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The Dying SG Retail Store



 
 
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  #21  
Old June 15th 05, 12:04 AM
Kalera Stratton
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Glassman wrote:

This is just the latest fad to attempt to hang on. I speak to 50-100
retailers every week. Most are hurting big time. Fusing is small time
compared to what we used to do. We used to make lamps, windows, sell tools &
supplies. Kiln work is just another passing thingie that will dry up as
well. Especially when boatloads of beads & jewelry come over from China for
.10 each. Start looking for the next trend Dennis.


Yep, kilnforming and lampworking too... mark his words, these passing
fads are sure to die out in another 5-10 years.
--
-Kalera
http://www.beadwife.com
Ads
  #22  
Old June 15th 05, 12:54 AM
Michele Blank
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maybe HL carries spectrums OOPS glass or "T" glass? that's the end of run,
color not quite right, too many seeds or grit in the glass? I have been
getting some really sucky spectrum from my suppliers that has pebbles in it
(which of course you don't see until you've finished an entire panel....)
and it isn't labeled as T but should be!!! I think spectrum's quality
control ain't what it used to be ...m

"Kitty" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
oups.com...
Hobby Lobby carries Spectrum and not Chinese glass. They buy direct
from Spectrum and have it chipped to a central warehouse where it's cut
up and shipped out to about 350 stores. They also carry Rack Packs from
Spectrum which is also divided up and put into stock. Two companies
that manufacture glass in China are Armstrong and Houston's Gecko glass
along with several companies that manufacture clear textures. None of
which Hobby lobby carries.


well I beg to differ. If you check the glass at the Conyers store you will
find second rate glass that's so crappy Spectrum wouldn't even admit to
making it! I know Spectrum and that aint it.

Kitty




  #23  
Old June 15th 05, 12:56 AM
Javahut
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"Kalera Stratton" wrote in message
...



Yep, kilnforming and lampworking too... mark his words, these passing
fads are sure to die out in another 5-10 years.
--


How was that constructive or beneficial to the conversation?

You complain about others until you find out it can be venting, then you DO
what you complain about.

Just to make this interesting, do you realize that the making of beads is
just as cyclical as anything else. Hell, those beads go back a long way in
time and they have not always been popular. People "rediscover", that is
the buying public rediscovers, and in this age, the video media sure goes a
long way toward helping them.

What would you do if everyone, rephrase that, make it "nearly" everyone,
stopped buying beads made by you, but kept buying the stuff in the local
college bead shop, you know , the places stocked with the cheap imports.
Now imagine the passing fancy of the public has attached itself to something
else, like polymer clay. Enough so that even the cheap bead shop can't stay
open, (happened not far from me, for real) what are you going to do?

You are a bead artist, how do you pay your bills? Sure there is some
interest, but not enough to justify your expense. What do you do?

I made my first bead in 1984, fused my first plate in 1984, bent lamp panels
starting in 1982, don't be snide in your remarks, fusing and lampworking is
subject to the same cycles as anything else. It isn't that there will be
"no one " interested, just not enough to keep the doors open.

AND while we are at it, do you have a storefront that you are paying the tab
for with your beads? Or are you a basement bandit? Working out of your
home? only have one "set" of bills to pay? I would keep the snide remarks
to myself unless you can step up to the plate in the same "even playing
field".

And if I had a line of giftware boats were doing all that great, I wouldn't
spin my wheels selling supplies and teaching classes unless it were to
supplement my income.

I just know the profit margin is really big on glass and supplies.

That last line was a joke.


  #24  
Old June 15th 05, 02:09 AM
Moonraker
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"Javahut" wrote in message
...

"Kalera Stratton" wrote in message
...


AND while we are at it, do you have a storefront that you are paying the

tab
for with your beads? Or are you a basement bandit? Working out of your
home? only have one "set" of bills to pay? I would keep the snide

remarks
to myself unless you can step up to the plate in the same "even playing
field".

I'm betting on a long-suffering ex-husband paying child support to subsidize
this "artist". And it's hard to be a "basement bandit" when you live in a
double wide.


  #25  
Old June 15th 05, 02:13 AM
Glassman
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"Kalera Stratton" wrote in message
...


Glassman wrote:

This is just the latest fad to attempt to hang on. I speak to 50-100
retailers every week. Most are hurting big time. Fusing is small time
compared to what we used to do. We used to make lamps, windows, sell

tools &
supplies. Kiln work is just another passing thingie that will dry up as
well. Especially when boatloads of beads & jewelry come over from China

for
.10 each. Start looking for the next trend Dennis.


Yep, kilnforming and lampworking too... mark his words, these passing
fads are sure to die out in another 5-10 years.
--
-Kalera


Don't take this the wrong way, but please check in with us in a couple of
years, and let us know if you are still supporting your family with this
art. Any second now there will be a boatload of stuff from China for a few
pennies each selling at your local Staples.

--
JK Sinrod
Sinrod Stained Glass Studios
www.sinrodstudios.com
Coney Island Memories
www.sinrodstudios.com/coneymemories


  #26  
Old June 15th 05, 02:22 AM
Glassman
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Default


"Michele Blank" wrote in message
...
Here's my input. I have quit doing supplies completely, no lessons, just
shows and commissions. My prices have gone up in keeping with cost of
materials. i find i can easily sell the more expensive, bigger pieces
(because the rich folk still have the dough) but smaller items won't move

at
prices that reflect current materials cost ( competition from Chinese
imports??) So, i am doing more expensive things and still making a living
but i have had to reduce overhead to the point of creating my studio in my


Excellent point. I agree that the folks with money don't know or care
about the state of the economy. Don't get me wrong about my doom & gloom
posts. I am doing fine, but my concerns were for the entire industry. Plenty
of small shops can't sell high end stuff. I'm shocked to say that I'm
getting as much as $250 a sq/ft for commission work, and my work is nothing
special. The real money is in the repairs. Almost 100% profit for as little
as a few minutes. I'm a veteran and always find a way to get back up and
take more abuse in this business. I'm just not doing much retail anymore.

--
JK Sinrod
Sinrod Stained Glass Studios
www.sinrodstudios.com
Coney Island Memories
www.sinrodstudios.com/coneymemories


  #27  
Old June 15th 05, 07:09 AM
Kalera Stratton
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Posts: n/a
Default



Javahut wrote:
"Kalera Stratton" wrote in message
...


Yep, kilnforming and lampworking too... mark his words, these passing
fads are sure to die out in another 5-10 years.
--



How was that constructive or beneficial to the conversation?

You complain about others until you find out it can be venting, then you DO
what you complain about.

Just to make this interesting, do you realize that the making of beads is
just as cyclical as anything else. Hell, those beads go back a long way in
time and they have not always been popular. People "rediscover", that is
the buying public rediscovers, and in this age, the video media sure goes a
long way toward helping them.

What would you do if everyone, rephrase that, make it "nearly" everyone,
stopped buying beads made by you, but kept buying the stuff in the local
college bead shop, you know , the places stocked with the cheap imports.
Now imagine the passing fancy of the public has attached itself to something
else, like polymer clay. Enough so that even the cheap bead shop can't stay
open, (happened not far from me, for real) what are you going to do?

You are a bead artist, how do you pay your bills? Sure there is some
interest, but not enough to justify your expense. What do you do?

I made my first bead in 1984, fused my first plate in 1984, bent lamp panels
starting in 1982, don't be snide in your remarks, fusing and lampworking is
subject to the same cycles as anything else. It isn't that there will be
"no one " interested, just not enough to keep the doors open.

AND while we are at it, do you have a storefront that you are paying the tab
for with your beads? Or are you a basement bandit? Working out of your
home? only have one "set" of bills to pay? I would keep the snide remarks
to myself unless you can step up to the plate in the same "even playing
field".

And if I had a line of giftware boats were doing all that great, I wouldn't
spin my wheels selling supplies and teaching classes unless it were to
supplement my income.

I just know the profit margin is really big on glass and supplies.

That last line was a joke.


Yeah, you have me there; it was a snide comment, and uncalled-for. I was
simply a bit taken aback by the sweeping decree that kilnforming is a
"passing fad". Of course it will prove to be cyclical; everything under
the sun is cyclical.

I don't have a storefront other than on the web, and I do supplement my
beadmaking income by selling supplies (which are indeed stored in my
basement). I have one full-time employee who is paid for essentially
from my supply line profits. Naturally, I hope that after the initial
flush of new lampworkers (and we are still in the initial flush, even
after fifteen years or so of this current revival) dies down, there will
still be enough buyers around and I will be established enough to
continue to make a living at this; I may, and I may not. There are
already cheap and reasonably good Chinese and Indian lampwork beads
available on eBay and at the local stores, but that hasn't put a dent in
my business... yet.

I'm not failing to sympathize with the stained glass retailer (as I hope
my earlier post made clear) I was simply expressing my bemusement at the
relegation of warm glass to "flash in the pan" status.

--
-Kalera
http://www.beadwife.com
  #28  
Old June 15th 05, 07:15 AM
Kalera Stratton
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default



Moonraker wrote:

I'm betting on a long-suffering ex-husband paying child support to subsidize
this "artist". And it's hard to be a "basement bandit" when you live in a
double wide.


Forgot to take your meds again?

My ex pays me $82/month in child support, which I usually decline to
collect because he's broke all the time. I purchased one house when
single and kept it as a rental when I remarried and we bought this
bungalow... with my cash for a down payment, as my sweetie wasn't very
liquid. Although my business expenses run about $40,000/yr, I still net
above median income for my area... that's on the beads alone, the supply
line is not profitable, it just pays for my employee, & is picking up
just enough that I need to hire another.

--
-Kalera
http://www.beadwife.com
  #29  
Old June 15th 05, 07:18 AM
Kalera Stratton
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Posts: n/a
Default



Glassman wrote:
"Kalera Stratton" wrote in message
...


Glassman wrote:


This is just the latest fad to attempt to hang on. I speak to 50-100
retailers every week. Most are hurting big time. Fusing is small time
compared to what we used to do. We used to make lamps, windows, sell


tools &

supplies. Kiln work is just another passing thingie that will dry up as
well. Especially when boatloads of beads & jewelry come over from China


for

.10 each. Start looking for the next trend Dennis.


Yep, kilnforming and lampworking too... mark his words, these passing
fads are sure to die out in another 5-10 years.
--
-Kalera



Don't take this the wrong way, but please check in with us in a couple of
years, and let us know if you are still supporting your family with this
art. Any second now there will be a boatload of stuff from China for a few
pennies each selling at your local Staples.


The stuff from China is already here; it's everywhere, at every bead
show, craft show, hobby shop. Who knows how it will effect my business
over the long haul... hopefully I will be able to stay different enough
to be competetive.

Didn't mean to sound so flippant, but I was a bit taken aback by the
classification of kilnforming as "the latest fad". I'm not much of a
kilnformer myself, but it's an art form that's just barely emerged, and
I think has yet to even come into its own. It will eventually take a
downturn, as all things do, but I think it's inaccurate to call it a fad.
--
-Kalera
http://www.beadwife.com
  #30  
Old June 15th 05, 01:33 PM
Javahut
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Posts: n/a
Default

Yeah, you have me there; it was a snide comment, and uncalled-for. I was
simply a bit taken aback by the sweeping decree that kilnforming is a
"passing fad". Of course it will prove to be cyclical; everything under
the sun is cyclical.

I don't have a storefront other than on the web, and I do supplement my
beadmaking income by selling supplies (which are indeed stored in my
basement). I have one full-time employee who is paid for essentially
from my supply line profits. Naturally, I hope that after the initial
flush of new lampworkers (and we are still in the initial flush, even
after fifteen years or so of this current revival) dies down, there will
still be enough buyers around and I will be established enough to
continue to make a living at this; I may, and I may not. There are
already cheap and reasonably good Chinese and Indian lampwork beads
available on eBay and at the local stores, but that hasn't put a dent in
my business... yet.

I'm not failing to sympathize with the stained glass retailer (as I hope
my earlier post made clear) I was simply expressing my bemusement at the
relegation of warm glass to "flash in the pan" status.



The only person making "flash in the pan" comments is YOU.

The topic was the retailer, as JK has a storefront operation, that is what
concerns him and where all this started.
All I said was what I perceive, from talking to people that had/have been in
the business, stained glass supply business, for more years than I.

Due to things like the internet, whose storefront does not involve the type
of rents, insurance,taxes, etc that a physical building does, the cycle can
not be addressed the same as it had in the past.

What you "hope for" after the initial push, is what we all hope for. A
niche in the business we enjoy so we can hang around a bit longer and still
pay our bills.
The other end of this topic is demographic, Kalera is in the northwest,
Portland to be specific. Rents average what there? JK is in Lynbrook,on
Long Island, NY darn close to NYC.
HUGE difference in rents, and therefore expenses.
Glass is a big business in Portland, like Settle, people go there looking
for glass, not so at the other end of the country, in the midwest people
come looking for ....cows...

The whole point is that because "it" isn't what you are experiencing right
now doesn't mean "it" is not happening elsewhere. In a great many stained
glass stores, glass rods were introduced by their wholesalers as another
medium, in glass, to add to their bottom line. Same with fused glass, it
just goes further back. As fused glass was introduced it didn't gain in
popularity until the last several years,but the class sizes are already
changing . Not saying it will die, just numbers will reduce below which it
may be difficult for the same businesses to stay around.


 




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