This is a very special month for us: exactly two years ago, we renovated and reinvigorated our special little spice shop on Western Avenue.
We did it to make the store more experiential: you've got to come try our Taste Bar if you haven't yet... and we just launched a new test: a freshly-brewed tea counter for you to buy a cup.
We also did the renovation to make the store more inviting to newcomers, smoother, and — here's the scary little secret — to stay open at all.
It's true: the plan was to close the store. The previous owner had set that in motion, and the numbers didn't lie. Our mothership was bleeding cash.
But oh, do we love Seattle and we love connecting with you. We mean it! I mean it. And, it's practical romance: we're keenly aware that our work is supported by you plus other businesses in the community (look out for new launches with Local Tide, the Museum of Pop Culture, and more very soon!).
We also sure as heck didn't want to be the ones who took away the warm, spicy aromas wafting out onto our section of Western Ave. You might say that we feel a certain responsibility to emit into our local environment. 😘
So, we did the insensible thing: made a bet that we could make the store overall more engaging yet more streamlined, withdrew $20k, borrowed some power tools, bought this and that from the SoDo Home Depot, and then did this:
And this:
Nearly all of of that — updating and partly replacing how World Spice worked for 28 years — in nine breakneck, 16-hour days. That's all the time we had.
What changed: new taste bar, new look, unified sizes in-store and no more packing & sealing custom sizes. (I know that this change was, for some of you, a loss.)
Check it out:
What did not change: carrying everything! I actually suggested we only offer bestsellers in-store, and ship everything else on-demand. (And I had a fantastic spreadsheet to make the case.) The store team politely explained to me that this would be stupid, as so many of you come in to get that one thing and that's a key service we give.
It has worked. Financially, the store is profitable, and now growing. We kept our team (which is to say, kept literally decades of knowledge, care, and insight). I'm very proud we raised wages and introduced a $500-deductible health plan to protect each of us while also getting the store stabilized.
It's also worked in that we see people experiencing more of this enticing spice & tea catalog right in the store, knowing and not just believing that we can make their homecooking that much better.
And it's much easier for our team to attend to you. There was magic in the grinding and custom packing at the old store, but there were also a lot of customers we couldn't give enough face time to because we were operating as a mini-warehouse inside a retail store. I've buried the lede a bit, as this is the real thing: Our team and our vast catalog of products are what truly make the store work, not simply the layout or model. We just needed to get some obstacles out of the way of connecting what we have with you.
Come say hi, try a tea or spice!
Please, if you're in the area, come say hi. Try a spice blend, or have a freshly-brewed tea. Get a high five and some culinary tips from our team.
And if you're not in the area, just know that every purchase and interaction we have with you online supports the store and our place in the Seattle community, just as we use the store and knowledge there to try to make sure your cooking is delightfully doable no matter where you are.
Thank you for supporting World Spice, and letting us support your culinary adventures. Here's to many more years.
