The Store at the Porch Gallery.
In my life, I have had two career paths: the arts and retail. The soulless consistency I hated about the latter funded the lawless inconsistency I loved about the former. While a crass few will argue that an art gallery is just a retail store in a black outfit, Lisa and I had taken precautions against such affiliations. Depending on the time of day, we treated The Porch like it was alternately a coffee shop or a bar where all beverages were on the house. Our clients liked luxuriating in, and talking about, the exhibitions. A caffeine jolt and slow buzz were conducive to art appreciation. Food sales were a different beast altogether. Very few people had the patience to hear about the historical significance of a $12 chocolate bar. It was time to give the masses what they wanted. We moved the couch and the bar cart into our living area. We invested in a cash register. We hired a high school student to skulk in the corner. And, we rechristened the Beato Lounge as the The Store at the Porch Gallery. We officially had a retail area. Heading into 2020, it was a great time to invest in a brick-and-mortar space for people to shop in person.
Stay tuned,
Heather
Co-Founder of Beato Chocolates