Follow the Multi-Colored Brick Wall

After: It took me 12 hours to paint this wall
Credit: Jenna Hollinger Photography

   

Before: The bare wall, unpainted

    One of the hardest transitions I've made in my business was transitioning to storefront. Display cabinets had to be ordered, certifications had to be acquired, work needed to be done desperately, and appliances had to be installed. It was a long and tedious road, but it was well worth it.

     When I rented the place, it was “as is”. I had to install new flooring, baseboards, a toilet and sink. Walls had to be built. The place needed to be painted, which was fairly time consuming. Also, we had to assemble display cases to show off my products. Hands down, it was one of the most arduous tasks we encountered. After that it seemed to be fairly smooth sailing, but none of us could prepare for the challenge ahead. The refrigerator.

    

Due to the cost of establishing a brick and mortar shop, I had to buy some appliances second hand. Included was a gargantuan refrigerator. Before I begin, you have to know I'm not exaggerating. The thing was heavy. Stainless steel. Massive. However most irking of all, it stunk. I could never place my finger on it, but the stink needed to be eliminated immediately. We scrubbed, scoured and soaked. By the end, it felt like we had conquered a living, breathing thing. In the end we prevailed, and although ends needed to be tied up, the worst was behind us.

     Looking back, it was hard work to get the store in the condition it was, to where it is now. At times, it seemed like it would never be completed. It's done now, and I'm thankful for that. Hard work always pays off, but there's one thing I've learned through all of this: I'll be happy if I never have to touch another display cabinet in my life.

Credit: Jenna Hollinger Photography