I have some of my best ideas before I wake up. At least they seem that way for a couple of hours after waking.
This morning was no different. I woke up with an idea for a great little shop. I live close to Grand Ave. On the avenue are tons of little boutiques and shoppes that cater to people who have gobs of money and don’t have a clue how to spend it. Case in point is the Wedding Shoppe. The Wedding Shoppe is conveniently located across the street from my buddy the balloon guy’s shop. I worked for him years/decades ago when balloons were cool. They aren’t so much now and I spend a lot of time talking to the balloon guy about his poor career choice. He often stares out his window and tries to calculate how much business the Wedding Shoppe does based on the cars parked on the street and the parking lot that he no longer has access to. They have been trying to buy his property for years.
Anyway, my idea for a great store, located conveniently on his property is a store called the Marriage Shoppe. In this store one might find practical gifts for married couples to give one another. There might be a section for newlyweds, couples married five years, ten years and longer, though those sections would be much smaller.
In the section for newlyweds would be gifts like diamond necklaces, lingerie, scrap books of the wedding, shit that only twenty something females would like. There would be no need for power tools or porn until you got into the 5 and 10 year anniversary sections. Beyond that would be mortgage payments, vacations (separate vacations) and college tuition.
There could be a section for clueless guys with signs of what is not acceptable to ever buy for a wife: irons and license plate tabs with the universal red circle with a slash running through it. There could be dictionaries for men just on the words “fine” and “go ahead”. They would be rather large volumes.
It seemed like such a great idea for at least an hour this morning, until I remembered that even though I have been married for six years it was three years per husband and I don’t really have a clue how to have a successful marriage. I know what not to do but I don’t really know what to do. Finding the right guy would probably help a lot in going the distance of at least the decade mark.
And then I thought I could have a store called the Divorce Shoppe. I know all about divorce. There could be sections on lawyers. The pit bull kind that will take all your money and your soon to be former spouses money, the bend over backwards lawyers who don’t cost as much but then you feel like you just took it up the ass for the rest of your life.
There could be sections on mediation, visitation and restraining orders.
There would be a section for celebrating the divorce. Party supplies in black that at least acknowledge the end of the union. The divorced or soon to be divorced person could invite all their friends who will soon no longer associate with them for one last long goodbye. Liquor stores could sponsor a room or theme and kill two birds with one stone.
After thinking about this idea for a while it occurred to me that I haven’t even done divorce all that well. I’m not all that bitter, I get along with both exes, I don’t care about the friends that I no longer see and basically I have become a hermit. Of course if there was a store called the Divorce Shoppe I probably wouldn’t bother to go there since after being divorced so long I forget that I was married let alone divorced. And the last thing I want to do is meet other people in the middle of a divorce.
I wonder if there is a store called the Lonely and Pathetic Shoppe.
I’m assuming there will be a Gay Marriage Section in the Marriage Section, right? What kind of gift do you give your partner of 5 years? I’m stumped and we will be celebrating 5 years together on Saturday. (Not married, because it’s not legal in IL, but we are committed, or at least we should be. LOL!)
I was married to a man for 14 years (separated for 3 of those years). I couldn’t tell you what makes a hetero marriage successful, because dealing with a mentally ill spouse kind of throws everything out of whack.
Being in a successful relationship with a person of the same sex is somewhat of a different thing than a hetero relationship because you have to deal with the incredibly small circles that (in my case lesbians) travel in. It’s a completely different dynamic.
I was reading what you were going to put in the Divorce Section and I misread “mediation”, to read “medication”, that might not be a bad idea, huh? Oh and don’t forget Orders of Protection, they are more powerful than Restraining Orders.
I love the Celebrating Divorce Section. The process of going through my divorce took so long that I always thought I’d have a huge celebration, but it was kind of anti-climactic. I’m still plenty bitter about my divorce, mistakes that cost me a lot in terms of money and an unfair visitation schedule.
I’d be happy to consult on the divorce section and the gay section. No one ever thought doggie deli/party stores would be successful and yet they are all over the place now. (At least in Chicago and a lot of major cities.)
Lola, I don’t think it is necessary to have a gay marriage section. First of all marriage is marriage as far as I am concerned, you know I am all about marriage equality. Secondly I doubt gay married couples need as much help as hetero couples do when it comes to buying gifts. I could be wrong but I think gay couples have an advantage in that department.
Medication might be a very good think but I’d probably have to become a doctor or at the very least a pharmacist and I don’t have the patience for that. The liquor store attached will work just fine.
I do think that couples should celebrate their divorces, in a positive way not in a bash the ex way. It’s a new life, not always easy and should be given the same pomp and circumstance that other events are given in stead of the shame that most people feel.
Chicago might be a better place to open this kind of shoppe though we aren’t too backwoodsy here. Send me an email and we’ll start banging out a business plan.
There was a study last week that looked at long term sexual happiness in gay v. straight relationships–assuming, as you did, that the gays would have an advantage in that department.
NOPE.
Couples are couples are couples. It was a wash for both sides.
I think we should start a Stimulate the Economy Shoppe, where we get people to just spend money. It would be completely beside the point that the money would be coming to us.
“I wonder if there is a store called the Lonely and Pathetic Shoppe.”
Coffee houses and bars, right?
Mother, I wasn’t talking about sexual happiness I just assume that two women know that buying an ironing board for the spouse is a big no no in those first few years together, alternatively they might also understand that power tools make good gifts, something most straight women don’t learn for several years.
GDad, I suppose you are right.
Virginia has the dubious distinction of having the most personalized license plates in the nation. A former co-worker had one that said X-WIFE, so I think a Divorce Shop would draw many customers. People like to celebrate those bright moments.
Don’t forget to include a bakery section with Divorce Cakes. Little plastic grooms with their heads sawn off, or brides heads-first in the frosting on a lower tier.
Bill, I had a landlord once who had a license plate frame that said “how do you spell relief” D-I-V-O-R-C-E. I have seen plates that say His Benz.
I like the cake idea, maybe this isn’t such a stupid idea after all since 50% of first marriages end in divorce and 75% of seconds ones do. This really might be an untapped market.
The Divorce Shoppe could be huge. Can I be your first New Jersey franchisee?
Old Man, yes as soon as I figure out the details I’ll let you know. I’m actually giving this a little thought.
roflmao
me too! I’ve been married a total of 6 year, but it’s 3 per husband…unless we want to count time in seperation…and then well, you have me beat. 😉
I think this is funny and conceivable if you really want to do it coz it’s a unique concept.
I even love the idea.
I did the same thing as Lola–I misread “mediation” to read “medication.”
I think you could have a combo marriage/divorce store so you can cater to everyone’s needs. There should also be a bar and some couches. Oh, and a bouncer so that none of the divorcees hit on the marriage shoppers and vice versa. Shoot, maybe add an adultery section? The possibilities are endless.
Stacie, I don’t remember how long I was separated but it seemed endless. That’s the worst part of course being in that limbo stage which is where the shop would do the most good. I think fire pits would be a big seller.
Bingkee, thanks for stopping by, I love your blog! I think it is almost an idea worth pursuing so stay tuned.
Frogs, mediation/medication really it is all the same and would probably be more productive if medication were involved. I know if I had medicated my ex, or he had unmedicated himself, it would have been a much quicker process.
Of course if he had a Super Duper Weenie it might never have happened.
hahah fire pits…and walking sticks that can be used as weapons.
oh, too far?
im never gettin married!
You could have a full-line shoppe including marital counseling, maybe that could be like a store connecting the Marriage and Divorce Shoppes.
I’ve got a 15 year old marriage in good shape, with only a few dents and scratches. How much can I get for it? Just asking.
How about a married and crazy shoppe ?
I wouldn’t give up on the divorce store idea too quickly. We hosted a divorce party video contest on my site last year and it was huge. Everything from wedding ring coffins to Divorce-tini drink glasses. Having been married for so long I never dreamed that people could have so much fun celebrating a divorce, but they do.
Great ideas all of it. Haha 🙂
You’re brilliant.
Just thought you should know.
I think wedding and marriage stores are already saturated.
Maybe the lonely and pathetic shop is a niche which can be exploited.