10 Things I Learned in 2010

Like everyone else, I thought I'd look back at 2010 before I look forward to 2011. Here's what I learned this year at Daisy Mae's Market:

1. Cactus leaves are edible.
2. People smile when fresh produce is delivered.
3. Findlay Market is an international tourist attraction.
4. There aren't enough hours in the day.
5. Twitter is the best way to spread a message quickly.
6. Sunshine is more important than temperature.
7. My iPhone is critical to our business.
8. If you organize it, they will come.
9. Quality is more important than price.
10. Everyone appreciates good service.

Most of all, I've learned there is much more to learn about Findlay Market, historic Over-the-Rhine, fresh produce, customer service, merchandising, and social media...We look forward to 2011 with the anticipation of expanding our knowledge and broadening our network of friends.
Best wishes to you for a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous New Year! See you at Findlay Market...year-round!

Merry Christmas from All of Us at Daisy Mae's Market

Santa's Helpers

Can you imagine Santa Claus trying to do his job without his helpers? All those things that need to be done require a well-qualified team. Santa's helpers are hard-working, organized, conscientious, and work year-round for the benefit of others. 

We have a team of well-qualified helpers at Findlay Market as well. Since they are easily identified by their jackets, we call them the "Orange Coats"  They're hard-working, organized, conscientious, and work year-round for the benefit of others. Very early each morning, the Orange Coats prepare the Market for opening. They unlock doors, turn on lights, sweep sidewalks, and shovel snow on wintry days. Once shoppers start to arrive, the Orange Coats direct traffic and monitor the parking lots. They assist customers with directions and merchant information. They make endless trips with cardboard to the recycling bin, with garbage to the compost area, and with trash to the dumpsters in order to maintain the nice appearance of Findlay Market. In warmer months, the Orange Coats water and weed the beautiful flowers that surround the Market. They know many of the regular shoppers, and they have a sense of what's happening in the general neighborhood. They're often overlooked and frequently underappreciated. They do all those things that the merchants don't have time or energy to do... 

So today, in recognition of all the help they give us behind the scenes at Findlay Market, we offer a tip of Daisy Mae's hat to the Orange Coats. 

(Hey, Santa...give 'em something a little special this year.)

Thanks, guys. 

When Your Name's on the Store...

I remember a tv commercial from a few years back that featured Radar O'Reilly (Gary Burghoff) of "Mash" fame. I can't remember the sponsor (not good for the ad agency), but I do remember the premise. Radar answered one phone line with the company name. When the caller asked for "Shipping and Receiving," he'd put the call on hold...He might pick up another phone line, put that on hold, return to the first call with a slightly different voice, and then reply, "This is Shipping and Receiving." Then he'd return to the second line with another voice and say, "This is Accounts Payable." Phones kept ringing and he'd keep answering in different roles at the same company. Radar was wearing all the hats of a small businessman.

When I think of that commercial, I realize that's exactly what we at Daisy Mae's Market do every day. We wear lots of hats. The same people that you see at the Findlay Market location are the people who manage our Purchasing Department, our Sales Department, our Marketing Department, our Accounts Payable Department, our Maintenance Department, our Payroll Department, our Accounts Receivable Department, our Human Resource Department, and our Administrative Department. When something needs to be done, WE do it...

I look around Findlay Market, and I see 37 other merchants doing the same thing. Some of them have been there for years; others are just starting out...Either way, they're wearing all the hats year-round for 6 or 7 days a week. Sure, some may use outside resources to help with some tasks...But the ultimate responsibility lies with each business owner to see that what needs to be done is done and, most importantly, to see that it's done right. I guess it's like another tv ad I remember: When your name's on the store, you care a lot more.  

We Deliver Fresh Produce to You!

'Tis the season to be running around like crazy...holiday shopping and socializing, kids' Christmas plays and concerts, church programs, work obligations...you know the routine. The last thing you want to do on your way home from work is stop at the grocery store. Now there's no need to sweat the small stuff...Daisy Mae's Market can eliminate that one extra stop. We can bring the fresh fruits and vegetables you want to your downtown Cincinnati office location. We call it Downtown Delivery!
We have been successfully delivering fresh produce for the last few months. It started as a spin-off from our Healthy Breaks fresh fruit that we supply to many downtown offices. Some people started asking if we could drop off a few things for their personal use at the same time...someone else heard about it...and away we went!
Regular delivery days for custom orders are Tuesdays and Thursdays in the 45202 zip code. Place your order by Monday at 4:00 pm, and we'll deliver on Tuesday. Place an order by Wednesday at 4:00, and we'll deliver on Thursday. (Just between you and me...if we're not too busy at our Findlay Market location, we're happy to deliver Tuesday through Friday...and sometimes with just an hour or so notice.)
So how does it work? I send out a weekly price list and gentle reminder on Monday to anyone interested in our program. If you want to place an order, you can send a simple email message with your grocery list, or you can scan, fill-in, and reply with the price list order form. Either way, I'll get back to you shortly after that with your total price. On day of delivery, you can leave payment in the form of cash or check with your office receptionist, or you can charge your order by phone using Mastercard or Visa. We'll leave your order at the receptionist's desk in a bag labeled with your name.
Of course, we guarantee everything is fresh...and if we make a mistake, we try to fix it or give you a credit toward a future purchase. We try to get to know our delivery customers so that we learn your personal preferences...
We've found almost everyone who orders once orders again...They may not order every week, but from time to time they decide to make life just a little easier and let us do the running around.
Trust us on this one...Try it, you'll like it!
To receive this week's price list, send your email address to daisymae@daisymaesmarket.com.
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It's Pomegranate Season!

"Do you have any pomegrams? Do you have any pomegrannies?" Whatever you call 'em, we've got 'em! Pomegranate season is here!
Pomegranates are one of the earliest cultivated fruits...They've been around so long that some people claim it was a pomegranate rather than an apple in the Garden of Eden. All I know is that pomegranates around the holidays are a tradition for many families. And, they're good for you, too!
Pomegranates are high in Vitamin C and potassium. They're also a good source of fiber and low in calories. Best of all, they're high in antioxidants. If you're not familiar with the fruit, the goodness is in the shiny red arils found inside. You remove the hard peel and the inner white membrane to expose the arils. Each aril is filled with delicious juice and a tiny edible seed. You can eat the arils as is, toss them in salads, or use as a garnish. You can also squeeze or blend the arils to make juice. (Be careful. The juice stains!) When you're picking a pomegranate, the heavier the fruit, the juicier it will be.
Visit www.pomegranates.org for some good tips and recipes as well as instructions on an easy 3-step process to enjoy your pomegranate.
Whatever you do, hurry to Daisy Mae's Market at Findlay Market to pick up some pomegranates today. They'll probably only be here until January!