessities are fine | | | | on one supplier. |
| but... let's face it, they aren't fun to buy, they | | | | 8 We needed a regular and reliable supply of |
| aren't fun to receive and they certainly aren't | | | | these items. |
| going to increase in value! So, why not think of | | | | 9 They needed to be cheap to buy and yet give |
| the unconventional? | | | | us a healthy profit margin. |
| I've been involved in various businesses in | | | | 10 And finally, they needed to be things that we |
| Scotland over the years: weddings, restaurants, | | | | liked. How could we live with things we hated and |
| photography, writing, letting property are just a | | | | how could we sell them to others? Unthinkable! |
| few. And this modern, multi-streaming lifestyle led | | | | And the answer to our problem after weeks and |
| me eventually to the simple world of buying and | | | | months of thinking? Second-hand books, antiques |
| selling. | | | | and collectables! |
| We had a problem. We owned a small Highlands | | | | We lined the restaurant with bookshelves and |
| restaurant which could not possibly bring in enough | | | | filled them with hard back literature. We filled |
| money even if we worked every hour available | | | | every nook and cranny with curios. We hung |
| and filled the place to bursting point night after | | | | things from walls and from beams and from |
| night. So we thought: let's sell things as well. We | | | | every spare vertical surface. We even cleared |
| already had a good customer base, and so the | | | | out an old shed and packed it to the gunnels with |
| challenge was to sell things to them in addition to | | | | interesting things. And all of them carried a price |
| the good quality food. We needed to 'add value' | | | | tag. |
| to their dining experience, and charge them for it. | | | | And the result? Success beyond our wildest |
| These were the criteria we set: | | | | dreams! The customers loved it, they bought it |
| 1 We refused to load profit onto the wine. We | | | | by the barrowload (we sold barrows as well!) and |
| knew the profit margins on wine and knew that it | | | | we made handsome profits. And it was great fun. |
| was a common tactic of restaurants to charge | | | | So, where did we buy all these items? At local |
| customers through the nose for drink. And we | | | | auctions, that's where. And we still go to them. |
| knew how customers felt about this. They simply | | | | They are addictive. And we still deal now and |
| don't like being ripped off! Neither do we. | | | | again even though we sold our restaurant last |
| 2 The retail items would need to add to and | | | | year. It's on a smaller scale than before, |
| improve the general ambience of the restaurant | | | | admittedly, but that means we can be more |
| so 'tat' was out. | | | | selective. Silver and glassware, jewellery and |
| 3 The items would have to sell themselves. We | | | | genuine antiques - they are all there to be had as |
| wouldn't have the time to give customers the | | | | potential wedding presents. Monart glass, silver |
| 'hard sell' while preparing and serving food and, | | | | napkin rings, antique silver-topped wine and |
| besides, hard sell is not our style. We don't feel | | | | vinegar bottles are much more fun than a toaster |
| comfortable with it. | | | | and, if you buy wisely, you will be giving the lucky |
| 4 The things would have to look good, feel good | | | | couple something that is both beautiful and a |
| and be intrinsically interesting. | | | | sound financial investment. |
| 5 They would have to be accessible to | | | | Think valuable, think collectable! Don't think toaster! |
| customers, not locked away in drawers or | | | | |