The Zootly team makes it into the second half of 2019. It’s been a hectic six-months for us. During this time the team has:
- Established who our suppliers are;
- imported stock,
- and are now planning to set up a shop in Woodstock.
But, the last step isn’t that straight forward.
The Atlantic Seaboard Designer
We’re keen to get going and equip our shop with furniture and some cashpoints. After all, we’ve got to make money. The longer our stock sits in boxes, the deeper the hole in our pocket becomes.
It’s at this stage we’re meeting up with a well-established interior designer. We’re keen to hear their thoughts, and they bring them. Eventually, they win us over. At the end of the first meeting, they are filled with gusto and enthusiasm.
As soon as he leaves the empty space at Woodstock, it’s a fairly quick turnaround on the receiving concepts and design layouts. But, soon the drive starts to fade, and hard store opening deadlines are creeping up.
The Zootly crew aren’t sure what happened, but meetings are missed or postponed. The running theory we’re going with is, “We are not the usual high paying Atlantic Seaboard client”.
To clarify, we’re more lager guys, while he normally serves champagne. If there is one way to motivate someone to bolt, it’s when they realise they won’t be collecting their usual payday amount.
But as we’re paying rent on an empty shop in the Masons Press. We need to get moving.
The Woodstock Shop Gets A Hero
We cue up the “We need a hero track” and contact Nuvo Innovations. The owner, Mr H Carty referred us Riyaaz and partner Marlon who come to the rescue. The Nuvo Innovations team swoop in on an heroic “imaginary” eagle armed with their tools and experience.
The shop is painted, completely fitted-out, and stocked in three weeks. It is a daily scramble, that takes many night shifts on everyone’s part.
But by mid-August, Zootly is now trading at Shop 1, the Masons Press, in Woodstock.
We’d recommend them to any small business owner looking for a no-nonsense contractor and shopfitter. They also do homes all over Cape Town. Can only assume they also do work on the Atlantic Seaboard.