Closing Day

Let's have one more round for Dixie!
Diet Doctor Pepper
Mountain Dew

Let's sit around the cashier's desk
on that red leather loveseat and swap
stories about
crazy customers
crazy vendors
our crazy lives

Let's remember the place where
everyone knew your name
and we all celebrated good sales
good times
good news
each other

Let's remember the times when we could not
celebrate
because we were sad
and we helped each other out instead

Let's have one more round for Dixie!
Then order lunch
one last time
(Taco Bell again!)

Let's toast the memories of a store that would not quit
no matter what anyone else said about it

Let's drink to each other
to friends
to family

Let's have one more round for Dixie!
Diet Doctor Pepper
Mountain Dew

Michael Edward Mitchell
January 31, 2015

The Final Countdown

For the Peddlers Mall.  Not for anything else.  (I feel like I have to be so careful what I say now, since I don't want anyone to worry about me unnecessarily.)

Today and tomorrow are the last two days that the Dixie Peddlers Mall will be in existence.  I am sad beyond belief over this.  Out of all the stores I have been in, this is the one that feels like home.  This is the one where I learned how to do this.  This is the one where I learned how much I loved doing this.  I have made really good friends here.  I'll be seeing a lot of them around in other PM's and other stores, but it's never going to be the same again. I feel like the old gang is breaking up.

But life goes on, I guess.  I still have boxes to pack and move.  I've taken several loads out, but still have lots more to go.  Even though the time is much shorter now, I'm still planning to move most of my stuff after the store is closed.  It makes more sense to me to give stuff the most chances to sell.  With no rent coming out of this check, I want it to be as big as I can make it. 

Saturday, we'll get the last of the big and small furniture out, except for the shelves that are in use right now holding stuff.  They'll probably be the last to go.  Sunday and Monday, I'll pack up stuff on the floor and in my storage.  Thankfully, most of my stuff in the storage is still boxed up. 

I have a few items that I am leaving for the clean up crew, but not many.  I've already made arrangements for someone to take care of my one wall.  It's not going with me.  I have a shelf and a chair that I am not keen on taking with me.  I'm slashing them way on down today to try and get them re-homed.  If not, they'll be gifts for the cleaning up dudes. 

I've been taking advantage of other folks' leaving sales and such to score everything I can.  I've had a lot given to me.  I've also made offers on several items--mostly furniture and shelving.  I am going to be able to completely re-do the look of my spaces with new shelving.  I have a lot of plastic utility shelves that I no longer want to use for the booths.  They're coming home to the shed to organize my merch storage there.  I've picked up enough (much) nicer looking shelves to give my new spaces a look that better reflects my identity as a re-seller.  I'm excited about the possibilities.

I didn't really have much of an identity when  I started doing this.  I was one of countless others who wanted to sell crap.  Now I am much more knowledgeable, much more secure in who I am and what I sell.  I have a regular customer base.  I have good sales.  I've found something that I love doing and am somewhat good at.

It's all thanks to the Dixie Peddlers Mall.  I'm going to miss the hell out of this place.