It felt good; it looked good and yes, it even sounded good. I hope that means 2013 will be good for all of us!
As I write this blog I am sitting in the airport in Denver, Co. having attended the Western and English Wholesale Market. Yesterday that 5-day market ended.
Every year our mission is two-fold: we set up a booth that sales our Nettles Stirrups, books and other items made at Nettles Country to retail businesses. Secondly, I search other businesses for new and innovative products for our retail tack and home décor store.
Several things were highly noticeable at this year’s market. First, the atmosphere was more electric than the atmosphere at last year’s Market. Conversations were more optimistic. In fact, the overall motto seemed to be “cowboy up and keep on keeping on.”
Last year trepidation and indecision permeated conversations. The majority of people walking the aisles were concerned about how their business could take care of customers while at the same time, not being left with extensive stock at the end of the year.
Secondly, storeowner attendance seemed heavier than last year. While the total count of attendees is several weeks away, there were tale-tell signs. If you consider the longer amount of time spent standing in line to get a cold sandwich as well as the circling and circling of the parking lots (and there are many of them) in search a parking place – yep; it was a bigger show this year.
And one more thing. New items on the scene were also indicative of the positive vibes. It takes time and money to develop new items and if manufacturers did not have confidence about 2013, few of them would burden their business with the necessary debt to develop something new.
Plane call; gotta run. At least right now, though, the good news is that the western world is pulsating with positive vibes that will make 2013 a good year. Most likely though, to make that work we’re all going to adopt that motto to “cowboy up and keep on keeping on.”
