Saturday, October 24, 2015

Work Week



I got home late last night from a week working in Asheville, NC. I went up as part of the design team for Fifth Season to help set up our newest store. It is going to be a really great place to shop once the doors are open for business. I stayed at an air bnb with three other women, so I got up super early each morning to get the shower first. The plus to this was every morning I saw the sun rise over the mountain peaks and the town of Asheville in the distance went from twinkling dawn lights to pink sky and then the day began. Not a bad way to spend a week. We worked hard, but had some nice meals, got a lot accomplished and had a lot of laughs.

I started this job one year ago with the hopes that it would work into something fun and creative and it has. I am still the lowest man on the totem pole, lots of egos and power hungry folks in front of me, but it's been my experience that if you stay the course, you outlast those types and then you can prove your worth. I'm not interested in the ego struggles anymore, so I just keep my head down, work hard and try to smile and laugh and make the work fun. It's much more enjoyable than wanting to be the important one in charge. Much less ass kissing has to be done that way, ha!


The store will have a coffee bar, coffee courtesy of Carrboro roasters, beer on tap, wine, kombucha,  and healthy small plates.  It's going to be a fun place to hang out.

The outdoor nursery has a beautiful fountain. The tables made from reclaimed wood will display planters, outdoor plants and garden decor. There will be live music on weekends, the store is participating with local artists and will have art on display, and they hope to really support and become a vital part of the community.


There is a brew room where you can come and rent a kettle to brew your own beer, there will be classes on home-brew and workshops.


The first shipment of plants came in the first day I was there and it was mind blowing trying to check all of that in. It seemed like the boxes of plants went on forever. It took the better part of a day to get them unpacked and checked in. Everything brown you see in the background was a box of plants or a plant with brown wrapping, and where the green plants are, there had been even more boxes of plants.    Soooooo many......


Our small house was on the side of a mountain and had spectacular views. These houses were on steel beam stilts and seemed really precariously perched to me. Don't think I would want that for a permenant residence! But the sunrises were spectacular.



Our morning commute to the store was very pretty. Our first morning driving in this sweet little bear cub ran across the road in front of us and we almost hit it with the car. Where was mama bear!?!?!



6 comments:

Dennis Allen said...

Store sounds great ! BTW I've been in charge it's not all it's cracked up to be.

Tracey Broome said...

Dennis, you got that right! You have to work way harder and no one likes you heehee

Sandy Miller said...

OH thank god you are still here and blogging!!!! I just read your journey and swear we are on the same train! So funny!

Michèle Hastings said...

What an awesome store that is going to be! Of course it's in Asheville... where everything hip is happening. Glad you got to experience the set up.

Vicki said...

Oh, that's SO awesome! What a great opportunity to be a part of something like this!
Must say, I'm more than a little envious :)
But, I'm SUPER happy that you are forging ahead, enjoying a fabulous new path.
With your design skills and knowledge, you'll be a highly, highly regarded member one day, when the others do indeed, fall away.
The Universe is taking care of you in a wonderful way.
So happy that we get to come along on your journey, Tracey.

Great things lay ahead...
xx

Lori Buff said...

It looks like they think a lot of you if they sent you to Asheville on the design team. I’ll have to visit the store next time I’m in Asheville.