(the misadventures of an expatriate corporate dropout)

Thursday, August 6, 2009

qu'est-ce que c'est? cette chose, la boulot?!

wow what a crazy week (and it is only Thursday ...).

somehow it didn't dawn on me until Monday as I was sat in our new little boutique, The Bohemians , that culmination of this project ... that is, opening the doors, also meant a return to work. well you know, working hours! all of a sudden, I am back to needing to be somewhere certain days, certain hours.

not that I haven't been working my tail off for the past year or more. but it has been unfettered effort. no 'hours' involved.

I'm chafing a bit. so far, I am the one in the shop as Monsieur has this smallish renovation project he is doing, being in need of income and all. so I've resisted posting 'les horaires' anywhere. I'm using the 'it is the first week and I'm still figuring it out' excuse. As of now, I know for certain I will be closed Wednesdays. And I am opening at 10:30 and closing at 7:00 p.m. Except Friday, I'll probably open earlier since it is Brantôme's market day. but beyond that I am uncertain. Do I go full bore 6 days a week to capitalize on the season? do I close Mondays, too, since all the little shops close that day? beats me at the moment...we'll have to wait and see. play it by ear. and such.

but ... our first 3 days have been good! I've been tracking how many people visit, are they French or English? and sales of course.

So we've had 20-30 visitors each day. about 50/50 on the nationality. and sales each day too. So can't complain on that front. And Wednesday I closed and did a buying trip for furniture projects which fared well too.

mais, qu'est-ce que c'est? cette chose, la boulot?! donc, c'est un bon chose il est pour nous et pas pour une corporation!

3 comments:

La Framéricaine said...

And from a comparative culture perspective, you are doing something that many people insist is impossible to do in France, namely, be an entrepreneur.

As I've said before, more than once, you are a helluva role model on more than one level.

My hat's off to you, Mme de Brantôme!

Rosie said...

It seems to me that if you want to make money you have to catch all the tourists wandering about with nothing to do while everything is shut.

Our little town shuts from 12 til 3 every day; Sunday afternoon and all day Monday and some of the shops shut Wednesday too because the schools shut then. And for a fortnight in August because that's when you have a holiday!

But then that's the french way, you have to have a life not just a job :)

Randal Graves said...

Yeah, isn't it vacation season over there? Yet you're open? Some kind of Frenchie you are.