Apr 29, 2014
With grauation just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about great gifts for grads! Customers always make it sound like “graduation gift hunting” is a daunting task, so we’ve created a handy little Graduation Gift Guide to help you (through a series of questions and answers)… and the best part? We can hook you up with any of these options (quickly and easily)! Just call the store 806-785-1195 or stop by and speak with a sales associate for more information and pricing.
If you’d like to download a copy for yourself, you can get it HERE.
To see this image better, simply click on it.
Apr 16, 2014
Even though it’s been a long time coming (almost 2 years in my head), the transformation (aka – “The Switch”) from being Calligraphy Etc. to Barque happened VERY quickly. Yes, it took a lot of pre-planning, but once we got the ball rolling, the entire project was completed from Saturday afternoon(move out) to Thursday evening (preview party for family and friends). Needless to say, there were a LOT of fantastic worker bees that made that happen, but now that it’s all done, the store is exactly as I had imagined it. Actually, it’s even better. I might need some serious sleeping in over the next few days to get caught up, but at least now I can rest knowing that the hard part is done. I’ve been brainstorming about “The Switch” for so long it’s hard to believe it’s actually a reality!
Here are a few before pics of the store:
Note, I always hated the slat wall and super high ceilings and high bay lights (yuck), but since the purchase of the store (and move to this location) happened in less than 2 months, I didn’t have much choice but to just go with it.
The invitation room before – way too utilitarian and not a very good use of the floor space, especially since now we do more custom invitation than packaged ones.
Our “kitchen corner” before.
A few during:
I couldn’t believe we were able to move all of contents of the store OUT – it was crazy!
The contractors starting to install the wooden “clouds”
One of my favorite moments – the “wood walls” going up! I had collected several pieces of antique wood for them to mix in with the pickled wood the clouds were made of. I’m seriously considering having this done in my dining room next!
Isn’t she beautiful? I’m in love.
And finally…. After!
I LOVE the new feel of the store with the changes – it’s homey, and inviting, and much more interesting… and I think it’s much more ME! In fact, the best compliment I’ve been getting is how much more this looks like me and my home. That just makes my heart happy. Spy that bakery case? It’s full of fresh baked dog treats! We’re the only store in Lubbock to offer them.
The fixture about our register is the same one I have in my kitchen. Thought I might as well have it in my “second home” too!
Check out those fabulous new invitation shelves (made from scratch by my super awesome granddad) – they use less floor space and actually hold more than what we had before – and they’re on wheels!
“Kitchen corner” no more! I think our White Wing Label and Jon Hart displays are so much more appealing in this space!
This makes me happy. And it makes me love coming to work even more than I did before, because it’s really MINE.
A big thank you to my amazing team of girls (who worked like crazy, even juggling school, to make this happen during the week), my supportive family for their prayers and help, my grandparents for their mad skills at making shelves and other necessary installations, friends who have listened to me drone on endlessly about store ideas, Hasco Commercial Construction for the actual manual labor and to God for the amazing opportunity to live my dream.
Feeling extremely blessed,
Kandice
Apr 14, 2014
For the preview night before the official grand opening of Barque, we used one of our newest products to create a super easy (2 ingredient!), signature cocktail for the event.
Wild Hibiscus Barque-tail
Ingredients:
Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup (each jar contains about 11 flowers)
Prosecco, chilled (we used Ruffino)
mint leaves (optional, for garnish, not pictured)
Directions:
Drop one wild hibiscus flower in the bottom of each glass. Add syrup as desired (for more color and sweetness), fill with Prosecco and stir. Garnish with mint if desired.
It’s a beautiful, interesting combination that can be as sweet as you desire, just by adding more syrup! It’s a delicious drink, but I also love the little wooden drink stirrers!
Cheers!
photo credit: Linda McMillan Photography
Apr 10, 2014
So this new name, Barque, how do you say it? [bahrk] – sounds like a dog’s bark or bark on a tree.
Now then, what does it mean?
According to the dictionary, it’s a sailing vessel, which is but for our purposes, Barque is a combination of things we love – paper, dogs and cooking. It’s a pretty random combination, but it about sums up ME.
Paper (think bark on trees) + Dog’s bark + the “que” nods to French influence (and cooking). So in a vague and round about way, Barque encompasses our new focus: gifts, events on paper and puppy love. Our goal is provide a unique selection of products and services, and I can pretty much guarantee that there’s not an existing store like it!
Below is our branding board, to help convey the style we’re going for with the new name and look, if you’re interested:
Apr 8, 2014
I know what you’re here for. You have two questions: Why change? and Why now?
I’ll answer that in a bit, but first, let me back up and give you a little background (in a nutshell).
My love affair of paper began with my college job at Calligraphy Etc. (back when it was in Memphis Place Mall). Designing an invitation for a friend led to my first job as graphic designer in Dallas, and seven years later , when I was offered the opportunity to buy the store, I went for it. Three weeks later, not to mention a bunch of hoops to jump through and numerous prayers uplifted, it happened. I officially became a store owner, and it was a dream come true. (Honestly, as hokey as it sounds, on my last day as an employee, I remember looking back and telling myself that someday I would like to have a store like that.)
So now, answers.
WHY I would choose to “change” a store that has served Lubbock successfully for almost 30 years?
– It’s NOT the same store it was 30 years ago
– It’s not even the same store I bought 6 years go
– I have poured so much into this business that it’s started to reflect ME, and my gut tells me that this is the right thing to do.
WHY NOW?
– I’m trying to plan ahead so that we can be around for another 30 years. Yes, it’s a scary change (and truthfully bittersweet), but the art of calligraphy is fading, and most people are under the impression that all we do is offer calligraphy classes or sell calligraphy supplies (in fact, 7 out of 10 asked). That’s the loss of a LOT of potential customers who think they don’t need what we have to offer. I hate to think that we’re losing them simply because they don’t know what we actually DO. I think if we change it now, we have a real chance to still be around- even when no one knows what calligraphy is anymore. (Don’t think that will happen? Ask your kids what an 8-track is! I’m trying to get us ahead of the curve.)
So much has changed since I took over the store in 2008, but my love of the store has stayed the same. Don’t worry, even though the name is changing, we are still rooted in our past. We have the privilege of helping customers with life’s biggest milestones (hence the new tagline “life’s defining moments”) – from weddings to births of babies, birthday, retirement and everything in between. My team and I get to be a part of it!
We’re excited to continue serving you, and we know you will be pleasantly surprised with some of the changes we’ve made. Thanks for your loyal support, as well as your encouragement and affirmation that what we have to offer makes life easier for you.
Also, thanks for hanging in there with us. I’m putting my heart on the line with this one, so I hope you like it!
Oh, and if you haven’t heard yet, the store’s official new name is Barque (more on that to come).