Enforcing The Six Cupcake Rule

Once upon a time in New York City, there was a little hole-in-the-wall shop on Bleeker Street called “The Magnolia Bakery.” Upon entering its doors, the intoxicating aroma of hot melted butter, confectioner’s sugar and flour are mixed in a concoction so potent that it arouses childhood memories of the kind of cupcakes your Mom used to make when you were in the fourth grade for your birthday party at school. I can see the tin-foiled cookie sheet now. The lines for the Magnolia Bakery were always out the door. I’m not a cupcake aficionado, but Magnolia does make a pretty good cupcake.

Then came the deluge...Magnolia Bakery was featured on “Sex & The City,“ supposedly the cupcakes conjure a kind of erogenous response greater than Samantha’s...you get the point. Leaving well enough not alone, Magnolia Bakery was featured in “Martha Stewart," “Vogue” fashion shoots and even “Gossip Girl." Cupcakes became sexy comfort food. Magnolia hit the big time, and demand outweighed production, hence several satellite shops. Each equally cute, right down to the pink gingham and staff wearing vintage aprons. It’s a shabby retro-chic, with Formica tables, aged wainscoting and oil clothed shelving with ruffles. These shops are fussier than Donna Reed could decorate them.

Well, the other day I was asked to pick up 36 cupcakes for a friend whose little girl was having a 12th birthday party. Not a problem, I thought, what are two dozen and a half cupcakes these days? Magnolia opened a branch right in my neighborhood (the Upper West Side). Magnolia was fully stocked with rows and rows of Willie Wonka-ed cupcakes, chocolate, pistachio, hummingbird (my favorite), vanilla, German chocolate, red velvet, carrot coconut, Oreo, strawberry shortcake, sprinkles, peanut butter, mocha, mint, even a pineapple upside down cupcake. Warning: do not try it at home! Not only were there cases upon cases of artery-clogging cupcakes, but staff was hastily frosting for the afternoon rush. (FYI: Magnolia uses a classic plop and swirl frosting technique.)

The best laid plans…As I placed my order with the lead froster, sans hair net, a silent pall came over the bakery. Was Smith Barney around? Miss Frostette did not even address me; she placed her hand on her hip and pointed to the sign above the cash register: “No more than six cupcakes to a customer.” Clearly, I thought that was just meant to be humorous, after all, if I can polish off a pizza, I can certainly inhale six cupcakes faster than you can say Pillsbury Dough Boy. But no, Frosty told me the policy was rigidly enforced, and she wasn’t about to lose her job for selling me seven, let alone 36 cupcakes. (She said 36 like it was a curse word.) I reluctantly purchased the six allotted to me, while pleading my case--I flirted, cajoled and even threatened to call the Better Business Bureau, but I saw it was a losing battle right away. I even played the sympathy card and lied through my teeth, telling the froster that this little girl was hospitalized at Mount Sinai, and that this will probably be her last birthday. Unfortunately, that line is frequently used at Magnolia. Drat the luck! I hastily gave up the idea of coming back six more times in costume to order more. Besides, I don’t have a fake moustache at home.

Holy Duncan Heines, I knew I could call a few friends and ask them to meet me and pick up half a dozen each, but really? I even offered a stranger a few bucks if he'd secretly pick me up six, but he scowled at me as if I was an underage teen asking him to buy me a six-pack of Heineken and cigarettes. I reasoned that there were three Magnolia shops in NYC, including Rockefeller Center, but even Betty Crocker on her best day would not take that much mass transit. Okay, I had the Magnolia box and bag, and figured that I could get cupcakes at any nearby bakery--and I would have to try and pass them off as “Magnolia’s.” Good Luck!

Now I know that Nordstrom placed a three-handbag limit on customers who were depleting stock from the stores, but cupcakes are readily replaceable. I understand the bakery’s dilemma, but give me back the good old day where rules were tempered with common sense. The customer is right; a sale is a sale, and what harm comes from letting go of a few cupcakes for a kid’s birthday?

I do not bear grudges, you can visit Magnolia on the Web at www.magnoliacupcakes.com and judge for yourself if they are what they're cracked up to be. Unfortunately they are.

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

Photo: Zeva Oelbaum Cookbook Heaven at Recipelink.com.

Desperately Seeking Susan

There are certain injustices in life I cannot tolerate, including, but not limited to, Susan Boyle being beaten out by a dance group called “Diversity,” Mummenchantz coming back to Broadway, Forever 21’s sales floor, and Abercrombie & Fitch’s sales staff.

Forget Stark Trek, beam me up so I can insert the Dilithium crystals and move at warp speed, the retail federation needs to be saved.

Forever 21 is located on 42nd Street here in New York City. It has two robust floors of ballet bars packed with so much designer copycat merchandise that it looks like a Chinese Santa Claus exploded. I saw the top I wanted (a gift)--a sheer ruffled black and red tartan blouse, just $14, seeming perfect, except it was a large, and I needed a small. Now other retailers might merchandise their floors in some mundane fashion, like by product category or size, but no, this is Forever 21, which merchandises their floor based on a complicated system algorithmics and astrological signs. I’m a Scorpio, but the blouse must have been a Taurus. Despite what my instincts told me (to flee), I trusted a sales associate who reported that she had seen some of those tops around somewhere. She was right; one was being used to jam under a fixture so that it wouldn’t wobble over. (“Weebles wooble, but they don’t fall down!”) You know it was the size I was looking for. I hate buying things that are used as rags for birthday gifts. Please do not tell my niece. I was ready to Susan “Boil” over.

Partly because I am a masochist, and partly because I needed to return a pair of socks (re-gifted), I found myself inside Abercrombie & Fitch on Fifth Avenue. It’s the NY flagship. Sort of the Enterprise of its star fleet. The shirtless model and cologne spritzer at the front door held promise, except for the fact that I was old enough to be his father. (All right, truth be told, I could be his father’s older brother.) To get a job at Abercrombie & Fitch you must be a vampire, because they do not want you to see what they sell, because all the lights are turned off--it’s as dark as Lastat’s tomb, which really doesn’t matter because the Pet Shop Boys Live soundtrack will assuredly drive you outside into the daylight. Here is the lesson I learned today: it's difficult to take a teenager seriously in flip-flops telling you that the socks you are returning are “hot.”

I’m desperately seeking Susan; I’m going home to YouTube “I Dreamed A Dream” from Les Mis, because after Forever 21 and Abercrombie & Fitch, I am miserable.

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

Gone, But Not Forgotten

The other day, I was la-de-dolling on Fifth Avenue, and just happened to stroll into Henri Bendel, the famed fashion retailer. To what did my wandering eyes appear… (no, not a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer), but a heavy preponderance of cosmetics and accessories. For a moment I thought I had accidentally walked into Ulta. Someone, I don’t know who, must have stolen all the retailer’s clothing the night before. It had mysteriously been removed…or not.

Like a detective in some old Dr. Thorndike’s mystery novels, I began to collect the forensic evidence of the crime scene.

Henri Bendel, which was founded in 1895, and has long been long a Manhattan icon and anchor, housed in the drop dead gorgeous old Rene Lalique showrooms, is planning to stop selling clothes this summer, and focusing instead on accessories and beauty products.

For more than a century, Bendel’s has distinguished itself for its “store of shops” concept, and has set the standard for the image of high fashion, but now, it appears that its current owner, The Limited Brands, wants to branch out to malls, and limit Bendel’s breadth of inventory. Great, another retailer who for over a century has been know for fashion, is rethinking its core constituency to become a Sephora hybrid? Where will the “Gossip Girls” shop, Loehmann’s? 

Abigail Wexner, wife of Limited Brands CEO, Les Wexner, can I coerce you to intervene? Please!!!

In a news release, the company positioned the changes as an effort to expand the Henri Bendel brand, with six accessories only stores to open in shopping centers nationwide. The New York Times reports that Bendel’s flagship store at 712 Fifth Avenue will stay open, but give up one of its three floors. It’s already history like the reservoir on Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street.

As for convoluted thinking, several employees briefed on the plans said that they were told that Bendel had decided to eliminate the fashion departments because there was no sign of a turnaround in the sale of high-ticket items, but that beauty and gift products were selling well, and typically with much higher margins. If that is true, then why not just sell hot dogs--the mark on them is high too?

About 8 percent of the employees will be laid off, including sales clerks and executives in its buying office. They will be replaced with vile perfume spritzers, the lowest form of retail humanity. In the “Planet of The Fashion Apes” world, they would be the gorillas.

Oh, my darlin’ Clementines everywhere, fashion is no longer reliant on high-ticket items, if you are using that old paradigm, then you will assuredly make asinine choices for your business. Show some backbone, there are great designers who are affordable and can reinforce and reinvigorate your brand, until times turn around. If Bendel's becomes one big glamorous Duane Reade, I’m packing it in. I want to see overpriced dresses, extravagant frocks and ludicrous price tags.

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

Retail Goes to the Dogs

Despite the snow, hail, rain and/or constant naysaying about the economy, shoppers are out in large numbers for the upcoming holidays.

Trudging down the trendy streets of Northwest Portland for last-minute gifts, I found myself running into other fellow shoppers armed with large packages, children...and dogs.

They're inside the actual stores no less and then traipsing ever so arrogantly down the sidewalk with their owners. I've seen little dogs in huge purses, as well as large husky dogs--next to a display of lingerie.

To make matters worse, these shopping dogs (as I'm now calling them) are often dressed--yes, I said dressed--in bedazzled collars and cozy sweaters.

What is going on here people? These are animals for crying out loud. They might be just "animals" to me, but they are fully accepted as legitimate patrons by the likes of Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Banana Republic, Anthropologie, Gap and Barneys New York. Even Tiffany & Co. will allow dogs to hang out around their jewels. In a recent LA Times article, Tiffany's regional vice president Jonathan Bruckner was quoted as gushing, "we love dogs."

So, when did dogs in stores become fashionable? While I hate to credit Paris Hilton for anything of value in the world, I'm pretty sure (and I've got the L.A. Times to back me up on this one) more and more dogs started showing up on the retail scene after Hilton was photographed with her tiny dogs all over L.A. However, Nordstrom insists they've been dog-friendly for more than 20 years. I'm going to need actual confirmation on that from a Nordstrom shopper first though.

The article also points out that many malls do not allow dogs (although individual stores might) unless they're in some type of carrier--they figure if the owner is willing to brave an accident of some kind, it should be a mess they clean up on their own. While I couldn't agree more, I'm personally distressed by dogs that bark loudly at other dogs; especially when I'm at the makeup counter trying on a new lipstick. Or when I'm trying to get down the sidewalk and have to make room for the big St. Bernard. I love dogs, don't get me wrong--but dogs in stores? I'm not sure I fully understand the benefit of it.

What's your take on retailers allowing dogs in stores? Will it bring in more customers or turn off those who aren't huge dog lovers? Leave your comments here.

--Heather Strang

Note: This is my last blog post for Retail Design Diva. I've thoroughly enjoyed writing for this blog, and interacting with all of you. In the future, you can reach me at: www.HeatherStrang.com. Thank you and happy holidays!

CyberMonday Kicks Off Today!

My friends can't stop talking about the glory of Black Friday. As if getting up at 3 a.m. and fighting throngs of non-caffeinated shoppers could be considered a good time. I, for one, value my sleep. And that's why I prefer to follow a better shopping holiday--Cyber Monday.

For those not aware of the amazing-ness of Cyber Monday, which officially started in 2005--this post-Thanksgiving shopping day takes place online, via the comfort of your laptop. Retailers are known to offer spectacular online one-day promotions. And according to a recent survey by Shop.org, 83.7 percent of retailers will have an online holiday promotion, up from 72.2 percent last year. Promotions will range from specific deals (38.8 percent), to email campaigns (32.7 percent) and one-day only sales (24.5 percent). Even better, 22.5 percent of retailers will offer free shipping on all purchases.

No shipping charges, I can shop in my pajamas and there are special offers? Seriously, it doesn't get any better than this.

Having to be at work isn't about to slow anyone down. Shop.org also reported that 55.8 percent of employees with Internet access will shop from work, compared to just 44.7 percent in 2005. It's really the young kids that are paving the way for us in this regard with 70 percent of young adults ages 18-34 shopping while working. Men are even more likely to shop and work than women--a whopping 60.3 percent versus 51.5 percent. I love to see men get passionate about shopping, don't you?

All of this working and shopping isn't too much of a surprise--after all this is the nation that practically invented multitasking. Who says we can't work and shop for the holidays at the same time?!

So, now that we know shopping online on Cyber Monday is the hip thing to do, how do we know where to shop? Well, as luck would have it, retailers have also created a site where we can gain access to special holiday promotions, via CyberMonday.com. There will also be (now this is exciting) a "Deal of the Hour," where a new retail promotion is featured every 60 minutes. It will be just like the Price is Right! Consumers can take advantage of free shipping offers, discounts and free gifts with purchase.

Since you're at work, reading this blog, you might also want to check out some of your favorite retailers' sites and finish up that holiday shopping. Wouldn't it be grand to have all of your holiday shopping complete by the end of day today? Shop on!

Have you used CyberMonday.com before? Prefer to online holiday shop over facing the crowds on Black Friday? Leave your comments here.

--Heather Strang

 

How To Sell a Shopping Center on eBay

The majority of us have probably sold an item or two on eBay. A football ticket here, a luxury handbag there, maybe a collection of baseball cards. According to an article in Shopping Centers Today, Steve Leydig from Cumberland, Md., is attempting to sell a 128,000-sq.-ft. shopping center. Go get 'em, Steve.

Built on 9 acres, the Ames Plaza Shopping Center is an open-air center housing an empty Ames store, a Rent-A-Center, a Sav-A-Lot and a Subway, with the remaining 49 percent of the center unoccupied--and Steve's original asking price was $3.9 million. While a quick search on eBay couldn't locate the Ames location, SCT reported that the property has already been discounted by about $600,000.

Do some research to see what properties are going for on eBay. Fascinating. I found a mixed-use building with retail space going for $5.8 million (with up to $30 back if you use MasterCard...nice promotion); a $2.1million strip center in Austin, Texas; and a pizza shop in Western New York for $19,500 (what a deal!).

Commercial real estate...virtually. Who would have thought?

--Alison Embrey Medina

Black Friday, Coming Soon

Breaking news alert: Thanksgiving is NEXT week. That's right, next week. And we all know what the onset of Thanksgiving means, don't we? It's the big kick-off for the holiday shopping season. Black Friday here we come!

To prepare us for the big season, the National Retail Federation (NRF) released their 2008 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by Worthington, Ohio-based BIGresearch. The survey of 8,758 consumers found that 72 percent of shoppers have completed less than 10 percent of their shopping and only 2.2 percent have completely finished.

At least, I'm not alone. I've purchased two gifts and they're both books. And this brings me to the next part of the survey--what we'll be buying...

According to NRF, consumers' purchases will be divided up as follows:
-57.4 percent on clothing and accessories
-55.6 percent on books, CDs, DVDs and video games
-53.5 percent on gift cards
-41.6 percent on toys
-30 percent on consumer electronic items
-20.8 percent for personal care/beauty items
-19.3 percent on jewelry

But, just how will we pay for these lovely gifts? The question of payment is one of the main concerns for retailers and consumers alike. Fortunately, Americans are getting smart and ditching their credit cards (the exorbitant interest rates are no doubt to blame!). The survey revealed that 41.5 percent of consumers will use their debit card, while 22.8 percent plan to pay with straight cash.

With Black Friday right around the corner and this new NRF data in tow, enjoy that turkey on Thursday the 27th, because the 28th is going to be BIG!

What's your favorite holiday gift to purchase or receive? How will you pay for the holidays this year? Share your favorites here!

--Heather Strang

This Year's Most Popular Holiday Gift Items

In case you didn't receive the memo--it's November. Already. And that means we don't have much time left before the holiday season is upon us. Holiday shopping is now at the top of my priority list--how about you? So, today, I made my Christmas buying list. (Psst...Retailers everywhere just jumped for joy.)

Princeton, N.J.-based Opinion Research Corp. recently released its latest survey to uncover what Americans want for the holidays this year. The survey took place in October 2008 and included 3,307 individuals 18 years of age or older. So, are you ready?

Get out your pen and paper, because you're going to want to take notes on this. But, before you do--do not--I repeat, do not, get anyone you know a tie, flowers or candles. Apparently those are considered the worst gifts ever.

 Without further ado, here are the survey's findings on the most desired gifts:

 -Gift Cards Are No. 1
Let's face it; the best gift is one we get ourselves. So stop worrying about what to get the people in your life and just get them a gift card. Less hassle for you and they'll be thrilled.

-Apparel & Shoes
This, I cannot understand, but 48 percent would like clothing for the holidays. Unless my fashionista 24-year-old sister is buying, I don't want anyone else buying my clothes. You with me?

-Consumer Electronics, baby!
Men, more than women, (shocker!) prefer consumer electronics, with 20 percent lusting after the HDTV, 10 percent wanting an LCD TV and 7 percent in need of a Blu-ray DVD player. Twenty-six percent of women prefer digital or video cameras, while 9 percent still don't have iPods. Oh, and 26 percent of survey respondents want a laptop.

-Get Game
Forty-three percent want a Wii, while 31 percent want a Sony PS3. Not up for that big of a holiday investment? Instead, pick up Dance Dance Revolution, Guitar Hero, Wii Fit or Rock Band--they're all big game hits.

-Cell Phones Rule
Well, more appropriately the Apple iPhone rocks the house. Thirty-five percent want one of their very own, while 47 percent love the Blackberry.

-Property Purchase?
If you're really loaded, most survey respondents reported that they would love to have a new home. Wow, some people don't mess around with this gift thing, do they?

And just in case you were wondering, your mother-in-law is not the worst gift-giver in your life. Turns out that 32 percent reported it was actually their spouse/significant other, sibling or parent that gave them the worst gifts. Okay, we've got to change that. So, make your list, don't bother checking it twice and just get out there and shop! What are your favorite gifts for the special people in your life? Leave your favorites here.

--Heather Strang

 

The Sad State of Retail

What a world we live in today. Our houses are worth less, our gasoline is worth more and our shopping desire is worth...well, let's just say it's diminished. I headed over to the neighborhood Linens 'n Things this week (admittedly to check out the store-closing sales--still at only 10 to 20 percent off, if you're curious) and came across a sad state. Yellow and red signs dominating the interior, announcing to customers the end of all that was linen or thing.

However, it wasn't the sales that piqued my interest in the store--it was my experience at the check-out counter. After purchasing a new oven mitt at 10 percent off (I had an incident with my hand and a too-hot burner the night before), I asked the sole store associate behind the counter when the store would be closing for good. She looked up with a completely blank stare and said, "I have no idea. They don't tell us anything." Having heard this depleted response, a female shopper behind me said, "You know, the Linens 'n Things at The Forum is already up to 20 percent off store-wide. You might want to check there." She went on to tell me about a massage chair she bought at The Sharper Image's store closing sale a few months ago for upwards of 60 percent off.

While the bargain hunter's commentary was appreciated, I have to say--what a sad state of retail we're in today. I mentioned to the woman that I write for a retail magazine and named off a number of other retailers recently calling it quits and closing all their stores (Shoe Pavilion and Mervyn's to name a few). Her reply? "Too bad none of them are around here. Probably some good sales."

While not all value-driven consumers are Chapter 11 store-hopping like the example here, the bargain hunter within all of us understands where this woman was coming from. Clip a coupon, hit a sale, save some money. As long as we're still shopping, retail will prevail.

--Alison Embrey Medina

Men Go Nuts for Clothes

While having dinner with a male friend recently, the conversation took an unusual turn--to clothing. Before I knew what was happening, my friend was proudly gushing about his recent clothing purchases.

He sheepishly admitted to spending far more than he intended, but that he just had to have specific brand-name items (I later saw an overflowing Guess? bag as evidence of said shopping spree.)

As I wondered what patrons close by might be thinking of such intimate girl talk between a man and a women, specifically as he went on to describe in detail the "amazing" button-down shirt he found and tailored black slacks, I couldn't help but chuckle.

My, how times have changed. Back in the day, it took everything I had to get a boyfriend excited about clothes shopping.

So, I wasn't a bit surprised to read a recent report indicating that menswear sales are now outperforming women's clothing sales. I certainly hadn't been on any delicious shopping sprees lately and neither had any of my girlfriends.

Apparently, it's becoming quite the trend.

A recent article in the Tampa Tribune confirms my observation. Fashionistas are attributing the increased menswear purchasing to slimmed-down styles and more media attention on male fashion. Port Washington, N.Y.-based NPD Group Inc. released results reporting that menswear sales rose 0.8 percent for the annual period through May 2008, with women's apparel dropping 3.5 percent. For the quarter ending May 2008, men's sales increased 2.3 percent and women's declined 3 percent.

Yikes! Even though clothing sales in general are remaining limp, menswear sales seem to be making up for some of the loss on the women's side. So, why are women giving up shopping for clothes these days? The Tampa Tribune article asserts that women's apparel has become rather boring (well, they may have a point), while menswear is exciting, streamlined and trendier.

The increase for men can also be attributed to the fact that men are catching on to the glorious goodness of wearing fashionable clothes. In fact, men are realizing that they:

1) Get more attention when they dress up and with style (I would like to point out women have known this for centuries).

2) They feel more confident about themselves.

Way to go guys! Now, it's up to retailers to adjust their marketing to meet this growing demand. According to the Tampa Tribune, Bloomingdale's is creating separate areas in its men's department and Macy's is adding exclusive lines, such as Emporio Armani underwear. Um, okay...not exactly important for work fashion, but it may help with the confidence.

Any way you look at it, this is a great development in menswear. Now, if we can just get women's apparel back on track. Do you think it's the slimmed down styles and increased attention that is shifting the menswear tide? And what do you think is going on with women's fashion? Tell us about it here!

--Heather Strang