But It Looks Like a House

This is one of the most common phrases I've heard from customers this past year. They phone to ask where the store is located because they're having trouble finding the address. The map on their phone is taking them to a house. That can't be right, can it? Then some of them look up from their vehicle to see me waving from the living room window.

Others leave the not-possibly-correct address and go back to the last location they remember visiting only to phone from a parking spot there. Once I've convinced them that, yes, the address does take them into a residential area and, yes, that has been the address for over a year now, and, no, the city won't let me let them in to shop, they lament the fact that they came to pet the yarn. I let them know that the mobile store will soon be visiting a location near them and they will absolutely be able to pet the yarn then.

The most unusual thing that has happened recently - and I am convinced that it is related - is that I have been receiving silent voice messages on the store phone's voicemail. I couldn't figure it out until one day someone picked up their product at the door without calling first to let me know when they would be arriving so that I could provide contactless pickup by putting it in the mailbox. She said, "But I texted you about an hour ago to let you know I was coming." I had noticed a voicemail notification about an hour before she got there. A silent message. Mystery solved?

In recent days, I've also noticed people sitting in their vehicles in front of the house apparently texting before driving away. Are they texting my landline? Sadly, that means there may have been a number of people who have texted my landline and are now upset with me because I'm taking my sweet time getting back to them. Anyone have any creative ideas how to get back to them?

I've got a handle on the first problem people are having, and I may have come up with a solution to the second. I have two personal cell lines from a different provider - one for my cell phone and one for my iPad mini which I used as my remote till this past year in the pop up store. My business provider has offered me a deal I can't refuse so there may be a cell number appearing on all my social media pages in the near future. Talk about being coerced into joining the current century!

written by Lori, perplexed TCL owner, who can't believe people seem to have forgotten that land lines exist.

edited within 24 hours after having been on the ball and getting this done before Monday morning early - The even more unusual thing that has happened: Sitting down to a late dinner after my cousin delivered more of my aunt's belongings to the house (She moved in with us Saturday), a woman walked in the door unannounced wanting to look at yarn! Did she know this was going to be the topic and just wanted me to have more content?!