Our Birth Story
Every birth has a story, and giving birth to a store is no different! Many times I've said Touche` is my fifth child, born when my youngest graduated from high school. Touche` became official in August of 2012, after nearly a year of planning and several years topping my wish list of life goals. I knew I wanted to open my own shop, but I was uncertain about the details. When the new City Creek shopping center was in the works, that was my plan, to open a store in the new development.
It was a lofty goal, but I truly believed I could do it. I had secured the Vera Bradley line, and the City Creek planners wanted Vera Bradley at the mall. It took several meetings with the retail developer to take me seriously. Many times he asked for pictures of the store I wanted to duplicate; I would reply "John, I don't currently have a store, the point is I want to CREATE one!" By this time John (store development manager for Taubman Corporation) and I were on a first name basis and talked several times a week. He gave me lots of business advice and I advised him on my weekly Sunday School lesson. John told me two things that have stuck with me: 1. There is ALWAYS another opportunity awaiting, and 2. Everything is negotiable. That advice has stuck with me and proved valuable.
After months of negotiating a space and convincing John I was the real deal, I had a lease in hand. That was a bit scary and I questioned whether or not I REALLY wanted that lease after all. It was a HUGE monetary commitment, the hours were long, and I questioned whether it was the right fit for a local boutique. At the same time, an area of Bountiful's Main Street was undergoing redevelopment and I was very curious what that was all about. After expressing my concerns to my husband, he stopped by the construction site to check it out.
Within minutes of Dave's arrival on Main Street, I had a phone call from him, "I have the owner of the Main Street development on the line, come down and see what is going on." It was love at first sight for me - I loved the location on Main Street, I loved that it was two miles from home, and I loved the idea of being part of the local community. I knew immediately this was where Touche` needed to be. That was April 2012, and the rest is history!
The next four months were a whirlwind! The store was designed, legal documents filed, product ordered, and my family and friends put to work. Our garage was a workshop used for refinishing the antiques we have in the store, the dining room became the office space, and my entire house was filled with boxes of product ready to display. It was a crazy, busy, exciting time. It was a "learn as you go" experience with a lot of help along the way. We've morphed over the years - we sell more Hobo bags than Vera Bradley, our clothing selection has grown, our jewelry lines have changed, but we still have a great selection of gift items for the kitchen buff! Eight years later and with all the changes, Touche` is still my happy place.
Celebrate our birthday with 20 percent off all cake plates, pedestals, and platters in the store.
Cheers and Happy Birthday, Touche`!
Tami
It was a lofty goal, but I truly believed I could do it. I had secured the Vera Bradley line, and the City Creek planners wanted Vera Bradley at the mall. It took several meetings with the retail developer to take me seriously. Many times he asked for pictures of the store I wanted to duplicate; I would reply "John, I don't currently have a store, the point is I want to CREATE one!" By this time John (store development manager for Taubman Corporation) and I were on a first name basis and talked several times a week. He gave me lots of business advice and I advised him on my weekly Sunday School lesson. John told me two things that have stuck with me: 1. There is ALWAYS another opportunity awaiting, and 2. Everything is negotiable. That advice has stuck with me and proved valuable.
After months of negotiating a space and convincing John I was the real deal, I had a lease in hand. That was a bit scary and I questioned whether or not I REALLY wanted that lease after all. It was a HUGE monetary commitment, the hours were long, and I questioned whether it was the right fit for a local boutique. At the same time, an area of Bountiful's Main Street was undergoing redevelopment and I was very curious what that was all about. After expressing my concerns to my husband, he stopped by the construction site to check it out.
Within minutes of Dave's arrival on Main Street, I had a phone call from him, "I have the owner of the Main Street development on the line, come down and see what is going on." It was love at first sight for me - I loved the location on Main Street, I loved that it was two miles from home, and I loved the idea of being part of the local community. I knew immediately this was where Touche` needed to be. That was April 2012, and the rest is history!
The next four months were a whirlwind! The store was designed, legal documents filed, product ordered, and my family and friends put to work. Our garage was a workshop used for refinishing the antiques we have in the store, the dining room became the office space, and my entire house was filled with boxes of product ready to display. It was a crazy, busy, exciting time. It was a "learn as you go" experience with a lot of help along the way. We've morphed over the years - we sell more Hobo bags than Vera Bradley, our clothing selection has grown, our jewelry lines have changed, but we still have a great selection of gift items for the kitchen buff! Eight years later and with all the changes, Touche` is still my happy place.
Celebrate our birthday with 20 percent off all cake plates, pedestals, and platters in the store.
Cheers and Happy Birthday, Touche`!
Tami