Toula's Home Gift Garden

Happy New Year! Like many, I tend to feel a bit deflated after the excitement of the holidays has passed, but this year I seem to be bouncing back nicely and am really looking forward to 2008. The holiday season brought many new faces into the store as word continues to spread about our diverse offerings, great staff, fun atmosphere, and thoughtful approach to providing service. I know our customers love buying gifts in our store during the holidays, and 2007 was no exception.

I did, however, have a sobering moment one evening during the height of holiday shopping. I was in the store by myself after hours, restocking near the front windows, when I spotted a couple of ladies walking by. They paused, looking in the windows and chatting. The store lights were dimmed, and I don’t think they even noticed me as I inadvertently eavesdropped on their conversation.

One lady said that she had never been in Toula’s. The other exclaimed, “Oh, you have to go in, but the store is filled with nothing you really need.” I heard this and it gave me pause. Well, first it irritated me, and then it made me think. . . do we sell things that people don’t really need?

The answer to this question clearly depends on who you ask. If you adopt a Spartan attitude, then sure, you don’t require anything but the bare essentials. I know some people who never buy anything except items that are purely functional, but to me this seems like a rather colorless lifestyle.

After I overheard the lady characterize Toula’s as she did, I began to ponder the concept of “need.” The store is filled with fantastic things from all over the world—none strictly necessary to survival, but they certainly make life much more pleasant. Obviously, no one has to have a beautiful soy candle, but it will add both romantic light and luxurious scent to your space. You can get perfectly clean with basic soap from the grocery store, but a lovely French triple-milled bar will more reliably lift your spirits as well.

After further thought, I came to the conclusion that Toula’s is filled with all kinds of small indulgences that may not be required to get along in the world, but they can help us be a lot more comfortable and relaxed—and I think that’s worth something.

Hope to see you in 2008,

Eric