Swag, Sweet Swag
Today was our big Lucky's debut. 500 sample cups and spoons later and 40 pies sold, we can officially say that we had the best time ever. (Frankly, I'm surprised I can even write this blog entry. I've officially had more sushi and wine that one person should be able to have in a 12 hour period. Apparently, if this pie thing doesn't work out, I can just get a job at Lucky's near the sushi sample station. I'm basically on a first-name basis with the sushi staff there because while we packed enough supplies to sample pies to 500 people, I totally just forgot to pack my shame and instead chose to eat ALL THE SUSHI.)
I'm guessing the vast majority of the greater Columbia metropolitan area was at Lucky's today. That joint was PACKED. We arrived a bit before 11 and it is safe to say that we did over 500 samples by 1 pm. When our shipment of taster cups and spoons arrived last week, I thought there was absolutely no way we would ever finish out that box...and it happened in less than three hours today.
Can I also just say that everyone was so darn nice to us? I mean, really, really, really nice to us. We heard compliments about the pie, kind words about the blog, met Facebook fans, and people who had read the "Inside Columbia" article. We couldn't have felt more lucky to be us (pun inadvertent, but I'm totally keeping it).
From what I understand, our pies have officially sold out at Lucky's for today...BECAUSE WE HAVE THE BEST CUSTOMERS EVER. I'll be restocking tomorrow with Chocolate Bourbon, French Silk, and Apple. Lucky's said it was pretty much up to us to check our stock and refill as we saw fit. If I weren't totally neurotic, that would be AWESOME! Alas, this discretion really only makes me want to obsess about our inventory. For those interested in the deets, we apparently scope out our inventory and restock as needed. When we bring in pies, we go to a special back area of the store and someone "checks them in" on our invoice and then we fill the shelves. That invoice goes somewhere and then we get paid at some point.
Let's all take a moment for my business skills. I bet Betty Crocker never ambiguously described her invoicing methods using the words "somewhere" and "some point".
So while we were at Lucky's today, Jennifer from West Winery showed up with a case of wine. For us.
Yeah.
BEST DAY EVER.
West Winery is located in Macon, Missouri (http://www.westwinery.com/) and want to help us figure out some pie/wine pairings (which I find ironic because I'll drink any wine with any pie). We have all sorts of fun ideas for date nights and girls' night out events where you can learn to bake AND drink all the West Wine that you can legally imbibe. I'm bumping "get liquor license" for Peggy Jean's Pies to the top of my list.
When I got home from Lucky's and served my family a fine sushi dinner (I know!), we cracked open a bottle of the 107 Vine Pear from West. It is a semi-sweet white wine (http://www.westwinery.com/wine/item/107-vine-pear/) and it was fantastic...like in that way where you fight with your spouse over who gets the very last bit from the bottle (I won).
I'm not sure I've ever received swag before...or swag of the non-ink pen and tote bag variety, anyway. A case of wine seriously fulfilled all of my hopes and dreams for 2014.
$5 bucks say we have sushi and wine for dinner tomorrow. Again.