Menopause Store - help me brainstorm

If one was to open a store for women who are peri to post menopausal, what type of products would you think they should carry? I can see some comical items like T shirts and Fans with funny sayings, Of course humorous and serious books etc. Do you think it would be feasible as a brick and mortar with website combo. Are there any such stores out there yet?

I am kinda serious about this, so I would appreciate all kinds of opinions. What other ideas for merchandise do you have.

Thanks,
chick.

Good vitamins. It always makes me question that my doctor tells me I need xyz amount of calcium every day but none of the daily vitamins have enough. I have to buy an additional bottle of it.

Maybe different lines of progesterone creams, etc.?

Wow, this is a great idea. Cosmetics for good skin care. Body baths and lotions. Even perfumes. As our bodies change our perfumes will have to adjust. Greeting cards for menopausal women. Clothing changes for hot flashes....open collars, etc. Special tennis shoes for exercise that will help changes in our feet. (Perhaps you could tie in with Curves somehow) Furniture based on the new ergonomics of our ever changing bodies. How about hair care products for our changing hair. All these things are related to menopause even if not directly.

Even Eyeware as our eyes start changing more too! The list is probably even bigger, all the things that can be tied to menopause. Pillows that stay cool to the touch. Or maybe even mattress pads that stay cool to the touch. Maybe even some softer sheets for those who's skin becomes more sensitive. Even jewelry might be an option. I know that I have gone from wearing lots of jewelry to hating to wear hardly anything--it all 'bugs' me somehow. So jewelry that is lighter weight or somehow looser feeling might be good. I've even changed from a hand held purse to a shoulder one....Menopause is so different for each woman that the list could probably be endless.

How about types of fans--fans for the bedroom for hot flashes. Little fans for the car or for our desks, perhaps designer colors......

Wow starting over, you are on a roll...and I truly appreciate it. Dianne, I hear you about the vitamins.I don't know if theres a smaller calcium pill out there, but I will research that too. MOH (my other half) said this...don't relate the name too closely to menopause but enough to attract that group plus others. He said that we need to have more "pampering" stuff for ourselves like lingerie, powder puffs, pretty stuff. What a guy, huh.
I need more of your brainstorming ideas ladies.And a name...
Franchaise anyone?
chick

Chick
Great idea and your other half sounds like a great guy too!
Good luck with this!

All of the above ideas are great. I'll try to think of some too!

What a great idea.. I'd go to that kind of store.

Products on protecting the joints. Skin care products. I've noticed my skin gets drier and drier every year. Especially my hands, so lots of lotions.

I love the idea of pampering items. Items that are more gentle to sensitive skin. I've noticed my skin gets more sensitive as I grow older.

Lots of great ideas already posted.

I think all of the above are excellent ideas... And don't forget about entertaining the shoppers as well...why not have a CD and Book Corner for ALL THINGS WOMEN???? You could carry humor books....an----what? Hey, just a thought..but you COULD carry Meredith's jewelry, Songbird's CD's, and talk about BOOKS! Are you EVER in the right place, eh?

I would think a resource center full of brochures on info for things like menopause, cargiving, pampering, traveling, singlehood, etc..etc...etc..
It could be one of those "round racks" full of brochures????

Also, what about an activity center in the back of the store??? That alone could pay your rent. Like one month have "cake decorating" (which I failed, by the way) or "Belly Dancing" or "Journaling" or "whatever those books are called where you paste stuff in um" or "you fill in the blank." Women could sign up....you could even do YOGA...

JJ

PYP - (Pursue Your Possibilities)

I like the idea of having an activity center. There are many groups that could meet, knitting groups, Bible study, book groups, etc. It would be a draw to your store and you could provide beverages and snacks to increase your profit.

Daisygirl

You could also have book signings there and invite famous people to come and do them and wine and dine them while they were there, but only if they wore a crown.................................................what?

Ohhhhhhhhh...alright....

Make sure you have computer access in the store so anyone wanting to come by and have a cup of coffee and pie with you, could also check their email while there. Hugs, JJ

OK I'm back again. Take it another step further. Menopause is a scary time when women are re-evaluating their life or trying to figure out who they are after kids, etc. why not add sessions on dream building or learning to journal or learning to capture our nightly dreams to find the answers that we clearly overlook during the day.....

Jawjaw, you didn't share if you passed or failed belly dancing...well?

This is a great topic.

Speaking of fans...check BWS home page. Someone invented a bed fan for women at midlife. No lie. There's an advertisement for it right here at BWS.

You could have soemone do midlife coaching too.

I never took it, although quite honestly (go ahead and laugh) I wouldn't mind taking the lessons...no joke. And by the way, that cake decorating teach had NO sense of humor. How the heck was I suppose to know that stuff would squirt that far?

JJ

Theres one thing I didn't see mentioned here that we have all complained about that there are not any or not enough of stores with Boomer Fashions...We need a boutique filled with stylish/ young looking Boomer clothing, like say semi-sleeveless summer wear with maybe fringe the camouflages the flaps some get. Well you know what I mean and yet other designs that help hide the belly/hips without looking matronly or frumpy etc. Oh and you might offer health screening once a year for menopause related illness's. The Health professionals will usually be happy to oblige...Sounds exciting chickadee....

[ March 01, 2006, 09:13 PM: Message edited by: chatty lady ]

Forget the fans, I have one of those battery operated gadgets shaped like...you guessed it ..
an elephant (my brother has a sense of humor)
You can sell a sprinker on a lovely chain, it can turn from warm mist to instant cool mist!!
oh the bed would get wet? so......... How about thongs that fit! so we can eliminate those size 9 underwear that reveal panty lines. And a nail salon, a massage area, and of course offer the
"zip the hair off your lip" too! Just kidding,
its a great idea and you have so many ladies giving you some terrific advice!! What to name the store??????? hmmmmmmmm....

I am home for lunch and just popped in to check out your posts. Wow! What great ideas everyone. Please keep brainstorming with me. And a name...yes a good name.
Last night I woke up thinking about this and had 2 great ideas...but they fail me now. Shoulda written them down. Memory Pads...thats what "I" need. Thank you for taking an interest in this. I really appreciate it.Back at ya later today.
Luv,
chick
chick

I was going to suggest making it pet friendly but then, if you had a little cafe with pastries and coffee, you couldn't welcome pets.

I think this idea is growing and growing and it's exciting. I was going to say you could call it "FLASH" but truthfully, it's not that funny. Something with Boomer Women in the title? Boomer Haven.

I love soft, fuzzy socks so that could be something and also, comfy slippers. They have so many cute ones now.

Wow. This has taken on a life of it's own.

P.S. JJ, I've never known anyone who failed a cake decorating class. That's a first. I took one years ago (for my DQ) and my instructor didn't have a sense of humor either. I think she took it much more seriously than I did.

I had a thought for a name...CHICK-A-DEALS

good for selling any kind of merchandise, food, beauty products etc.

Great ideas, Ladies!

Chick,
When you go to pick out a name, use it for a week or so before you decide on it permanently. Say it out loud, use it in every kind of "marketing" ploy you can think of. Does it ring a bell? Stay with you? Remind you of anything else? Sound offensive in any way? Can it be misconstrued? Easy to spell? Say? Is it sassy? Is it old-fashioned? How would it look on a biz card? A web page? Wear it out, verbally, and on paper... then see how you feel about it in a week. Stll love it? If so, you probably have a winner.

I think you should have a name that rolls off the tongue and that WOMEN love to tell their girlfriends that is where they're going that day...like for instance (bear with me a sec, k?)

Boomer #1: Hey girlfriend, wanna go to the mall today?

Boomer #2: No can do, I'm headed over to ______

Boomer #1: Oh great! Can I go? I love to go there. I feel like I'm in somebody's living room and Chick has the greatest ______...don't you think?

And the name is?

JJ

MEMORY pads, yup chick, you could sell those also. LOL!

I think having a brick and motor store AND an online store is an EXCELLENT idea!

You go girl!

d.

Why not just call it Boomers?

Chick, My daughter works for a small company called Bunnies byt the Bay...itis owned and run by 2 Boomer aged sisters...they started out selling only bunnies and then launched a successful line of baby clothes and baby items...their latest endeavor is a line of gifts and comfy items for menopusal women...for Christmas my daughter gave me an incredibly snuggly robe made out of the softest velour..it has a little train on it (because we are all queens)and pockets and even a little button on the sleeve and loop inside so you can roll up your sleeves and not get them wet or dirty when we are busy..I also got some really comfy bunny slippers to keep my feet toasty...these ladies have become quite successful...so I think your idea is a winner...check out the Bunniesbythebay.com website just to get a feel for what I am describing...I wish you the best of luck an success with this Chick...

I cannot thank you enough for all your replies ladies. The ideas for merchandise, names and website, etc. has gotten me ignited. All the well wishes are also appreciated.
I have added soft lit magnifying mirrors and we forgot the most important thing of all...
CHOCOLATE! Yummy, decadent, gourmet, mouth watering chocolate. Everything from truffels to treasures in this store...Everything nice...A place to pamper yourself when you're feeling the need to. Books - on all Boomer topics, humor, midlife, menopause,and on and on and on.
I want soft, warm, cuddly, fluffy, delicate. ... all the things that make us feel good. Lacey, dainty, exquisite, fine. Serene, peaceful calming, Exotic... It's all about Me Me Me store.
Beautiful Cd's, Bath rose petals, scented candles. Soft velvet (monogrammd) robes and the softest slippers you ever walked in. Fans, hand held and electric. All kinds of Vitamins, oils, powders. There is a lady here in Oklahoma that designed her own cosmetic line(it was on the news). I need to meet with her. I want to do a lot of research on all products.
Monthly guest speakers on Mid life/menopause/ageing etc.
I checked out Bunnies by the Bay. Thank you for posting it.I cannot find the fans on the homepage,though.
MOH(my other half) said he liked the name Autumn's Eve. I reminded him that there is a douche called Summer's Eve...my point was well taken. I love his involvment and interest in all of this.

I feel we have only scratched the surface here. More research, A good proposal, Location, location, location so much to think about. I will continue to do a feasibility study and continue asking for your contributions and ideas here on the site.
I wish I was in Alabama. Huntsville would be a great spot for this. We have discussed this option. Only God knows what's in store.
Thank you again for your encouragment, I know I can always count on you.
Luv,
chick

I love all your comments - it's a great idea, and the market for this is huge. It would be quite an expense to start though, especially if you went brick and mortar.

One other product is wicking sleepwear; keeps you dry at night so you can sleep much better. I offer that in my online store.

And if they can make sleepwear out of that wicking fabric, why can't they make business suits and dresses, etc, so we can be dry all the time? Just a thought - one more product to develop in our spare time!

Love this forum,
Kathy

I never heard of wicking sleepwear! That sounds great! Great site Rick and June

[ March 06, 2006, 06:27 PM: Message edited by: TVC15 ]

Thanks TVC15! That sleepwear is really great.

Chickadee, when you decide on a name, be sure the domain is available too. There are many places on the web you can check availability and then buy it - one of the easiest is www.godaddy.com, just $8.95 a year.

And the name (domain name) should be short enough for it to be memorable so visitors can type it in their browsers without the potential for misspellings. It's also good to buy all related domains, such as .com, .biz, .net and any potential other spellings of your name.

Now, for a name..... give me a few minutes - I'll be back with ideas.

This is fun!
Kathy

I've got it!! "Lady Boomer"

And the domain is available, so get it now... ladyboomer.com

Whaddya think?

Okay, okay, I'll keep thinking...

Chick,
What a great idea!! Obviously, everyone else thinks so too!! I liked the reference :"truffles to treasure" - maybe somebody can think of how to turn that into a name to reflect the boomer part of it....And also, when you said "It's all about Me, Me, Me", Can someone turn that into something about boomers? Maybeeeee, uh, "It's All About Me Later" Well, you get the idea.

Oh lord, when I saw this post, I went nuts. As I'm so far post menopausal at 41 that it's a miracle I haven't sprouted testicles, I would LOVE a storefront like this...or website even.

I can never find a lotion good enough to handle the horrible dry skin that I have as a result of the thyroid and menopause.

I'd also like some cute "readers" glasses.... you know the kind, right? I am supposed to wear bifocals, but I'm way too vain, so I wind up carrying two pairs...one for up close and one for far away. I don't want to wear things my Grandma would have loved, though.

IMHO anything to help fill the void so many menopausal women are in. That great divide known as "I'm not 21 and I'm not 81". I'm me and frankly I'm never sure where I fit.

This is a fabulous, fabulous idea Chick!

Girls, I am home for lunch. Thank you, thank you, thank you one and all.You guys are keeping my fire lit!
I want you all to know that I am doing up a proposal and I will keep you all posted.
I listened to Dotsie who said to hunker down in prayer. Well last night around two, I hunkered and asked if I should do this and wondered "what if" other half gets transferred, and ALL the "what ifs." Well, God said. Go for it, do it and if you have to move? Franchaise that store and start another in Nashville and/or Huntsville. Who knew?
I want to thank you all for the ideas, but don't leave just yet. Keep them flowing.I need you to brainstorm still.
Menopause home test kit? Anyone ever tried it? Oh and I love the glasses idea. Wicking, huh? Sounds great!
I am researching everything menopausal that I can get my hands on.
Anyone recommend a really good skin lotion?
Tomorrow is my day off and I have a lot to do.
I have other posts to reply to also. Forgive me for neglecting those.
Well it's back to the grind...but not for long?
Luv Y'all
chick

How about a name like 'Seasons' or 'New Season' or 'It's a Boomer Season!' Or 'Still Crazy After all These Years' or 'It's all About me'
or 'My New Life' or 'Embracing Life' or 'It's a Wonderful Life' (too corny?)or 'Indulgence' or 'My Secret Indulgence' or 'Passions'or how about M-E! (stands for menopause expressions)or.....I'll keep thinking!

Here's one Chick - per you - "light my fire" or "fire's been lit, com'on in" . I like the Seasons one. Or "Seasons old, Seasons new"......still thinking.......

Since silver is assocaited with being over 50, how about something with silver in the title?
Silver Lining
Silver Stars
Or something that says this age is a new beginning?
New Beginnings
We're just getting started
We've only just begun
Life begins at 50

How about
"My sister's place" or
"The Seasoned Woman"or
"Simple Indulgence"...did someone suggest that already?
I lived in "Heart's Delight" in Canada, anyone like that name?
Keep those names coming. We will find the perfect one, soon.
In the meantime, I have a special request.
I want to put together an advisory board of Boomer women who are interested in encouraging and supporting me through this whole process. I have so many questions and need answers from seasoned women like ourselves. For instance, I would like to know more about private label packaging. Any of you know about this?
If you are interested in beind an advisor to me, please let me know. We can continue to post here. I just don't want to continue this conversation where everyone gets sick of me talking about it, ya know what I mean?
I thank each one of you for encouraging me so much already.
Luv
chick

The Seasoned Woman says it all...I think people would know immediately who the store was for!

chick, I am happy to help when you decide to put your store online.

We have a salon up the street called All About Me, but I think you should stick with something for older, wiser women. A store just for midlife women sounds wonderful.

I also like Seasoned Woman.

Ok you guys I have a funny--this may not be the right topic but we've been coming up with ideas for the store and this fits in.

I was at WalMart at 7am on Sat. morning shopping before work. I was in the bread aisle once again thinking to myself that the loafs of bread are too big--Most of it goes bad before I can eat it. There was a man there stocking bread so I went over to him and mustered my courage to ask him to submit an idea to his company, that they make loaves in 1/2 sizes because it goes bad before I get it all eaten. He said that many single seniors were making that request and that I should add my voice via the website........When did I become a single senior? I missed the parade AND the marching band on that one! I stood there in the aisle and probably looked ridiculous with a shocked, fixed smile on my face....I was stunned.

All I could do upon reflection was laugh.....I haven't even turned 50 yet!

Maybe the Fabulous Seasoned Woman, Silver Linings, I still like M-E!

OUCH!

The half loaves of bread are being done. At least they are around this area. They are called Bunny Loafs. They are exactly 1/2 the size of a regular load and you are sooooo right. They are much needed because a whole loaf would go bad before I could eat it. (Back when I ate bread).

I am not keen on the Seasoned Woman. To me it says OLD. That's just me though. I would love to be on the board for you if you haven't already gotten enough replies. I love what you're doing and think you are so smart to do so. Go Chick!

JJ