It's Market Season

It's Market Season-you know what that means??? SHOPPING and lots of it!

Market is an experience and we can definitely share some of ours, as we have been on both sides of the aisle. We started years ago as exhibitors, almost 20 years now. But, now we are primarily buyers, and I must say it is so nice to fly into a city, check into the hotel, have a fun dinner, and prepare for 3 days of shopping.

New York is our preferred market destination. We go every year for the 2 main seasons: Fall/Winter & Spring/Summer. What is so tricky about being a buyer is knowing the season you are buying for and how much to spend on current brands and how many "open dollars" are available to try new brands.

In February we are buying for the following Fall/Winter, which in New York is very tricky being that is so cold and so all those coats and sweaters and warm things look wonderful and for a few brief moments we forget that our boutique is on an island in the San Diego bay, and we only have a couple of days to wear a coat, if that! So when our Fall/Winter Molo delivers in the middle of July, I always think to myself what was I thinking!???? This fur leopard coat cannot go out until December, at best! There is always a conversation in my head, "note to self do not over buy Fall/Winter," but what happens it's freezing in New York in February, I am lookng at all of these very cute Fall and Winter sweaters, coats, earmuffs, and cozy things and there I go. In the Molo booth, I can be overheard saying, "It's fine lets just get that subzero puffer it's really cute and besides moss green is the color of the year. It'll do great!" Fast forward unpacking that subzero puffer in the middle of August in San Diego. Buying is tricky.

In August, we are buying for Spring/Summer, which is obviously much easier for us to buy, as we are kind of spring/summer year-round. However, we are buying the next Spring/Summer while we are currently selling, so the mindset is a bit of OMG, we didn't have enough swim, I need to buy more! It feels a bit insatiable. We have key swim brands that we buy very consistently and very deeply, and I know that market season is approaching because those brands' reps are calling and emailing me to make appointments. What makes the market a bit awkward is when I no longer want to keep buying a brand we have stocked. It is very tricky to maneuver that minefield, and we are a bit sensitive to it, as we have been on the other side.

It is so much more fun to be on the buying side. We do leave exhausted, feet hurt, a bit stressed with whether we are overbuying, but always excited, especially if we find new fun brands and our core brands showed up with a great season.

When we are not at Market we always grab tickets to a broadway show. This round we saw OH MARY!! It was funny! We do some shopping in the village and grab some yummy bites to eat at fun little cafes. One of my favorites is Travelers & Poets on 6th in the Village and of course no trip to NYC Market-Playtime isnt complete without a stop at Schmarkeys for cookies to tide us over at 3:00 for our Angel Dear appointment.

Here is to Market Season!