​By Eliana Barriga
Publisher and Managing Editor for The Retail Observer

It’s summertime, and time to nail down those last minute summer plans. Travel, concerts, sailing lessons, family gatherings, some BBQ and pool time. Maybe this is the year for you to take that vacation of a lifetime you have been dreaming about–relaxing, unwinding and having a little fun! What are you going to do to take care of YOU? Remember, it’s all about the journey– more than the destination, as they say. Are you on your journey or standing on the sidelines watching the game of life? Are you living your life to the fullest? Are you nurturing your heart by spending time with the ones that mean the most to you? I invite you again, to stop and think a little bit more about your personal priorities.

Check out the vacation habits of the Europeans! Many take a month off in the summer together as a family and travel to the coast to enjoy the fresh sea air and downtime to recharge and refresh–taking time to walk on the beach, soak in mineral springs, and enjoy the pampering menus at the many spas to rejuvenate their body, mind and soul. In doing so, our perspectives change, our energy strengthens, and our bodies take the needed rest to continue on our journey of life. Only when we take care of ourselves can we nurture our families as well as our businesses. We return with clarity and a renewed vision.

So, summer is for fun! Swimming, sun, sports and travel, food and family– you get the picture. So bring it to your store. We all want to feel good and have fun along the way. Remember, your clients and customers can be just as stressed as you are. What if you could make it feel like a mini-vacation when they come to your store? You could theme your weekends, play some carnival games with little giveaways. People like to win something! Enter them into a monthly drawing for a really cool prize like dinner for 2 at a local restaurant, a weekend getaway, tickets to a sporting event or even a cruise. Feel good, word of mouth advertising doesn’t get much better than that!

So get playful and have some fun!
Eliana Barriga
[email protected]

​By Moe Lastfogel
Director of Sales and Marketing for The Retail Observer

This July will mark the 10 year anniversary of our team taking over the reins of The Retail Observer. It’s been an amazing time for this “news rag,” as it was jokingly called at times. More on that next issue. For now, I want to discuss the education our publication provides through the writers, trade shows and groups that we work with.

The first line of our mission statement reads: “To be recognized as an industry leader and innovator in providing educational information to the independent retailers across the globe.” This still holds true 10 years after it was written. We strive every month to bring our readers more news, information, and education that is pertinent to today’s retail world.

John Tschohl and Elly Valas have been with us almost since the start of this journey. I am frequently told during my travels that John’s key insights into customer service and Elly’s knowledge of retail have been a great asset to many. The addition of Libby Wagner’s articles on work place culture and relationships has been inspiring and has helped me in my own business dealings. Recently retired Joe Higgins of Whirlpool has been giving us a great quarterly viewpoint into the U.S. economy.

The buying groups and trade associations we work with have added a great dimension to the education that we offer to our readers today. New trends, educational opportunities and trade shows are always at the forefront of what these groups and associations offer.
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As we head into our next decade we will strive to keep you abreast of new retail trends, smart home technologies, and many other education opportunities as they arise. If there is any area you would like for us to add to our editorial, please feel free to reach out to Eliana or myself and we will consider further resources to highlight in that area.

Happy Retailing,
Moe Lastfogel
​[email protected]