Preferred Customer Alert

Are you a loyal HiHo customer? Do you shop regularly at HiHo for your gifts…your home and decorating needs? If so, you just might be a Preferred Customer!
We’re rewarding our best customers with the HiHo Preferred Customer card. Come in to the shop and ask about how you can get one and what the benefits are.
Believe me, it is well worth being a Preferred Customer at HiHo. It’s our way of saying “thank you” to our frequent shoppers who continue to support us through thick and thin. We appreciate the fact that you’ve invested in your own local economy by supporting us…a local business that gives back to its community.
Don’t worry, if you already have a Preferred card hang onto it. Mention the blog and we will give it a punch!

Dancing In My Head

"Visions of sugar plums danced in their heads" this quote has always appealed to me. I have always imagined the candy magically floating , spinning and bouncing about in their minds all through the night. I have imagined their excitement and wonderment.

The quote has taken on new meaning to me this week as my dreams have been visually packed with products. Products I saw at the gift show. Not dreams that have a story line, or have recognizable people in them, but just stuff everywhere. My dreams have always been in color, (not surprising) but most often I remember them and they have an order to them. I have even found inspiration for store themes and displays from my dreams.

MAIN FLOOR OF THE JACOB JAVITS DURING THE GIFT SHOW

I'm still trying to make since out of the millions of ideas that are "dancing in my head". Dancing day and night. I guess you can tell from the photo the visual overload I experienced. Maybe it's excitement and wonderment...kind of a romantic way to say I need to organize my thoughts. Yup , that's this weeks plan, hmmm.

Homemade in a Box

I have always baked the birthday cakes for the family by scratch, however with the need for six sheet cakes gave me reason for using Duncan Heinz.
Everett put them through a taste test before going to bed. I think they passed...he asked for a second piece. Looking forward to seeing and feeding you all this weekend.

EAT CAKE

JOIN IN THE FUN, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY...SO FORGET THE SUPER BOWL...STOP BY HIHO FOR CAKE. SEE ALL THE NEW THEMES IN EACH OF THE ROOMS. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF 20% OFF IN OUR PET ROOM AND RECIEVE A PARTY FAVOR FOR YOUR FAVORITE CANINE. HUMPHREYS SIX!!

My Trip to NYC

I got home from NYC Tuesday evening. It's always nice to come home. Nothing like a few days away to make one appreciate what they have.

The show was, huge. I visited with all my favorite vendors. Isabella spent much of Sunday with me, we really (she really) enjoyed the food booth samples. I am working on a theme for the summer that would have us selling lots of nostalgic candies. So that meant we had to taste the sweets to be sure of the quality, (wink, wink). I spent Monday on my own, looking at trends in home decor and color palettes for next season. I attended a seminar featuring editors from two retail trade magazines that I love. I ended the day with a Mardi Gras party in the permanent showrooms across from the Empire State building. (Often the show uses food and drink to entice attendees to spend.)

PARIS BORED WITH MY RESEARCH

After two days of none stop walking it was time to put my feet up. MY SWOLLEN FEET

I was blessed to have keys to a friends place on the East side. PARIS

I stayed with Paris the cat, both nights.....don't tell Humphrey.
Tuesday was a full day as well. Carol, friend and one of the resident dealers at HiHo joined me first thing in the morning. It was a day of return visits to booths that got my attention on the first two days. It will take me weeks to digest all the products and ideas I have absorbed from my outing to the show, but as always, I'm sure good things will happen at HiHo as a result of making the trip.

I'm Off to New York

For the first time in the history of HiHo we will be closed on a Monday. With two employees away and Whitney at college I don't have anyone to keep shop this Monday the 26th of January. I will be at the New York International Gift Fair seeking great new things for the shop. Remember we are always closed on Tuesday's, see you Wednesday...

TRUE BLUE

I have been gathering my lists, finishing up with loose ends around the shop, because I'm preparing to leave Sunday for The New York International Gift Show in NY City. Making the windows a top priority. Blue seemed the best bet. Everybody seems to have some blue in their homes. It's a color that represents every season, making blue a great transition color for inbetween seasons. I have written about the challenges of the shop's windows before. I won't bore you with the a replay of the task. However I will state once again how I would LOVE to have a grand picture window or two, to showcase all of HiHo's best. I chose to mix an assortment of blue hues in each window. I think it makes for a more inspiring display. I think it's always a good idea to mix things up! On the second floor of the shop we have our year round Christmas shop and six Antique dealers. Having the dealers represented in the building adds to the mix of merchandise. Carol is the dealer who has the pretty front room on the Post Office side of the building. She stops in regularly to refresh her room.She brings in new items and shows off her finds in sweet artistic groupings. She too went blue....

Mark the Date

A date has been chosen...cake will be served all day,

Saturday January 31st.

Be sure to keep watching for more details of Humphrey's Birthday Celebration. He has yet to select shop specials or announce his special guests.

Sneak Peek

Party favors, cupcakes, streamers and noise makers. Yup we are all dolled up with Humphrey's Birthday just around the corner...we will be serving up some cake for the six year old and lots of friends. You will be sure to be invited. I'm a busy Mom and still need to firm up a date. Stay posted!!!

It Is Heavy

A few weeks ago I mentioned to a fellow antique dealer and friend, Charlie, that I was hunting all things black and white for the shop. To my surprise he offered to sell me this amazing granite top table. Snow had delayed it's arrival to the shop, but yesterday Charlie and I slowly moved it in. I am so happy with the quality of this table. It has a drawer at one end and it's simplicity is timeless. It can easily seat six.

Thank you so much Charlie.

A Treasure

Sweet, charming, petite, unique, delightful, all words to describe this phone table and chair set. It is just one of the treats I purchased during my Auction marathon. Who knows what I'll come up with this week? SOLD The legs of the chair share the same detailed carving as the table and the fabric is in perfect condition. The arched door opens to hide your phone and the back of the cupboard has a cord slot. The drawer is large enough for even a Manhattan phonebook. This small set would work anywhere in your home.

Fresh and Classic

The main room ,Headliner, is done. Done in black and white. It works in any type of home decor, it's classic, timeless and always looks fresh.

THAT'S ME TAKING THE SHOT IN THE MIRRORSWANS SOLDPITCHER AND BOWL SOLD

Now if it would stop snowing....you could all stop by and see it in person.

Five in Eight!

That's right five Auctions in eight nights. OK, I had to inform you that I went to Auction Tues. night too. I lost Weds. to snow and ice removal. Sooo, I'm still gathering tubs of Christmas for the stock room and moving furniture in circles. I had plans to post pics, but camera is sleeping at the shop tonight. ( I forgot it. ) I am very sure that in the next fourty eight hours the shop will suddenly feel put together again.( Can you tell I'm really just trying to convince myself that it WILL be done.)

FYI... holiday sweets are 50% off.

Four Auctions in One Week

I've been to four auctions in seven days...Saturday night was a good truck load. My husband was with me that evening which is always a treat, a driver, good company and a man to load the truck at midnight.( he even washed the truck before we left!)

THE HIHO TRUCK

A lot of times,Auctions can disappoint you. I go with the list in my head and often nothing fits with the list. That's where visiting with friends, Humphrey, my sketch book, food and retail catalogs come into play. A few auctions have amazing homemade food. ( I'll have to do a blog on that.) You have to sit for at least four hours at Auction even if you only for one thing. There is always the item you never saw during preview and the item you previewed and changed your mind about. Oh yes, I bring gloves for cold nights, a wrap for my legs, cell phone for texting, my box and bubble wrap for transporting purchased smalls, my camera...well my big bag of stuff. Blankets to wrap furniture are always waiting in the truck. Why am I sharing all this information with you? Just in case you were under the impression that I've been living the high life out late on the town four nights this week. HaHa Ha.... The shop is really coming along, mostly because of all the new goodies bought a auction. Thank God for my truck and cushions on the metal chairs at auctions. Oh yeah, and Richard.

One Room at a Time

I continue reworking each of the rooms... I went with a book/library theme in the Hemingway area. Rich warm colors and of course lots of books.
At auction last night I was able to get a great barrel table and a few deep tone small items to help with the theme . Although the cougar or the bear skin rug that sold would have really given the room a Roosevelt feel....I resisted.

STUFFED COUGAR NEARLY FIVE FEET LONG

As usual an item sold before I took the photo of it...sorry. The item that sold so fast was a large clock I hung above the mantle. It gave the look of a gentleman's den to the room. I'm sure I'll get something else to put there before the week is out.

FOOT STOOL SOLD

THE HEMINGWAY ROOM WITHOUT A CLOCK OVER THE MANTLE

With all these books in the front of the shop, it might just put you in the mood to do some reading. Be sure to page through our loan library of decorator books.

The HiHo Brand

Brand is a style promise, a quality promise, it keeps us separate from the largest competitors. I don't know if we truly have competitors, but customers do have other choices. Making a clear picture of who we are and what we are selling, brands who we are in the customers mind. I'm not sure I can put my vision of the HiHo brand into words.... I know it's a mix of old and new, it's a feeling of comfort, it's affordable price points, it should inspire, evoke nostalgia and most often be utilitarian. My goal has always been to offer merchandise that gives our customers lots of options to express their own personal style in their home. I have all sorts of criteria for buying, some for auction, some for new goods, but mostly does it look like it belongs at HiHo? As the New York Show approaches and I prepare for my annual buying trip, I would love to hear what you think of when you think of HiHo, let me know.

CHANGES

While the shop is getting refreshed for the new year so is my blog! Notice the blog is now open for comments...and I'm sure to continue updates over the next few weeks.
I spent today doing the dreaded, take down the Christmas decor.( wish it was that easy) I am all too well aware that this is just the first of many, many days of packing greens, untangling lights, sucking up weeks of dust bunnies, struggling with Rubbermaid containers and running the stairs to the Christmas room. That being said, I reward myself by doing over rooms in new colors and themes, as each sheds it's holiday luster. Now I don't want you to run over right away thinking the shop is all fresh and new after only one day....however I'm very pleased to be able to tease you with the beginnings of things to come.

IN THE MAIN ROOM (HEADLINER) WE ARE GOING TO FEATURE BLACK AND WHITE, THE THEME IS... READ ALL ABOUT IT!

THE HOTHOUSE AREA FEATURES WARM GREEN HUES IN A SETTING PERFECT FOR WINTER ENTERTAINING

Well wish me luck as I continue on my quest for a refreshed shop. I know many of you are working at home to take back your living spaces from the holiday season and I applaud your efforts. I would like to leave you with one of my HiHo Hints...pizza boxes work wonderfully for ornament storage.

Missing Claudia Already

The new year is bitter sweet here at HiHo. A member of our family is leaving. Claudia is going to San Diego for the remainder of this winter season and through the spring. All is well, she is going on business and will be working in lots of sunshine. However we will miss her terribly. She promises to return to her HiHo family in July.

CLAUDIA AT THE FLEA MARKET

THIS PAST FALL

In her absence I will like to envision her hunting McCoy pottery at flea markets on the West Coast. I hope the time passes quickly. Love you!