This summer has been …well, difficult. I would like to address this personally, as the owner and ultimately, the person making the decisions that affected us all.
Recently we lost a member of our staff, a part of our Apple Box family, but not before making the choice to support them through their illness. We were informed that any added stress would worsen their condition – they loved their job with us and were worried about losing it -- and for that reason I decided to not replace them but rather keep the door open for them to work when they could. We are a small, family-run business, and though the past weeks have been fraught with unforeseen events that affected our Studio hours, the last thing we intended to do was inconvenience you, our customers, and yet sometimes we did. Even knowing your patience and understanding, being there for you is important to us, too, and it wasn’t an easy choice to make. I wanted you to know that.
That decision, for us, was the right thing to do under the circumstances, but something that was truly unexpected was the effects of holding fewer workshops. I made the call to postpone offering a full schedule while we met the challenges we were faced with. It seemed relatively harmless until some new customers started coming in to our shops with bad information and issues with painted projects. We’ve since learned that a number of you had opted to take classes from uncertified and, unbeknownst to you, inexperienced people (painters who may use them but really know very little about our brands). I wish that were different, I wish you could get your money back, but ultimately all I can do is hope you will consider taking a workshop at our Studio so that we can help. Painting should be fun and easy, and I am sorry to hear when anyone is discouraged. It doesn’t have to be that way.
Recently we lost a member of our staff, a part of our Apple Box family, but not before making the choice to support them through their illness. We were informed that any added stress would worsen their condition – they loved their job with us and were worried about losing it -- and for that reason I decided to not replace them but rather keep the door open for them to work when they could. We are a small, family-run business, and though the past weeks have been fraught with unforeseen events that affected our Studio hours, the last thing we intended to do was inconvenience you, our customers, and yet sometimes we did. Even knowing your patience and understanding, being there for you is important to us, too, and it wasn’t an easy choice to make. I wanted you to know that.
That decision, for us, was the right thing to do under the circumstances, but something that was truly unexpected was the effects of holding fewer workshops. I made the call to postpone offering a full schedule while we met the challenges we were faced with. It seemed relatively harmless until some new customers started coming in to our shops with bad information and issues with painted projects. We’ve since learned that a number of you had opted to take classes from uncertified and, unbeknownst to you, inexperienced people (painters who may use them but really know very little about our brands). I wish that were different, I wish you could get your money back, but ultimately all I can do is hope you will consider taking a workshop at our Studio so that we can help. Painting should be fun and easy, and I am sorry to hear when anyone is discouraged. It doesn’t have to be that way.
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Back to the Future
Where are we now? With the news that our employee and friend will not be able to return, we must move forward with plans that were set aside, and also with adding to our team. We must get back to the future we planned for Apple Box™ Design Studio.
First, effective today the Studio hours are not just returning to what they were, but they are improved:
Tuesday – Thursday we will now be open from 11:00 AM to 6:30 PM.
Fridays and Saturdays we will be open from 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM, answering your request for earlier hours on and near the weekend. So long as it makes sense to have longer and earlier shopping days, we will meet the call.
Also effective today, we are welcoming our new Studio Assistant. She is Stephanie Hayward, who comes to us with extensive experience in retail and an education in design. We’ll be introducing Stephanie to you in-studio and over social media in future weeks as she becomes a part of the team at our St. Albert location.
We are currently seeking a Retail Assistant for our Edmonton location. Apple Box™ Boutique is set in Highlands, a lovely historic community that we are proud to be a part of. The Boutique is our flagship shop and is the shabby chic/cottage chic big sister to our rustic/industrial chic Studio. If you (or someone you know) would be a good fit, please send your resume to: info@appleboxboutique.com. You can also visit our website Employment page for further information.
First, effective today the Studio hours are not just returning to what they were, but they are improved:
Tuesday – Thursday we will now be open from 11:00 AM to 6:30 PM.
Fridays and Saturdays we will be open from 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM, answering your request for earlier hours on and near the weekend. So long as it makes sense to have longer and earlier shopping days, we will meet the call.
Also effective today, we are welcoming our new Studio Assistant. She is Stephanie Hayward, who comes to us with extensive experience in retail and an education in design. We’ll be introducing Stephanie to you in-studio and over social media in future weeks as she becomes a part of the team at our St. Albert location.
We are currently seeking a Retail Assistant for our Edmonton location. Apple Box™ Boutique is set in Highlands, a lovely historic community that we are proud to be a part of. The Boutique is our flagship shop and is the shabby chic/cottage chic big sister to our rustic/industrial chic Studio. If you (or someone you know) would be a good fit, please send your resume to: info@appleboxboutique.com. You can also visit our website Employment page for further information.
Sunday, September 7th is a big day at the Boutique as we celebrate the Highlands Street Festival. Be sure to stop in between 10 AM and 5 PM for music, food, artisans and great deals from vendors and local merchants, including Customer Appreciation pricing at Apple Box™ Boutique.
Finally, we will be posting our painting workshops this week. All registrants in the month of September will receive in-store credits (not just the early birds!). Judging from the long list of customers on our Workshop Notifications list, seats may go quickly, so be sure to get your registration in at www.appleboxboutique.com/workshops-and-classes.html.
In Closing...
There are people to thank (profusely) – Mista Zaugg, our General Manager, for holding everything together, often working at the Edmonton Boutique in the morning and rushing up to St. Albert to be there for our Studio customers in the afternoon, then home to her two young children who also deserve thanks for sharing their Mom without complaint. Also Basia Kowal of BCalm Bookkeeping who spent the better part of her ‘free’ summer away from her accounting career to work in retail at our Boutique until her own company became too big a success to be set aside.
And importantly, I’d like to take a moment to thank you. We have the deepest appreciation for all of your support over the last few weeks, not only for the Studio but for our employee as they rallied against an illness that looked frighteningly close to taking a friend from us forever. You stuck with us, offered your assistance and shared your own stories of perseverance. I genuinely mean it when I say we have the best customers in the world. I can’t wait to get back to business and to catching up with you all. I hope to see you at the Studio soon!
♥,
And importantly, I’d like to take a moment to thank you. We have the deepest appreciation for all of your support over the last few weeks, not only for the Studio but for our employee as they rallied against an illness that looked frighteningly close to taking a friend from us forever. You stuck with us, offered your assistance and shared your own stories of perseverance. I genuinely mean it when I say we have the best customers in the world. I can’t wait to get back to business and to catching up with you all. I hope to see you at the Studio soon!
♥,
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