January 2007
"Can a Day be better?"

Sometimes there is a day that just cannot be any better.

I had a day like that last Friday.

I had flown from Burlington to Philadelphia on Thursday to appear on QVC on Friday morning. After that appearance I was going into downtown Philly to visit my store at Liberty Place. Well, there were a few last minute glitches at QVC. I just said to myself, "I will do the very best I can to deliver a good show and that's what I'll do."

Well, the show was great, I had a great host, my energy was fine and I think I did the very best I could. When I left the parking lot I knew the day was about to take off because just outside the corporate offices, in a snowy field, I spotted a huge Red Tail hawk on the ground. After a more than generous view of him, I left for Philly.

I think you have heard me say many times that I love my customers; that I would enjoy having a cup of coffee or a glass of wine with just about any of them. Their energy is so strong and infectious. Still there is something about my customers in Philadelphia that is just extraordinary. They are amazing women and wonderful story tellers. Every time I have been in Philadelphia I have returned just brimming over with their stories.

So it goes like this:
Customer Number One: a dark haired petite professional woman tells me how she is buying her new little daughter—adopted from China—our April Cornell dresses. "I had it wrong at first," she says, "I was buying those dresses too short, now I am buying them right to her ankles and she looks so darling." This darling daughter is 21 months old and her big brother is a grown up 20 years old. The mother and dad have a whole new lease on life and little daughter does too. We talk about projects that I have been involved with in Chinese orphanages and she tells me she is going to get involved in that too.

Just around the same time, another customer comes in and tells me to come by for a hand massage—just like that—stop in for a hand massage. At the same time the fellow from Godiva Chocolates has brewed up a big urn of coffee for all of us.

The next woman is shopping with two little girls in hand—they are exchanging jackets that Daddy bought them, for a larger size. Mom is wearing a coordinating one too. Well you guessed it—two more angel girls, two corduroy pinafores, with embroidered necklines, an embroidered trail of pink flowers, they found the right size jackets too, we were friends by the time she left, and I just can't say how pleased I am that she loves the dresses and the saturated dark pink color and the heavy wale corduroy with a thin satin belt is just right for her girls. I just cannot tell her how happy it makes me.

Then there's the woman buying the long knitted coat in a beautifully heavy mélange gorgeous embroidered sweater—just so beautiful—it looked great on her, with big coconut buttons and we talk about whether to wear the belt or not. I just cannot tell her how pleased I am that that beautiful sweater suits her.

And then there is a stylish woman who spots the gorgeous cushions made from old embroidered patches and overdyed a deep chocolate color. I just love that work—all the meanings behind every patch. I just am so pleased that she loves it too.

And a lovely woman who buys a beautiful cotton nighty to wear on a Southern holiday for her 17th anniversary. Can I possibly tell her how good that makes me feel—that my nighty is going on her anniversary holiday with her?

And the woman who tells me I live in her closet—and I feel I do—I live a little bit of her life with her, in her closet, at her job, at her occasions—how privileged is that?

And the two ladies who are both buying hand knit carriage blankets for baby showers—one is about thirty and very pregnant and the other is about 60 and attending a baby shower—and those blankets will wrap new babies, brand new babies, in them. How lucky to be there for that.

And the lovely young woman who tells me she just buys things she loves—and she is buying a beautiful olive brocade bedcover, and I tell her I am the same and have a similar one that is teal and I put it on my table.

And the wonderful woman who buys a complete outfit for her niece in England. A velvet skirt and a little cotton knit camisole and a quilted jacket. "I want to be the favorite aunt," she says. And I know what she means. How honored am I that I get to participate in that feeling.

And an older woman who has possibly had a slight stroke who tells me I just must keep the store open because she needs me and she has trained all of her family to shop at April Cornell. And I say I will, that is why I am open—for her.

And the wonderful therapist or Psychoanalys—I am not too sure—who tells me about the store from her town that carried April Cornell clothes that Heather ran—and how after September 11th when her two nephews died, Heather had everyone into the store, and again one year later on the anniversary. And how she is a sleep therapist and a story about everyone wearing my nighties—all the better to sleep in (and something about swimming in a pool too)! And she was giving a presentation in Philadelphia and she bought a fabulous tweedy artist's smock to give it in. And she told me "have courage and you are a touchstone for us and we need you." She tells me to watch the movie "The Secret" and then learn about the "Law of Attraction."I am so touched by her advice and interested in her stories. Wish me luck she says—for my talk—and I wish her luck.

And the woman—thirty something—who bought light velvet wrap top to go over a spaghetti strap dress to go out with her husband for a nice dinner on Saturday night. I just love that that worked for her.

And the woman who was buying a dress for her niece (nieces seem to be very popular!). We talked about what we loved together.

And the woman who bought two hand printed pillowcases, made all far away in India—printed block by block, with a skilled hand, I thought how lucky she is to have those.

And the woman who was so happy to find the French paisley tablecloth in brown—she already had the napkins, and she was just so-o pleased about it. I was so pleased too—that print that my team and I worked on, that colorway, that design, that cotton, that special piece—she loved it too. So how can a day get better than that?

Well, it got just a little better. My last customer before I left was Michael. He was going to a ball and we put aside a beautiful velvet skirt for him. And then my manger Ann bought me chocolate truffles from Godiva!

So, you know I JUST ADORE PHILADELPHIA. And all of my customers and staff there.

Thanks everyone, you make me feel like a million bucks.

April Cornell