What a crazy week!
I think I have done all my exercise for October π setting up the new shop and teaching space, so everything is ready for classes on Monday 13 and our grand opening weekend on 18-19 October!
When: Saturday 18 and 19 October, from 10h to 18h
Where: 328 avenue Georges Henri, 1200 Woluwe Saint Lambert
What:
- discover our new range of yarn, embroidery supplies and fabrics,
- join our remnant fair
- ask your questions about classes and supplies,
- take part in our surprise event for customers during this lovely weekend
- have a refreshing drink with us.
I have to tell you about this express setup in 12 days, with beautifully coordinated logistics that would not have been possible. A huge thank you to:
- GaΓ«tan, the best partner and co-manager: I could not have wished for better
- the dream team, especially Céline and Marie, who expertly managed Ixelles and welcomed our new recruits: Ségolène, Noémie, Céline and Rose
- NoΓ©mie, who lifted 2 tonnes of fabric with me to put it away in our units
- SΓ©golΓ¨ne, who covered lots of classes in Ixelles for Vanessa and jumped straight in π
- our team of friends: Timothy, Lidwine, Patricia, Benjamin, Vincent, Francesca and GaΓ«tan No.2, who assembled furniture all weekend on 4 and 5 October
- my parents and Anne Marie, who wallpapered behind the counter and helped put out stock and assemble furniture
- Didier, who assembled the ribbon and elastic unit all by himself to lively music
- Jean Luc from Espace Machine Γ coudre, who brought us gleaming Janome sewing machines and Juki overlockers to start the workshops
- all our suppliers, who kept to delivery schedules so everything would be in place for opening
- Antoine, our wonderfully skilled carpenter
- and, of course, the municipality of Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, its buildings department and its very dynamic local commerce team!
I am so grateful to have such wonderful people around me!
Would you like to see behind the scenes?
Right this way!
It all starts with receiving the keys and this huge empty space... It is just before the first of October, and I begin to think: it is big... very big π... very empty...
The week of 1 to 5 October
As soon as we receive the keys, I camp out with my parents at the Woluwe shop, first to receive the furniture and start assembling pieces, small and large!
On 2/10, Ikea arrives, along with the ribbon unit, and Antoine the carpenter brings his bins...
On 3/10 comes Ikea, part two, DMC units, wall panels and the counter, plus 1.5 tonnes of fabric... We even invented a new unit of measurement: the EugΓ©nie. From now on, we talk about an EugΓ©nie pallet or half an EugΓ©nie pallet, with the unit standing 1.53m high π€£
We also start receiving printed patterns, including Coralie Bijasson's π
The weekend of 4 and 5
From 9h, our team of friends gets busy assembling, for the Ikea enthusiasts, 20 Billy bookcases, Kallax units, tables, chairs and two counters... We put up wall panels... What a team!
Gaetan, Patricia and Benjamin, our moving team, bring over the boxes stored in my flat, which I lovingly and patiently prepared over the preceding weeks. Meanwhile, Marie and CΓ©line run the Ixelles shop and workshop. Thank you, girls!
On Saturday, we enjoy goat's cheeses made by my little sister at la chΓ¨vrerie des cerisiers in QuΓ©vy le Petit. In the evening, it is pizza with Marie and CΓ©line, who have joined us: replenishing our energy with good food and good company is very important πͺπ»
On Sunday, a smaller team finishes the assembly with Tim, Lidwine and CΓ©line. Above all, we take 6m3 of cardboard to the recycling centre π±.
The week of 6 to 12 October
On Monday 6 and Tuesday 7, the 50+ team is called into action π
My mum and dad wallpaper the checkout wall behind the counter. Anne-Marie puts out the beautiful Fonty yarn that arrived on Monday, along with Rowan yarn... Mamma mia, such softness and beautiful colours in all those balls!
On Tuesday 7, Didier comes to install the ribbon unit, and Jean Luc brings the sewing machines and overlocker.
We enjoy Syrian specialities from Damascus, 15m from the haberdashery. I recommend it!
On the evening of 7, I escape at 17h to teach in Ixelles with my faithful Tuesday evening students.
On 8 and 9, NoΓ©mie and I put away 2 tonnes of fabric. We certainly build our muscles!
Between the 1.4m-wide fabrics and our Japanese fabrics, we lift flowers, stripes, checks, children's prints, chic designs, glitter and plains... light, soft, warm and fluffy fabrics... Christmas has come early. NoΓ©mie certainly does not hold back from saying, "That one is for me!" π€£
We also finish putting out yarn, knitting, crochet and embroidery books, and tubular ribbing...
On Wednesday, off I go again at 17h to teach my dear Wednesday evening students in Ixelles.
On Thursday, both GaΓ«tans join us! Gaetan 2 comes to fix the cupboards in place and secure them together.
Gaetan 1 comes in the evening to deal with the lighting.
Meanwhile, stock and appliances keep arriving... The wheeled board belonging to Antoine, our carpenter, proves very useful! I return it with great regret π... I think I will ask Father Christmas for one.
Friday 10 is the Belgian-Spanish team: olΓ©! Patricia joins me in the afternoon to finish the major clean-up of cardboard, plastic, pallets and assorted packaging that needs sorting and putting away.
Then we tackle the final furniture rearrangements, open the last boxes and assemble the small displays: Diamant, EcoVita, the cone carousel...
In the evening, Gaetan and CΓ©line join me to work on the wall panels for knitting, crochet, classic embroidery, sashiko, kogin, metal haberdashery and, of course, our famous YKK zips imported from Japan in fantastic styles! We finish at 21h over chips and a kebab... with a half-finished panel. OlΓ©!
It is lovely to have company and help on this final stretch.
The weekend of 11 and 12
I cover Vanessa's classes in Ixelles, with CΓ©line and Rose there to support me! It is time to introduce our new recruit, whom you will mostly see towards the end of the week and mainly at the Woluwe shop. Rose is a weaver, a skill our team was missing, but she has other strings to her bow too. So 2026 will bring new things... but shhh, a little teaser!
As I am busy all day with my lovely students, I delegate the shopping to Gaetan. We still need pencils, pens, tea towels, cleaning products, tea and coffee... all the little essentials to make our new space feel welcoming!
He also does the important work of configuring the tills so the haberdashery can already welcome you on Monday 13 while the team settles in π Yes, you read that correctly: we are expecting you this week. We just ask for a little patience while everyone finds their feet.
To finish Saturday, after my classes and my students' beautiful finished jeans, well done again, girls, Gaetan and I make some photocopies for the introductory sewing and sweatshirt classes that are first to get underway π
It is Sunday, 6h in the morning, when I start this article. I am happy to write down these two crazy weeks and keep a record, a little piece of C'est du Joly's history and my own life. I would never have believed my childhood dream would take this path, especially remembering that the adventure began not so long ago... Being persistent and honest has its benefits!
Now for something lighter: next week's challenge is... will I find time to go to the hairdresser and look lovely for opening weekend?
The answer on 18! π Will you come and check?
Sunday is not over, and neither is the panel, so we will go back to finish it, or at least make more progress. We will also visit the DIY shop for the final purchases...
Lots of labelling and data entry awaits me in the week of 13 October, but I feel calm, surrounded by wonderful colleagues and friends and lovely, motivated students. I know everything will go well.
We look forward to welcoming you with big smiles in Woluwe and Ixelles
- Monday to Friday, 11h to 18h
- Saturday, 10h to 18h
Get your sewing, knitting and embroidery needles ready... see you very soon
EugΓ©nie
