The Retail Whisperer

This week's guest is Barbara Mooney, owner of Daisy’s Mercantile, a boutique filled with necessities, frivolities, and embellishments for everyday life, located in Alameda, California. Barbara has always used her creative gifts in her business endeavors, first as a caterer and event planner, then a baker, and now a shopkeeper. When she was bit by the entrepreneur bug, it allowed her love of numbers and behind-the-scenes action to work hand in hand with her talents to create what Daisy’s has become today, and she never looked back. Michelle & Barbara delve into Barbara’s jump from retail to catering, her merchandising & display style, separating work/home, and her future plans on transitioning from a brick & mortar into 100% online with online classes. Barbara is truly a creative force and this episode really showcases her many talents. 

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/daisys_mercantile/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daisysmercantile   
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/livinglikedaisy/_saved/   
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/daisy-s-mercantile/?viewAsMember=true

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In this solo episode, I answer questions from Misty Stachel of 85 Local about how I prepare for wholesale markets, build seasonal concepts, and make buying decisions that support my stores. I share the process I use before, during, and after market to stay organized and buy with intention. 

In this episode, I walk through how I build concepts, use sales reports to guide my buying, avoid common purchasing mistakes, and plan each market trip to get the best results for my stores. 

What's Inside:

•  How I build seasonal concepts before I buy 
•  The reports I rely on to make smarter buying decisions 
•  My step-by-step approach to planning a successful market trip 

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Michelle Sherrier is joined by co-host Susan Esayian and special guest Kate Kauffman, owner of Grease & Glitter Studio, for Part 2 of this special Shelf Talk Holiday Edition. Together, they continue the conversation with even more practical ideas for holiday merchandising, creative inspiration, and cost-effective displays that independent retailers can put into action before the busy season begins. 

In this episode, Michelle, Susan, and Kate dive deeper into where great merchandising ideas come from, how to develop a holiday concept without overspending, and simple ways to create memorable displays on any budget. They also share their favorite inspiration sources, discuss budgeting with clients, and offer practical window and tabletop display ideas that retailers can start planning now before the holiday rush. 

What's Inside:

•  Where to find holiday merchandising inspiration and develop a cohesive seasonal theme 
•  How to budget wisely for displays and invest in props you'll use year after year 
•  Budget-friendly window and tabletop display ideas that create a big impact 

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In this episode, Michelle, Susan, and Kate dive into holiday merchandising from every angle, from planning months in advance to creating displays that feel intentional instead of overwhelming. They share ideas for layering holiday throughout the season, building memorable customer experiences, using simple props on any budget, and why storytelling through merchandising matters more than ever for independent retailers. This is part one of their Holiday Edition conversation, with even more ideas coming next week. 

What's Inside:

•  How to start planning holiday merchandising before the busy season begins 
•  Budget-friendly display ideas that create a big visual impact 
•  Why thoughtful merchandising and customer experience help independent retailers stand out

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Emily Brooker is the creative director and owner of Esme and Elodie, a women's and plus size boutique in Renton, Washington. Esme and Elodie is known for being size inclusive, sex positive and humor filled. Emily guides her vision of social entrepreneurship and the modern woman into a community focused retail space.

In this episode, Emily shares how she built a thriving boutique by doing things differently. From creating an inclusive shopping experience and staying unapologetically authentic online to balancing entrepreneurship with motherhood, she opens up about the realities of running a modern retail business and why putting people before sales has been the key to her success.

What's Inside:

• Building an authentic, inclusive brand that customers genuinely connect with
• Creating thoughtful retail experiences that put people first
• Growing a successful business while balancing motherhood, leadership, and entrepreneurship

Esme & Elodie Website
Instagram
Tiktok

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This week’s guest is Trudi Bartow, Director of Sales & Marketing at the Unemployed Philosophers Guild. Trudi joined the gift world via the preeminent art book publisher Harry N. Abrams and created unique opportunities for sales at gift retailers like Neiman Marcus, Crate & Barrel, Barneys and Sur La Table, including custom designer editions and exclusive bundles.

After 15 years working with various publishers, she joined the fantastic team at the Unemployed Philosophers Guild as their Director of Sales and Marketing. Bringing her enthusiasm for the industry to this smart and funny gift creator she is helping the brand grow into new categories and expanding existing programs.

Trudi is universally loved throughout the gift industry and after listening to this interview, we’re sure you will walk away feeling the same!

Unemployed Philosophers Guild
Instagram
Main Street Books

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Fresh off multiple Dallas Market setups and heading into Las Vegas Market, Michelle shares what's working, what's changing, and how she's rethinking her buying strategy for the season ahead.

In this episode, Michelle reflects on her recent projects, including the Levant showroom and a unique merchandising project for The Brit outdoor venue. She also shares why she's dialing back assortments, embracing branded merchandise opportunities, and taking a more intentional approach to buying at market. From avoiding over-assortment to creating scarcity and keeping inventory fresh, this episode is packed with practical insights for retailers preparing for their next buying season.

What's Inside:

• Lessons learned from Dallas Market and the Levant project
• How branded merchandise can create new revenue opportunities
• Why Michelle is changing her buying strategy to avoid over-assortment

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In this episode, Michelle shares a completely different style of Retail Whore Podcast episode recorded live from the Seattle Mart, where seasoned retailers shared their best advice for new store owners. From learning your numbers and building smarter markdown strategies to creating stronger customer experiences and merchandising with intention, this episode is packed with honest conversations and real retail wisdom.

Michelle and Susan also continue the conversation from the road as they dive deeper into store layout, storytelling through merchandising, fixtures that actually support your brand, and why trying to be everything to everyone can hurt your business. Plus, Michelle reflects on a personal Mother’s Day trip, balancing work and life on the road, and the emotional realities of family relationships while building a business.

We have linked all of the buyers who were kind enough to share their advice in this episode so you can go support and follow their stores:

• Jasper – Vashon Island Pharmacy and Gift Store
• Beth Rich – Mix It Up Home, Gallery & Gifts (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho)
• Rochelle – Edit an Olive & Bloom Company (Snohomish, Washington)
• Marie – Marie’s Boutique & Marmalade Fresh Clothing (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho)
• Alicia – Paper Delights (Burien, WA)

What’s Inside:

• Why knowing your numbers and creating a markdown strategy matters
• How merchandising actually starts during the buying process
• The importance of creating a customer experience through layout, fixtures, scent, sound, and storytelling

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Kate Kauffman is the owner of Grease & Glitter Studio, a Vermont-based creative design studio serving retailers throughout New England and beyond. She specializes in visual merchandising, store flow and layout optimization, and striking window displays. Drawing on more than 10 years of industry experience with brands like Anthropologie and West Elm, Kate helps independent retailers elevate their customer experience, increase foot traffic, and drive sales.

In this episode, Kate shares how her years at Anthropologie and West Elm shaped her approach to merchandising, storytelling, and customer flow. Michelle and Kate dive into the psychology behind store layouts, visual merchandising strategies for independent retailers, creating impactful displays on a budget, and why merchandising is so much more than making a store “look pretty.” They also discuss the future of merchandising, retail creativity, and the importance of building memorable shopping experiences that keep customers engaged and shopping longer. 

What’s Inside:

• How visual merchandising and customer flow directly impact sales
•  Creative ways to build impactful displays without huge budgets
•  Lessons from Anthropologie and West Elm that independent retailers can use today

Mentioned In This Episode:
Grease & Glitter on Instagram
Grease & Glitter on Website
Grease & Glitter on Facebook

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For all of us who are merchandisers, Amy Meadows has the dream career. She has over 25 years of experience in window display, visual merchandising, and event planning.

Recognized nationally in her field, Amy has reinvented traditions and reinvigorated business for both major retailers and independent businesses. From big boxes to boutiques, she helps businesses explore and leverage tools to attract customers and drive sales. Amy helps her clients align their storefronts, signage and displays to work together to build their brand and increase revenue.

As a designer, Amy uses her background in theatrical set design to bring a sense of whimsy and drama to her installations, maximize visual stimulation and develop cost-saving display strategies. Through consulting, she creates best practices, methodologies, and practical strategies for a wide range of visual initiatives and outcomes.

Additionally, Amy has created course content to inform and inspire the next generation of designers, with an emphasis on relevance in a changing retail landscape. Amy’s also a public speaker, and she conducts seminars specializing in time and cost-effective display solutions for independent retailers and business districts.

In this episode, Amy returns to the podcast to share practical visual merchandising strategies that independent retailers can implement right away. Michelle and Amy dive into store layouts, window displays, customer behavior, holiday merchandising, and the psychology behind creating spaces that attract shoppers and drive sales. Whether you're preparing for show season, planning holiday displays, or simply looking for fresh merchandising ideas, this episode is packed with actionable insights from one of the industry's leading experts. 

We are doing our first-ever open call! You can submit your store or favorite store to be on the podcast because every store has a story behind it! Go to theretailwhorepodcast.com, click on SUBMIT YOUR STORE, fill out an easy form and we’ll see you on the mic!

What's Inside:

• The secrets behind effective window displays and visual merchandising that drive sales
• How to create better customer flow using store layouts, focal points, and "interruptive fixtures"
• Holiday merchandising strategies, display planning, and ways to keep customers engaged year-round

Mentioned In This Episode:
Windows Matter
Amy Meadows on Instagram
Amy Meadows on LinkedIn

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