A trophy case of sorts....

We spent the weekend in the basement of our store, enjoying the breaking down part before the rebuilding part. We broke down shelving, walls and closets of businesses that have been there in the last decades.

The oldest sign we found was a signature of Sandra Strock, 1957. Strock’s hardware was in this building from 1954 to 1972, and apparently they built the bathroom downstairs in 1957.

We found signs from “the Denim Den”, “the Kids Closet”, Ebners men’s and ladies wear,

Posters of fashions from years ago (the seventies are really better left in the basement, especially the men’s fashions… leisure suits anyone?!) Decorations for sales events and grand openings. Customer appreciation gifts from businesses that no longer exist.

It was very interesting to say the least, but it made me sad and anxious for some reason.

I felt I was wading through people’s broken dreams, and unfinished plans. I felt that everything that had come to an end and was buried in our basement.

All day yesterday I walked around with a chip on my shoulder and a heavy hart. I felt a sense of doom and desperation, without really knowing why.

This morning all of a sudden it dawned on me, I was picturing our own burial in the basement! I was imagining our past before we even hit our future.

And then I started thinking how ridiculous it was for me to see the history we discovered as broken dreams and unfinished plans.

Aren’t they the opposite? Aren’t they accomplished goals and achieved dreams? I imagined previous business owners carefully storing away left over shopping bags with their store’s name proudly displayed on them. No longer needed but too good to just throw away, hours spent on coming up with just the right logo and just the right colour plastic bag to put it on. Posters with Starsky and Hutch look-alikes sporting tight leisure suits, smoking and looking so cool. Of course way to cool to throw away, better store them in the basement, because they were an important part to accomplishing someone’s very successful sales event plans. Balloons and little flags with a store name on them, no doubt used for a very successful grand opening.

Our basement is not a burial ground for broken dreams at all, it is a testimony to the entrepreneurs and dreamers that were here before us. It’s an entrepreneurs version of a trophy case. We’ve kept a few of everyone’s trophies and carefully stowed them away again.

Now “It’s Time” to achieve our own goals and dreams. I feel about 50 lbs lighter after my light bulb moment. Today is going to be a great day J