The Ruggist has a Sexy Romp with Language.

My last post ended with a reference to comedic timing, and depending on if you find me humorous or just plain laughable some would say I have a decent sense of that timing. Irregardless (Which many argue is not a "real" word rather a combination or regardless and irrespective, and following English convention would mean "without regardless, a double negative, so actually meaning "with regard". More on this later!) of what you think, any self-respecting Rug Dealer, Ruggy (or Ruggie), Rug Salesman, Porter, Floor Technician, Expeditor, Rug Saleswoman, Rug Salesperson (why must English remove gender specific nouns?), National Sales Director, Owner, Rug Historian, Creative Director or as I read this morning Grande Fromage,  ad nauseam, worth their weight in a pile of wool dust has had to endure countless musings of clever customers (and coworkers, now known as CeCe), all of which have been uttered so widely and geographically disparate that we must assume CeCe (singular in case, plural in meaning) are actually a special sub-species of human possessing a collective consciousness of indecision. Yes that is one sentence.

So now, I present for your review, a collection of my favorite musings. I invite any reader be they Rug Dealer, Ruggy (or Ruggie), Rug Salesman, Porter, Floor Technician, Expeditor, Rug Saleswoman, Rug Salesperson (why must English remove gender specific nouns?), National Sales Director, Owner, Rug Historian, Creative Director or as I read this morning Grande Fromage,  ad nauseam or CeCe or just a hapless soul who googled the term "peanut butter recall" to chime in with any of their favorites by adding them as comments. Maybe one day, we'll publish a book! This introduction is much too long, so without further:

"You'll need to sharpen your pencil on that price."

This is for my friend Ned Baker, who claims this is his favorite line. First. Who still uses pencils? Second. The only difference a sharp pencil would make is in legibility. Third. Just say you want a better price. Geeze! I say respond with "We use pens."

"I bet you don't have to go to the gym."

For anyone who has ever flipped piles or stacks of rugs for a Customer, and wanted to utter back "Clearly you don't go to the gym either...."

"I don't have an 8x10, can you use a 9x12?" or

"I don't have that rug in an 8x10 but I have something very similar...."

This is for... well you know who you are.

"I'm looking for something Berry coloured."

Do people not realize there are Blueberries (Actually purple), Raspberries (Red), Gooseberries (Mostly Green), et cetera.? Yes I know you mean Red, but come on.

"I'll know it when I see it."

See what? You don't even know what size you want. (See below)

"I need to go home and measure."

Measure what? I thought you'd know it when you saw it.

"I'm looking for a living room rug."

Does anyone know how to tell the difference between a  living room and dining room rug?

"Will this fade in the sun?"

Rugs should apparently, over every other home furnishing, be somehow impervious to the sun.

"Do you have any of those TIE BET TAN rugs?" (Said while looking directly at one.)

Thank you dumbed down design magazines for "educating" consumers.

"I'm allergic to Wool."

Oddly no-one ever seems to notice they are in a showroom full of this potentially fatal allergen until they are told the rugs are made of wool.

"Do you have something that looks like this, but is less expensive?"

No. No we don't. 

**Intermission**

Act 1 of this post was focused on the first Ce in CeCe, "Customers" and now while we await to hear from the second Ce, "Coworkers" in Act 2, I will continue on my rambling irregardless to the interruption of the flow of the post.

 Wikipedia (the source for all Internet knowledge, true or otherwise) has this to say about irregardless, and my basic thought on this subject is to: USE THE CORRECT WORD. Ever since I was introduced to a Webster's Dictionary of Synonyms by the most wonderful lady (and she is a lady) Mary Ann Barrett  of Classic Oriental Rugs I've been striving to use the correct word in my writing and speech. Sometimes I fail, but that leads to improvement, no? Anyway, regardless of these thoughts, or irrespective of these thoughts, the lights are dimming and the curtain is going up....

"I was born at night, but not last night"

For my former co-worker Andrew (Drew) Carlson, from whom I learned a lot. I still love this line. All the best to him at Rug Source in Denver.

"It's the latest trend in Europe."

This is my personal favorite line to use when in sales mode.

"That is off the cheese wheel."

I think this still lacks an official definition and standard of use, and most certainly will pose problems when trying to translate into other languages, but such is the case of all idioms. I propose usage such as: "Sales are down so low they've dropped right off the cheese wheel" or, when referencing a positive shift in sales "Sales are right off the cheese wheel" which I like better. I think "off the cheese wheel" should always have a positive connotation.  

In conclusion...

Completely ignoring my intermission and theatrical metaphor in the middle of this post (yes I know, by acknowledging the metaphor I've not ignored it) we find ourselves here at the end of my less than concise post. What is my point this time? I had not set out with one in mind, rather only to bring some levity to otherwise dark economic times. If we think positively then positive things will happen, and the converse  is true as well. However, when I reached the end I realized there was a point after all.

Presuming readers add their own musings to this list, we will find that all of us, whether we are a Rug Dealer, Ruggy (or Ruggie), Rug Salesman, Porter, Floor Technician, Expeditor, Rug Saleswoman, Rug Salesperson (why must English remove gender specific nouns?), National Sales Director, Owner, Rug Historian, Creative Director or as I read this morning Grande Fromage, or Ruggist, or anything your heart can imagine, are in this together and share the same problems and joys. When I worked in a showroom I thought I knew it all, then I went to work for an importer and saw the other side of the coin. I still don't know it all, but I now know that everyone has their own agenda, and by fitting those often competing agendas together we can accomplish great things.

Cheers!

Why the timing just wasn't right for NORS, Domotex, and Surfaces.

Welcome back faithful [sic] readers of The Ruggist! After a near two month hiatus leaving the world of rugs wondering what I could possibly be doing, I have returned to blogging so as not to leave everyone in despair. Furthermore, I'd hate for people to think that I have abandoned this blog, when in fact I haven't. There have been other, more pressing concerns afoot, which we'll get into later. So without further digressions, let's begin. Ooops! First though, a warning. This story is a bit winding, but it does get to a point. I promise.

Introduction

December's post was only half hearted as I was in the midst of tending to what has become an all encompassing project. Red Spruce. (You can see the website here, or for the press release you can click here.) The short version is that through a chance meeting and a long feasibility study I have launched my own rug company. Some would say this was inevitable, but for me it is the natural progression of anyone who is creative and in the rug business. Hmm, that is inevitable isn't it?. Of course, this begs to ask "What is Red Spruce?".

Red Spruce

Red Spruce (fully Red Spruce Limited et L'Épinette Rouge Limitée aux francais, we are in Canada, eh?) is according to my own marketing "The premier maker of authentic hand-hooked rugs and carpets." To expand on this. What Red Spruce makes are fully attributed, artist designed Nova Scotia hand-hooked rugs and carpets, made in North America, made without child labour, that are some of the most sustainable rugs (and carpets) around. All wool (or wool and cashmere if you'd like) construction, linen foundations, colour variations not easily achieved in knotted carpets, commissioning options rivaling the best, and a unique aesthetic that marries the modern and contemporary with the time honoured.  All of this in a luxury product for which there are few if any justifiable competitors.

What am I talking about "more pressing matters"?

It dawned on me last December that the time was right to strike. To either sink or swim. To take a gamble, and not jump the shark. So I started writing the business plan. And writing. And writing. Then some spreadsheets, et cetera. By the time my weather aborted Amsterdam vacation rolled around (we ended up in NYC instead, and looked for a runner at the Odegard Warehouse) the business plan stretched on for many pages, and a course was charted.

On top of this is my parallel work with Robin Gray Design, where we (Robin Gray, Nedret Gürler, and myself) are working to expand their dealer network. In fact, I should welcome Regency Royale as a Robin Gray Design dealer, and remind everyone to check out Robin Gray Design (see link above) and contact Robin if you'd like to become a dealer. Finally, please join us on Friday, May 1, 2009 as we celebrate the Grand Opening of Robin's new showroom in Santa, Fe, New Mexico.

So, with those two items, and my part time work in architectural salvage, I've been busy.

NORS, Domotex, and Surfaces.

In the time span of six (6) weeks you will find three of the most important rug shows of the year, and due to the previously mentioned time consuming events, and the personal advise I received from a well known veteran of the rug industry, I skipped them all this year. So critics of mine will say how can I write about the rug industry if I don't go to the shows? First I will say "I was just too busy and there was not enough return on investment(ROI) in it for me this year. That is why the timing was wrong. For me." and second "Because I choose to (write)"

Get to the point already.

Is there a point? Most certainly. And it is about timing. The recession looms large in everyone's mind and everyone is looking for ways to save money. But it is not just about saving money. It is about looking at what you are doing, figuring out how to do it better, for fewer resources, so that you will still be around in better times. In a nutshell: increasing your return on investment. For me, the timing to get maximum ROI on attending the markets was just not here this year. My time was and is better spent, building a company so that in the future recovered (or recovering) world markets we'll be ready to introduce our products.

For the rest of the rug industry, I think the timing is right to be attending markets, and to be buying, and to be advertising, all selectively of course. Sitting by waiting for the recession to end will only prolong it for everyone. Focusing efforts where there is maximum ROI, and not forgoing developing rug trends will speed your recovery.  Furthermore, and everyone who knows me knows this is a pet peeve of mine: Manage your inventory (but not by forcing it on anyone, but by incentivizing them to take it.) The timing may not be right to sell any overstock now, but in the absence of sales, a look at how to manage your inventory for the future would make excellent use of the time(ing).

In conclusion.

It is - just as it always should be - a good time to invest in your future. What will you and your company be doing in future years. Will you be trying the same nearly broken model? Will you embrace new ways of doing things? Will you own your own rug company? Will you invest in another? Regardless of what is done, it'll be done when the time is right. For just as in (successful) comedy, timing is everything. 

Red Spruce Press Release - 05/02/09

PRESS RELEASE - February 5, 2009 -FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Canadian Company to Introduce Artist Designed Nova Scotia Hooked Rugs to Global Marketplace

Halifax, NS – You’ve seen hooked rugs before, but never like these. Red Spruce Limited is pleased to announce it is starting production of its inaugural collection of handcrafted artist designed hooked rugs. The collection will be débuted June 19, 2009 during a private gala at Argyle Fine Art in the Historic Properties in Downtown Halifax.

Halifax entrepreneur and self-described ruggist Michael Christie has combined his passion for handmade rugs with the native Nova Scotian craft of rug hooking to create carpets of unique and extraordinary beauty.

In fact, every carpet made by Red Spruce is a fully attributed work of art. Each hand involved, be it of the artist/designer, the grapher, the dyemaster, or most importantly the rug hooker, contributes to the aesthetic beauty of the finished carpet. And while the unique and modern designs of Red Spruce are not ordinarily seen in hooked rugs, it is just this juxtaposition of the new with the time honoured, that creates carpets and rugs of inimitable character.

This peerless combination has a worldwide upmarket appeal and is the reason Red Spruce has embarked on exporting a Maritimes craft to the world. Although few in the rug industry have seen samples, those already in the know are talking.

“What we’re trying to accomplish with Red Spruce, represents a culmination of all of that can and should be done the right way, that is to say, correctly in the making of rugs and carpets.” says Michael Christie, Owner and Creative Director of Red Spruce Limited. “We say we’re the premier maker of carpets of uncompromised quality and integrity; hopefully our clients judge that to be the case.”

Red Spruce carpets are designed by Canadian and American artists and designers, handmade in Canada, made without Child Labour, and can be purchased ready-made or made-to-order. Commissions of exemplary pieces are also accepted.

Red Spruce Limited is a Nova Scotia based and owned company, makers of authentic hand-hooked rugs and carpets. To become involved as an artist/designer, rug hooker, or otherwise, or to receive an invitation to the premier please contact Michael Christie at 01 902 482 0460 or via email at homeoffice@redspuce.ca

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For further INFORMATION, IMAGES, or to arrange an INTERVIEW, contact:

Michael Christie at 01 902 482 0460 or homeoffice@redspruce.ca