mornin' merrymakers 🌇🚗🫶✨
since today’s a holiday marking the end of summer, i decided to make this a special, short issue in honor of my very special summer.
my fiancé & i traveled across the country, revisiting cities i'd once called home, walking old neighborhoods, and ofc checking out all the retail spots.
there's something strangely profound about going back to places you once loved and frequented.
figured out a hack on google maps too to help me remember the names of the spots because i’m sadly getting to the age where i can’t recall them all.
trips to once upon a time homes all you to see what changed. what survived. whether the coffee shop is still there. whether the block feels the same. whether the yoga studio is still a yoga studio. whether the store you loved still has that magic that made you love it.
sometimes it does.
in the case of nyc, it was mindblowing and headache inducing to see even more bougie coffee and matcha spots. must be something in the water that makes new yorkers have way less over caffeine consumption concerns.
meanwhile, the first neighborhood i lived in after college, the marina in sf, looks stunning as ever but eerily similar. almost all the buildings exteriors are the exact same, except for a different paint shade and brand logo. thank you formula retail.
but the best rediscoveries of the summer weren't stores, coffee shops, or restaurants.
they were people.
i was so fortunate to get loads of quality time with old friends i hadn't seen in years. the best part was how quickly we could skip the catching up and get back to the part where someone already knows you. even better when they remind me of who i used to be how ever many moons ago.
which made me think about how this is exactly what a great store does.
retail gurus and financial markets put enormous energy into the first visit: the opening, the launch, the discovery moment, the cac, and the newness of it all.
but nobody's favorite store is their favorite because of the first time they walked in…
it's the fourth visit. the twelfth.
when someone remembers your name. your size. what you bought last time. when they pull something from the back because they already know you'll want to see it. merchandises tables in way that bring you joy.
discovery gets you there.
relationship brings you back.
this is true of life too.
the places and people that end up meaning the most are rarely the ones we experience once. they're the ones we keep returning to, getting to know a little better each time.
i’m going on this tangent in hopes of giving you a good reminder to make time for riding the merry-go-round this labor day.
if you have monday off, spend a lil’ time rediscovering.
a person you've been meaning to call for no real reason other than life got busy. a store you used to love. a street you used to live on.
go back and see what's changed.
you might notice what hasn't and you might notice how much you have.
the best stores, like the best friendships, get better with more time together.
& if i'm one of the people you've been meaning to reconnect with, consider this your invitation to reach out. just reply!
the labor can wait.
