OK, I admit it, I've been gone from the blogosphere for an extended period of time. Honestly, it wasn't on purpose, I've just been lazy. Well, I've been busy too but...ugh...mostly lazy. Here we go -
The title today is "Change, change, change." Never has there been a more appropriate title. The first quarter of 2010 has seen so much change at Zane + Zara's and now Zspa. Let's start with Zspa. Zspa was a difficult birth so say the least. It wasn't just breach it was oversized and clawing its way to stay in the womb. If it could go wrong it went wrong and then soiled itself just so you didn't want to fix whatever issue had popped up. It was a brutal process. Opening should have been in October and managed to stretch until the end of January. Budgets came, went and then burst into flames just for good measure. Much in the way of foul language was expended. But as the french say, "c'est le vie." Zspa did manage to open. Soon after opening we brought onboard a groomer of some note, Chad Jensen, and things began to click nicely. Zspa quickly began to gain a loyal following and some nice Yelp reviews for its, shall we say, free-range style of grooming. While we do own cages, very nice cages I might point out, we never really used them. Dogs that were waiting to be picked up simply hung out in the front of the spa and mingled. It was nice and relaxed. Yet something was off.
The space was simply to large to handle just grooming but was too small to offer the obvious choice of boarding. We needed to rethink our business strategy and quickly. We fell back on what we had wanted to do in the very beginning: offer retail and grooming in one space. That was the original plan for the space at 2205 until we allowed ourselves to be nudged into opening Zspa at 2211. It was now going to be the plan for 2211. John pulled out his tape measure and figured he could fit 85-90% of Zane + Zara's into the empty space available at 2211. There was a short, very concise, negotiation with the landlord and the move began. Zane + Zara's and Zspa were going to merge into one location, 2211 W Roscoe St, and Z3 was going to be born.
The heavy lifting was completed in about 3 days. That brought over about 75% of Z+Z and then we became, well, distracted. Truth is, we've been distracted every since. While the new space is very 'pulled together' and organized the old space looks like a scene from Saving Private Ryan sans the bodies. Next week will be the week that changes all of that. We'll go in and clean out the space, mop the floors and leave it ready to rent. Right now it just looks like it needs assistance from the Red Cross.
So, how's business, you ask? Honestly, while we got to where we are by taking a circuitous route, things could not be better. The combined store/spa has turned out to be the good idea we originally thought. The spa continues to grow its clientele and the store is just as good as it ever was. I think many people saw the closing of 2205 as a terrible thing. But as soon as we get to discussing it, I believe they see the logic of the merger and cease to view it as, "Zane + Zara's is CLOSED!" The service is still great, we still have an amazing selection of wonderful toys and the food and treats are all above reproach.
Change, change, change...to many are bad things. They are upsetting and unsettling. For Zane + Zara's and Zspa: change, change, change have all been good things. There's a fresh skin and a time to shake off the old and embrace the new. Come in and say hello to an old friend. Take a look at our version of grooming and reacquaint yourself with all of the things that make Zane + Zara's a cool place to shop for your furry friend.
PS
And while it has been totally unintentional, Zspa has become THE place to have your cat groomed. Now most would consider cats and grooming an oxymoron. It evidently is not. From the looks of it, there is a huge population of felines incapable of doing the job themselves. Where are they turning? Zspa and the talents of Naoko and Chad Jensen. Unexpected, yes but even a cat needs a day at the spa every now and then.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Fruity in all it's glory.
OK, regarding the whole 'fruity' incident, did I over react? Boy, that really seems to be the question. I'll admit it, I over reacted. Was it justified or do I need to relax a little. It's a good question. I suppose you have to know me. I'll start with a little back ground information and see if I can tie it all together at the end.
You see, I've been a 'fruit' all of my life. Yeah, I've been gay, a sissy, a queer and a fag but, for the most part, I've been a fruit. I managed to work with that. I mean overall it's not a bad word...fruit. And with this little word in my pocket, I did what most people who are away from the norm do, I coped. I developed a thick skin, a quick wit and the ability to fade into the background when necessary. Other's develop different coping mechanisms but, those were mine. I went through high school as safely as possible. Though, I have to say, that wit thing was probably my most successful defense mechanism. When threatened I did not run, or fade, or shrink - I got loud and usually funny. Having no fear of attention, I could cause a scene like few others. This is a knack I still have today. In my high school year-book the powers that be put together the perfect student using attributes from various individuals. I was picked for my individuality. If they only understood the amount of effort that I put into being average. I kept my grades average, I had average pursuits away from school, and excelled at none of them, and I did things expected of a young man. I didn't want to be noticed for who I was, as I was the 'fruit.'I didn't want to be the 'fruit.' I knew the connotations but I really didn't know why or how it applied to me. It just was.
Many of you will have no idea what I'm talking about short of the sexual references but this isn't, at its heart, about being gay. It's about being different and you have to be different to recognize why I went off on the 'fruity' woman. With a nod towards those who see the differences in us all, most of the United States' population are two things: white and straight. You can take these thing together or separately. If you are not these things, you are different. And as a populous, we are tough on those who are different. Even when we are trying to be nice to them, we're hard on them. Fruit is a gentle way to say, well, fag. My brother would use it to tease me like brothers are apt to do. It was used as a way to taunt but not crush. As a way to tease but not draw blood. And this is a strange thing for many of us to recognize as it is built into how we interact. Look at the word 'black.' If someone has skin, darker than the standard population, they are black. The sum of their parts is a color. And we're not trying to insult anyone, it's just thought of as a valid description: they're 'black.' Personally, I love Asian. You take four people and put them in a boat. One Korean, one Japanese, one Chinese and one American. All of them are capable of telling where the others are from: the American knows the others are Asian. I'm off point here, sorry. The truth is, these descriptions have histories and we need to recognize that.
The word 'fruit' has a history for, not just, me but every gay man who has ever cringed hearing it. That cute little slam that was easier to take than 'faggot' so you let it slide or even laughed along. That night, while I didn't laugh along, I did let it slide and I shouldn't have. I should have done what I do best and that is draw attention to myself: the fruit. I should have called her on it. Instead, I let it fester until it came out all over Facebook. Probably not my finest moment.
Today I had a friend come into Zspa for a peek, We chatted about all sorts of things and I made the comment that it looked like the gayest place on earth. She sort of made a sigh of relief in that I had just signaled it was OK to poke a little fun. I felt bad because there was this feeling that I had stripped that ability from her with my little Facebook tirade. That was not my intent. Look, I'm a grown man now. I am not that wounded high school student. I give thanks everyday for the upbringing I was given because along with getting older, I grew an ability to laugh at myself. I credit my family for that ability. There are parts of me that are so stereotypical I must glow at night. My friends, gay and straight, know that they can make fun of me...all of me. But there was no humor in 'fruity.' It was just a blunt adjective. It was used to describe something she didn't like so, it was used negatively. "This leash is too fruity." It was a leash for God's sake not some Carmen Miranda hat for dogs. Just where do you get the guts to come into my store and toss around the word 'fruity' to describe things you don't like? THAT got under my skin. Did I over-react? No, my timing was just off. I should have taken care of business right then-and-there. I would have felt better and people wouldn't be going around saying I need to chill out. Lesson learned.
And I have to make note of just one more thing: fruity girl's dog. Now I'm not one to point fingers but there is all sorts of irony at play here. I mean this dog was all of 8 lbs and looked to be a Poodle. I'm just sayin'.
You see, I've been a 'fruit' all of my life. Yeah, I've been gay, a sissy, a queer and a fag but, for the most part, I've been a fruit. I managed to work with that. I mean overall it's not a bad word...fruit. And with this little word in my pocket, I did what most people who are away from the norm do, I coped. I developed a thick skin, a quick wit and the ability to fade into the background when necessary. Other's develop different coping mechanisms but, those were mine. I went through high school as safely as possible. Though, I have to say, that wit thing was probably my most successful defense mechanism. When threatened I did not run, or fade, or shrink - I got loud and usually funny. Having no fear of attention, I could cause a scene like few others. This is a knack I still have today. In my high school year-book the powers that be put together the perfect student using attributes from various individuals. I was picked for my individuality. If they only understood the amount of effort that I put into being average. I kept my grades average, I had average pursuits away from school, and excelled at none of them, and I did things expected of a young man. I didn't want to be noticed for who I was, as I was the 'fruit.'I didn't want to be the 'fruit.' I knew the connotations but I really didn't know why or how it applied to me. It just was.
Many of you will have no idea what I'm talking about short of the sexual references but this isn't, at its heart, about being gay. It's about being different and you have to be different to recognize why I went off on the 'fruity' woman. With a nod towards those who see the differences in us all, most of the United States' population are two things: white and straight. You can take these thing together or separately. If you are not these things, you are different. And as a populous, we are tough on those who are different. Even when we are trying to be nice to them, we're hard on them. Fruit is a gentle way to say, well, fag. My brother would use it to tease me like brothers are apt to do. It was used as a way to taunt but not crush. As a way to tease but not draw blood. And this is a strange thing for many of us to recognize as it is built into how we interact. Look at the word 'black.' If someone has skin, darker than the standard population, they are black. The sum of their parts is a color. And we're not trying to insult anyone, it's just thought of as a valid description: they're 'black.' Personally, I love Asian. You take four people and put them in a boat. One Korean, one Japanese, one Chinese and one American. All of them are capable of telling where the others are from: the American knows the others are Asian. I'm off point here, sorry. The truth is, these descriptions have histories and we need to recognize that.
The word 'fruit' has a history for, not just, me but every gay man who has ever cringed hearing it. That cute little slam that was easier to take than 'faggot' so you let it slide or even laughed along. That night, while I didn't laugh along, I did let it slide and I shouldn't have. I should have done what I do best and that is draw attention to myself: the fruit. I should have called her on it. Instead, I let it fester until it came out all over Facebook. Probably not my finest moment.
Today I had a friend come into Zspa for a peek, We chatted about all sorts of things and I made the comment that it looked like the gayest place on earth. She sort of made a sigh of relief in that I had just signaled it was OK to poke a little fun. I felt bad because there was this feeling that I had stripped that ability from her with my little Facebook tirade. That was not my intent. Look, I'm a grown man now. I am not that wounded high school student. I give thanks everyday for the upbringing I was given because along with getting older, I grew an ability to laugh at myself. I credit my family for that ability. There are parts of me that are so stereotypical I must glow at night. My friends, gay and straight, know that they can make fun of me...all of me. But there was no humor in 'fruity.' It was just a blunt adjective. It was used to describe something she didn't like so, it was used negatively. "This leash is too fruity." It was a leash for God's sake not some Carmen Miranda hat for dogs. Just where do you get the guts to come into my store and toss around the word 'fruity' to describe things you don't like? THAT got under my skin. Did I over-react? No, my timing was just off. I should have taken care of business right then-and-there. I would have felt better and people wouldn't be going around saying I need to chill out. Lesson learned.
And I have to make note of just one more thing: fruity girl's dog. Now I'm not one to point fingers but there is all sorts of irony at play here. I mean this dog was all of 8 lbs and looked to be a Poodle. I'm just sayin'.
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