We have officially passed the 9-month mark since opening Market Street Creatives, and I wanted to take a moment to share an update with all of our vendors about what is happening and where things are headed.
There is so much going on at MSC right now that it is hard to know where to begin, so I want to focus on the areas that matter most to all of us.
Communication
Many of you know that one of our biggest challenges has been finding the best way to communicate with all vendors consistently. We have tried email, Facebook, texting services, and even building this app. Even with all of those efforts, we are still finding that only about 40–50% of vendors are actually reading the messages we send. Going forward, we will continue using this app as our primary communication platform, and we will also follow up with a post in the vendor Facebook group to let everyone know when a message has been posted here.
Email and Direct Contact
As you can imagine, with the number of vendors we have, we receive a large volume of email every day, and sometimes it may take a day or two to respond. Because of that, I also want to make myself more directly accessible. In addition to email, you can text me directly at 860-921-6630. If you do, please just let me know who you are so I can save your contact information. My phone is always on silent because I spend so much time with vendors and do not like interruptions while I am helping someone, but I always check my texts and respond as soon as I can. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you need anything or if you have been waiting more than a day for a reply to an email.
Marketing
We launched the MSC Marketing Board last week, and it is currently made up of 12 vendors who are volunteering their time and ideas to help Market Street Creatives grow. This group is focused not only on bringing more traffic into MSC, but also on developing ideas and tools that can help vendors improve their own marketing efforts. Topics being discussed range from social media help and video creation to broader training and support so that more vendors can succeed. We sincerely appreciate their help and commitment. They are working hard for the good of the whole community, and I know they will be looking for additional people to help with specific projects as things move forward. If you are interested in getting involved, please comment below.
MSC Personnel
We have had some staffing changes that I wanted to make everyone aware of, along with some additions that will help us better support both our vendors and our customers.
Michelle has decided to step away from MSC. I will not go into details in this post, but I am available if anyone has questions. We truly appreciate everything she did to help build MSC from the beginning, and while we are sad to see her go, we wish her the very best in what comes next.
Abby has been working closely with Rob and me to help with everything from event management to vendor communication and email. She has stepped in to help fill the gap created by Michelle’s departure. Abby will be leaving in August to attend college in North Carolina, and Rob and I are already interviewing candidates to find the right person to shadow her so that the transition is as smooth as possible when the time comes.
Joe is now working with us 4–5 days a week. He will be helping at the register, assisting with management of the Creator Space, and working on signmaking for vendors. If you need signage, especially laser-cut signs, please let us know, and we can connect you with Joe.
Lynn is managing our store staff while also continuing in her role as CFO. Overall operations for MSC continue to be handled by Rob and me.
The Warehouse
Our new event venue, The Warehouse, officially opened at the beginning of April with one clear mission: to bring more people into MSC through events. We have already had several successful events this month, and based on our conversations with attendees at the comedy show, train events, and the Warehouse Marketplace, we estimate that 60% or more of attendees had never been to MSC before. That was exactly the goal, so we know this strategy is working. When we host events, guests enter through the front door and walk the main floor before reaching The Warehouse. That was intentional because it gives them exposure to all of the amazing vendors throughout the store. We also build in time before and after events for guests to shop, and we adjust store hours when needed to support those opportunities.
The Railroad
Last weekend marked the first weekend train using our new train station platform in the back parking lot. We now have more than 30 trains scheduled throughout the summer that are expected to stop here, in addition to the Torrington Express weekend trains. This partnership is a huge step forward because it helps position MSC not only as a shopping destination but also as a tourism destination.
In-Store Marketing
We have been replacing paper and poster signage throughout MSC with TV displays. These are already helping customers navigate the store, find events, and see promotions for vendors and workshops. We believe they are far more effective than static paper signage, and we plan to add another 3–6 displays in the coming weeks.
Back to the Beginning
Over the last couple of weeks, one of our biggest areas of focus has been getting back to some of the original ideas and concepts that helped define MSC when we first opened. Things like the Market Street Radio Podcast, contests, vendor maps, and other community-building efforts are being revisited and expanded. We are open to any and all suggestions from vendors on what you would like to see and how we can better help you succeed. Please feel free to email me with ideas.
Big Events Coming Up
Our Spring Fling event is coming up on June 6, and it is going to be a major event, much like our fall festival. As we get closer, we will share more information with vendors on how to participate and ideas for promoting your stores during the event. We are also beginning to plan our 1-year anniversary celebration, which will be another large event with media coverage, food trucks, and more. We are currently targeting the August 15 timeframe for that celebration.
Statistics and Reporting
Several vendors have asked for more data, including information on top vendors, sales trends, foot traffic, and related performance metrics. Beginning in May, we will be installing new technology throughout MSC, including our own custom-designed people counters at the front and rear entrances, The Warehouse, and other key points throughout the shopping floor. This will give us much better traffic data that we can compare against sales performance and event activity. We will also begin publishing a monthly Top 20 list of vendors based on sales volume, along with a monthly report that includes a breakdown of traffic, sales percentages, and other important metrics.
As I write this, it is hard to believe we have only been open for 9 months. We have accomplished so much, yet we have only scratched the surface of what we still want to do. None of this would have been possible without all of you. Our vendors are at the heart of everything we are building, and you will always be a top priority for us. If you need anything at all, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Thank you for your trust, your faith, and your continued support.
Erick, Rob, and Lynn