Sales are not my forté. I sell lambs with reluctance. I have a web page that is slowly bringing in new wool customers, but I sell most of my wool to people who come to my house for two fiber days a year. I’m not very good at pricing or advertising.
Last year I joined the Mercantile on Main, a limited liability partnership, because it sounded like a good way to sell my yarn, my roving, and my books. Each of the members has different strengths – some keep the records, others work on advertising. A few are great at display, while others work on legal documents. Somehow it all works and it has been so much fun!
A year after we first opened our shop in an old gas station, eighteen women and one man signed their names to a deed of sale and bought the old municipal liquor store in Pelican Rapids, Minnesota. We renovated the building – ripped down interior walls and floors, replaced ceiling and plumbing, added a window, and then filled the space to bursting with interesting things.
The Mercantile on Main sells all kinds of items just like an old-fashioned mercantile. We have Asian groceries, antiques, fabric and sewing supplies, collectibles, hand made jewelry, silver jewelry, hand made clothing and toys, art and art supplies, crafts, farm raised beef and poultry, Tervis Tumblers™, soaps, candles, cookbooks, wool roving, yarn, and knitting supplies, as well as my books.
The hard part about being a partner at the Mercantile on Main is that I have to work at the store two to three days a month, just like every other partner. The great part is that I sell my books, yarn, and roving year round. The best part is that I have gotten to know an incredible group of people who encourage each other. With their help, I’m getting better at pricing and beginning to enjoy selling.
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