A Monday in the life of Smithsonia.

 

Do you ever walk into a shop like ours and wonder how it all works or what we do all day ? This is the diary of a 'normal' Monday here in Smithsonia...

Monday morning and the normal Monday team arrive one by one, raring to go after a Sunday off work. Amanda first, (that's me!) opens the computer and checks for online orders, although to be honest I check from home as I created the website and am a bit passionate about it ! Followed by Toni and then Paula. All the lights and tills are turned on, the coffee machine filled and started, the door unlocked, sign turned round and music on.

We are open for business...

Online orders are printed and brought downstairs for wrapping. 

We try to stock up as we sell but when it is busy we don't always get a chance so in the mornings we do a check of each cabinet looking for gaps that shouldn't be there and fill them with the relevant items, card racks are tidied and stocked and we do a clean with our new cordless vacuum. We each clean a shelf  from one of the many cabinets.
Every Monday Paula goes through our request book, order book and repairs book to double check that everything is in progress and we all know what is happening. This can vary from a definite order for a ring in a specific size to a " if we ever get a hedgehog soft toy we will let you know ".
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We tend to get a delivery of some sort on most days.

Some we enjoy more than others...

Each delivery is checked, priced and put on display, with back up stored in our extremely organised storage areas - believe the 'organised' bit or not!

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Of course throughout the day our main work is looking after all the customers that come in - many regulars that we know well, mixed with the occasional visitor and some first timers. We have enquiries coming in over the phone and by email, more website orders to sort, a trip to the Post Office, Social Media posts to do, a few more hot beverages and suddenly the day is over.

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Really, no two days are the same, which is probably why we all enjoy working here and why we are all still here after such a long time!

Long may it last....