For me, November has always been a time of reflection. It is typically this time of that year that we are working through the last phase of preparation for the upcoming tourism season, as well as getting into the swing of the holiday season.
Just like many of you, our last two years have been full of unique trials and tribulations. From skyrocketing costs and extreme freight delays to COVID & Hurricane Ian. To say the least, we have had our hands full!
I would like to take this time to thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart. Our little shop has been absolutely blessed with a great group of customers, always willing to go out of your way to stop by or calling and offering to lend a helping hand. Three Crafty Ladies would not have lasted 49 years without your patronage!
If this hurricane showed us anything, it is that we cannot take our lives for granted. Life is fleeting, but sometimes new opportunities present themselves in strange ways. For me, the struggle of how to approach moving forward has been mentally and emotionally taxing. We have yet to see a penny from our insurance companies, and like many others, our mall is going through a whole host of inspections and renovations. The pressure to figure out what to do next has been overwhelming, but time marches on and a decision has to be made.
I am deeply saddened to say that we will not be reopening Three Crafty Ladies. I would love to bring an online shop back down the road, but unfortunately after weeks of living in chaos I had to move my family to a temporary living situation out of state. The fallout from Ian will be part of our lives for quite some time, making it difficult to plan for the future.
I know that this news is as big of a blow for you as it is for us. I took my girls (5 & 7 years old) to a local big box store recently to buy crayons and markers, as we had lost many of our supplies during the storm. I cried as I picked out pads of paper and pens for them, mourning the convenience we once had of bringing art supplies home from work or picking them out of our well-stocked craft closet at home.
As we work on falling into a new routine in a temporary living situation, I want you all to know that I will think of you daily. It hurts me deeply that Three Crafty Ladies will not be a part of the rebuilding process on Sanibel, but unfortunately the cost to rebuild is just too great right now and I was not granted unemployment.
THANK YOU so much to everyone that has been in contact over the last few months, but especially to those that have gone out of their way to donate to my family. You have helped us tremendously, and we will always be grateful for that.
For those of you that once showed interest in ownership of our business, please give me a shout. We have a number of proprietary designs, tools & resources to seamlessly set the right individual(s) on the path to success. In the coming months there will be many commercial units re-opening around Sanibel, providing a wonderful opportunity to start fresh with your own island inspired vision. We can offer assistance in a variety of ways for anyone that is interested in diving into business ownership. Before we know it, the island will come back stronger than ever!
Happy Thanksgiving!
We wish you all the best in the upcoming holiday season!.
Sincerely,
Tracie, June & the Three Crafty Ladies family
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