Bright Skies Ahead

Retailers recover from Sandy and look forward to a brighter spring.

We can direct so much in retail, from our merchandise selection and the layout of our stores to our window displays, but weather is something that’s simply beyond our control. Slightly skeptical after the hurricane media overload from last year, when Irene took a turn and all but missed Manhattan, it was with less gusto that I moved everything from both of my downtown stores to higher ground. A couple hours before Sandy hit everything was in place and I dashed to the bursting-at-the-seams food store to get some extra provisions as well as a couple of goodies to entertain the kids for some long days indoors.

Power went out at 8:00 p.m., and we grabbed our flashlights and listened to the eerie whistling of the wind funneling through the skeletal top of One World Trade Center and the endless static of the battery-powered AM/FM radio. I could have never predicted what we woke up to the next morning, and how much the East Coast suffered. Everyone was affected – either directly or through a friend or family member – and I count myself lucky to have only lost power and heat.

I thought immediately of our friends at K.I.D.S., whom we had just honored at our Earnie Awards event at ENK Children’s Club in October, and how they must be scrambling to mobilize resources. In the span of a night, there was a new unexpected wave of need – urgent need – of tens of thousands who had just lost their homes and possessions, and businesses that had been damaged or destroyed.

It is with great resilience, determination and compassion that all of us are entering into this holiday season, and in 2013 we will take what we have learned and become better and stronger together. No, we can’t control the weather (and the weather is not daunted by a defiant five borough run), and so we must respect its power and concentrate on things we can control. This season what we really must be thankful for are our families, neighbors, colleagues, suppliers and clients with whom we have weathered the storm.

This month’s issue focuses on some remarkable companies and professionals, and our fashion forecasts brighter skies ahead for Spring 2013.

Have a safe and happy holiday…