I’m having a little trouble figuring out how to tell you about the ARTS Awards without sounding like I’m boasting… when, of course, it IS boasting since this blog is on our web-site and not some independent site where someone’s ASKING me about the experience.

The thing is, we really didn’t expect to win the award so both Beau and I had spent a lot of time reminding ourselves that even when we lost, it didn’t mean our store stank and we were losers. We were up against a business with 6 stores in the Bay Area and another with 20 stores across three states, fer gawd’s sake. And we’re a small-time outfit in a building that’s slated for demolition one day. How the heck do ya compete?

(And even after winning, we got an email from the ARTS people that included the scores we’d received on our presentation…and clearly one judge wasn’t into us AT ALL. And of course, that was the only thing I could focus on for a minute (”Why does she not like us? What are we doing wrong?”), completely ignoring the outcome… that crystal “weapon” that Beau had trouble getting through airport security still has our name on it, even if everyone doesn’t love us.)

I will say, on that score, though, my favorite thing of the night (other than winning, of course) is when we walked up on stage. Christi Proctor from the TV show “Trading Spaces” was one of the judges and was the presenter in our category and as she was shaking my hand and I was leaning in for the “awards show” kiss, she said “You two are so stinkin’ cute I can’t stand it.” I always wondered what they were saying up there on stage when you see someone being handed an award and they’re chatting. Apparently, they’re saying Beau and I are cute.

The ARTs awards are really a pretty big deal in our industry and the Accessories Resource Team for which they’re named is an example of my basic philosophy in life…we’re all in this together. ARTs is a business association for retailers, manufacturers, vendors and reps to get together and make sure we’re all on the same page design and product-wise. If they’re not makin’ it purdy, and we’re not buyin’ it, then there’s nothing new for sale and we all go stale and broke.

I’ve always believed in the need for honest communication in the biz for one good reason…if it weren’t for the help of some friends in retail, I’d have had a REALLY hard time hitting the ground running when I started buying for The Grove 10 years ago. I’d never worked in any aspect of retail, didn’t know what to buy or how to buy it (and actually was so worried about stocking the store I’d literally get nauseous when I’d see a Pier One commercial…where did they find all that stuff?) And then in swooped a couple of good samaritans who took my sniveling, whining, fretting self up to San Francisco and showed me the Gift Show ropes.

That was 10 years and a lot o’ buying ago, so it was especially nice on Saturday for Beau and me that Kelli Smith, one of our saviour angels, was able to join us for the awards.

She lives in Ft. Worth now and when I called to invite her to the event, she immediately said yes. Later, when we were all sitting at the big fancy-pants awards dinner, she told our tablemates, “I had no idea that tonight would be like this, I just wanted to see the boys.”

And yippee…she got to see us win. A nice bow on the present she gave us all those years ago when she taught me how to write an order.