The Aardvark Blog

Back from Spring Fair, Radio Fame, New Stock
12/02/2022

So last Sunday we Aardvarks had our first work trip out for a few years when we went to the Spring Fair to look at new cards and giftwares. It felt very strange to be on the shuttle bus to the Fair - so many people - and the NEC is an alienating experience at the best of times.

Still we had a lot of fun catching up with old friends (we are definitely paid-up members of the Simon Drew Fan Club), and buying lots more card designs for the shop. One less pleasant feature of the fair is that many suppliers had put their prices up - sometimes by nearly 10% - which has meant that we have had to think long and hard about the prices we charge. We have decided to stick with the price for standard cards of £2.60 each or 4 for £10, but the new range of pop up cards we found will need to be £2.95 or 4 for £11.

Can't wait for all the new stock to arrive (we are at the stage where we have been sent the invoices but not yet the cards), so look out for a vibrant display if you drop in over the next few weeks.

Another strange thing that has happened this week is that I have found myself being interviewed by both Radio Shropshire and Radio Herefordshire in the same week, having not heard from any media for the last couple of years! Definitely my 15 seconds of fame. Still, last week some visitors came up to me when they were paying and said that they had come to the shop because of hearing me speak at the 2019 Borderlines Film Festival. Not only that but following my example they had become festival sponsors. You never know what impact your words will have on an audience, so I am looking forward to greeting a customer in three years time who heard me on Radio Shropshire last week (talking about what I was going to have for tea!)

Still working through huge piles of books from the warehouse and have even bought a few small collections this week. Am trying desperately to be sensible on purchases as I have committed to taking another huge load of art books at the end of the month and London Book Fair is in April - and I have already pre-bought a ton of stock there. Shelves are already looking somewhat full so now is the time to come and relieve me of some of my more recent purchases.

Ethel has been posting random book-finds from the warehouse onto the Social Media (as I believe it is termed), and even put up yesterday a photo of a dishevelled Mr Aardvark pointing to our new car park sign. This is definitely the time of year for renewing things and I am still delighted about the new floor we put in to the Cafe kitchen.

Finally for any disappointed café regulars I should say that today we have a new stock of the world famous Aardvark 'Ginger Tiffin'. The Tiffin mines have been working a little irregularly recently, but I am glad to say that supplies are now back on stream. What cold dark day is not improved by the taste of dark chocolate and ginger?