The boys done well
A quick review of 2020, as no doubt stated in previous blogs we have had a lot tougher years than last.
One major positive thing is people like antiques again, antiques to live with and enjoy, even youngsters lots of teens and, twenty something buying stuff for decoration, collections etc.
The pre lockdown 1 was a nightmare, fear of the unknown as ever, we ceased charging commission in an attempt to counter act the free falling figures, once we got into lockdown our well established website kicked in and we sold nearly 50% of normal turnover, managed to keep paying the boys and kept adding value and items to our website, whilst giving stand holders a rent holiday.
Then June 15th we opened back up, traditionally May to late August not our busy selling time. However to coin a phrase often used in the trade, we went bang off, i.e. business was flying, the first day we sold over 4 times our average, and lots of furniture, one guy on notice due to being convinced we would never sell an antique again took £1500 on mid range furniture, mirrors seemed to be top of the list.
From here business built and built getting back to the pre 9/11 days of selling.
Lockdown 2 came, we decided this time if a month we would keep going as normal full staff and list on website like made, we managed to do nearly normal turnover shut !
A month of busy trading in December then again all the fear, (I am not saying we don't need lockdown to get this dam curse to bed) however it is acutely costly, wastes loads of time and makes in hard graft to keep afloat, the first time in 20 years of running Top Banana Antiques I managed to loose my cool with a dealer, highly annoying, but necessary to put ones foot down occasionally, when people being unfair and selfish, often the way of the self employed.
We opened this year on Boxing day first time ever, and generated some useful sales.
Anyway many positives from last year not least of all many odd jobs now done and we really do feel that 2021 will be mega year once we are allowed to trade with our shop open.
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