Store Business

I've been focusing on some store issues recently.

The Seattle Dept. of Transportation (SDOT) is looking into giving Stone Way (the street on which our Seattle store is located) something called a Road Diet. This means converting a 4 lane road into a 2 lane road with a turn lane in the center. Plus the addition of bike lanes in both directions.

On the surface it sounds like a change that would make the road more attractive, however the lower half of Stone Way is zoned industrial, and I think the changes would negatively affect business operations. However, we all agree that we want pedestrians to feel safe, too. There is a garbage transfer station less than 2 blocks away, and they have these behemoth freight-sized trucks of trash being hauled up Stone all the time. Imagine being stuck behind one of these babies for over half a mile at 15 mph.... Not my idea of a good solution.

There are neighboring businesses that unload their freight right on Stone. With a Road Diet solution, they'd be forced to unload in the center turn lane and cross traffic on foot or with forklifts to move merchandise and supplies. How safe is that? Or practical?

Not.

Have also been thinking about rebuilding the 30+ year old wallpaper book bins. I want the showroom to have a bit of a design studio feeling - so when customers bring in their projects they can really have a sense of creativity. We have such great windows, literally floor to ceiling -a studio concept would be so cool.