Florence, Colorado: Does Your Town Have An Unofficial Canine Mascot?

Does your town have an unofficial canine town mascot?

Well it should. In Florence, the antiques capital of Colorado, having our mascot, Molly, is rather like having a town therapy dog.

Almost every day, Molly comes into all the antiques shops (about 20) and other businesses, just to say hello.

People stop her on the street, too, and give her lots of love.

That's Molly, a six-year-old, Lab mix, getting a petting.

I usually give Molly some wicked good belly rubs. But what she really likes when she comes in the antiques mall where I work is seaweed. Yes, organic roasted seaweed. 

I love watching her face when she recognizes the "seaweed" lady and dashes to get her treat. You'd think all dogs would love seaweed, but mine does not.

But this is my dog, Phineas. Yes, in real life. That's not a stock picture. It's him dressed as a devil. He's so finicky that seaweed is beneath him. And he makes me go to Costco to get his favorite brand of dog biscuits, since nothing else will do.

Molly will eat anything (healthy of course) and is always grateful.

And don't tell anyone, but I feed all the dogs (after getting their owner's permission) that come into the antiques mall.

You can imagine Phineas' face when I come home from work and he finds out I've been "cheating" on him all day at work.

Florence, Colorado: Good Place To Buy A Gift For Your Friend With A Castle

I have nothing against big box stores, but there are things that happen in small, independent stores (especially antiques stores) that just won't happen anywhere else.

We're always chatting with our customers at the old antiques mall in Florence, because all the unusual things people buy just beg inquiries as to why they are buying it.

Today Dan Williams of Cripple Creek was thrilled to find this iron hanging candle fixture. He said it will look perfect in his friend's castle.

Castle? Ohhh, I love castles.

Dan said his friend built a castle outside of Cripple Creek and when the friend was asked why he chose a castle instead of a log cabin or other style, the friend replied,"Because I can."

I asked if this was a Christmas gift for the friend with the castle.

Dan said it was and the friend already told him that he had found Dan a special Christmas gift. Dan said he replied to his friend,"Then you must have come to Florence."

That's what we like to hear, the immediate assumption that if someone found a special treasure, they must have found it in Florence, and friends each coming to Florence to find those extraordinarily unusual gifts.

Florence,Colorado: Scary Nightmare Fuel Antiques & Collectibles

Florence is the undisputed antiques capital of Colorado. We have more antique stores per capita than any other town in the state. And the town boasts stunning world-class antiques, collectibles and art. But sometimes it's fun to take a tour of the nightmare fuel items that could surely be used to decorate a set of a Stephen King movie.

This is a paper mache dog from the Victorian era. Someone got a little festive for the holidays and put some tinsel in his fur. But it still scared the beejeezus out of me (and many antiques browsers). It turns out he is rare and a child's toy--and not many of them survived. The dogs, not the children. I'm pretty sure most of the children survived their childhoods, since this was only a toy a rich family could afford. However, I won't speak to how they survived psychologically.

Now this imp also scares many browsers. I've heard rumors that Doctors Freud and Spock built their careers on attempting to undo the damage some of these toys had on previous generations.

Now this dude's tongue moves. So does mine, in a silent scream, whenever I take this out of the locked case and show him to customers. He's fashioned as a mask/hat--so you can wear him. New Year's masquerade ball anyone? Criminal disguise? Someone actually told me the other day they were sending their significant other to the store and hoped this item would be their Christmas gift. If someone gifted me with this beauty--well, it wouldn't be an amicable breakup...

Oh my. Vintage sombrero-wearing salt and pepper shakers. Besides how "attractive" they are--when you pop their hats off, the raised shakers rather look like brain matter. I think I'll purchase these as part of my weight loss program.

And if I really want to take off the pounds, I could purchase these clown salt and pepper shakers. The spices come through holes in their feet--which is extra appealing.

Florence,Colorado: Has The Town Gone To The Dogs?

Folks often come into the antiques mall where I work, in Florence--the antiques capital of Colorado--and ask if the mall is dog friendly.

I always point to the water dish we keep and the box of biscuits (all natural of course) on the counter. And I usually reply,"We've never had problems with canines entering the mall...but now humans, that's an entirely different story!" And that is true. Ah, the stories I could tell. Wait, I do tell the stories.

Now I haven't done a poll about how pet friendly Florence is, but word on the streets is that all leashed dogs are welcome in the antique, gift and art stores--except one, where the aisles are a bit narrow. You know, those wagging tails...

Most dogs that take a tour of Florence's antiques are pretty amazed at all the ancient smells and are pretty subdued. And most owners carry their pooches through the stores, even though I tell them it's just fine to let them walk around. Ya shoulda seen the guy trying to carry his St. Bernard through the mall until I told him to put his dog on the floor...

Why even Florence's dentist, located on Main St. in the heart of the antiques district, has set out some water and Milk Bones. And a nice potted plant. Nice touch with the BITE wing x-rays offer.

Antiques and canines mix in Florence.

I'd say we are probably one of the most pet friendly towns in the state.

A Kindness Story--I'm Not Too Worried About The Younger Generation

I'm not too worried about the younger generation. Today I pulled up at the gas station that has a free air machine.

I saw a young man, perhaps age 11 or so, filling the air in his bicycle tires. I turned off my engine and waited. I couldn't be sure, but it seemed he rushed when he saw I was waiting.

Now this young man, and I do mean man, had no idea that as an older woman--it's been several decades since I've put air in my tires. I am not helpless, but was feeling a bit of anxiety with my squishy tires and not remembering how to put air in tires.

I attempted to put air in the first tire and had totally forgotten about the young man. But he was at a distance watching me, apparently. He yelled, "Do you need some help?"

I told him, embarrassingly enough, I probably did. No matter how I positioned the thing, no air seemed to be getting in.

He assessed the situation and asked me if I had a tire gauge, since the air machine didn't have one. I said no. He said he'd be glad to run into the gas station and buy one. I was so stunned that a stranger would offer that. I told him I would do it. I walked a few yards, turned around and asked, "What is your favorite snack?" It was his turn to be stunned. He hesitated for a moment. Now, sadly, in today's age--even though I am decent with everyone, especially animals and children,  it's strange for a stranger adult to buy candy for a child. That's why I intentionally used the word: Snack.

That wasn't why he hesitated though. He was just surprised someone wanted to return a kindness.

"Skittles," he said, when I made clear by my facial expression I wanted to show appreciation.

I got the gauge and the Skittles.

He thanked me profusely for the Skittles and I said,"You are a kind man, a kind young man, and you deserve Skittles and much more in this life."

He got busy filling my tire to the exact correct pressure, and gently instructed me on how it all worked. It came back to me, and I was confident I could do the other tire, even though he kept asking if I had another tire that needed air.

I told him I think I remembered now. But this young man took off, but stayed close enough on his bike to make sure I got it. And I had forgotten my glasses, and couldn't read the gauge anyway. So, it turns out I did need his help again.

I was pretty embarrassed, but this young man showed no impatience or even a hint of contempt that someone would forget their glasses and forget about tire gauges and such. He said the second tire has almost zero air and was happy when he got it exactly right, once again.

He complimented my car. I asked him what kind of car he would have someday, when he could. "A Toyota. I like Toyotas!"

He was still on his bike watching me, eating his Skittles, as I pulled away. "Thanks again for the Skittles!"

"No, thank YOU."

This kid has a servant's heart. He was so thrilled to get the tire pressure just right. I'll probably never see this kid again--but I imagine he will grow up and be a huge asset to his employer. And if he decides to be a family man--an even bigger asset to the world.

No, where there is such kindness, delight in helping others and doing a thing right--I am not too worried about the younger generation.

Florence, Colorado: Paint The Town With Plenty Of Air

Most everyone knows about the Florence Arts Council, Paint The Town event.

It's also called the Plein Air Art Festival. And some of the most talented artists roam the streets of Florence and surrounding areas and paint under pressure with plenty of aire, as I like to say.

But what you might not know is that I heard a rumor today from one of the town's painters that he was coming back tomorrow to paint our front window at the antiques mall.

I wondered why. We always try to do an interesting window that either gives people a chuckle or a happy feeling. Why you ask? Because we can. And because we are naughty minxes that like to entertain ourselves.

The artist said he would paint from outside and not sit in the window to paint. Actually I would have enjoyed seeing that. We could act all French (like plein aire) and pretend the artist in the window was like one of those cool animated department store windows I saw when I was in Paris.

I still couldn't figure out why anyone would want to paint our front window. Then I remembered, with horror and shame, that I had slipped a sign in the window that I found in one of our dealer's booths.

Pictured below. Don't hate me. But come on, admit it, you'll want to go to the Bell Tower Cultural Center and see the artist's rendering of this little naughty minx travesty I committed so long ago that I forgot about it.

Why People Need Small-town America & How To Promote It For Almost Free

In the last two blog posts, I recounted  the ways I've seen two small towns NOT promote their jewels of towns to the best advantage. So, now onto the silver lining. Why do people want to come to small-town America?

Since only about 20 percent of Americans live in rural areas and small towns, how do these towns with scant economic bases even let people know they are there?

First, why would people want to leave their larger hometowns and come to smaller towns? I can only go by what hundreds of people have told me and what I've overheard them say as they stroll the streets.

My favorite was hearing a man in his 20s say to his wife as they were pushing a stroller with their baby. "See, this is exactly what I needed. Exactly what I was talking about. Quiet streets. Peaceful."

Funny since men are sometimes not well known for  thinking it's always fun to stroll quiet streets lined with boutique shops, antique stores and quaint eateries.

My favorite thing about small-town America is all the apple orchards, pumpkin patches and you-pick berry fields and corn mazes. And being able to see baby goats and llamas and horses and even cows when running an errand. In the bigger cities those things are there, just harder to find. And the meadows and wide open spaces. Less crime. More time to talk to people in shops and restaurants because it's less crowded.

Heck, yeah! It's about joy. And apparently jumping the pumpkin. If I tried doing the splits over a pumpkin patch, I'm sure I'd slip my disco.

We need small-town America. And it's fun to talk to the people who grow the apples, pumpkins and other goodies. It's satisfying to talk to the people who harvested the honey you are buying or created the artwork or handcraft you are purchasing.

It's all about the story and connection. Sure, that happens in big cities, just in a different way and atmosphere. And the people I talk to want to hear the story behind what they are buying or seeing and meet the people behind it.

I've watched the tale of two small cities struggle with how to promote themselves on little to no budgets with personal issues in the mix.

And hundreds of people have told me they are a bit miffed they did not know about the second small city sooner and stumbled across it by accident.

People are always looking for a different experience and perspective even if they love the town they live it. It's almost a travesty that treasures often remain mostly hidden in small towns all across the country and wonderful businesses struggle.

One business owner told me that they have never made a profit in all the years they've been in business, because the people just don't know about the town. That it's not on the way to anywhere major and it's not a total tourist destination.

I say--enough of that.

There are people in tiny towns all across America who finally realized they just needed to keep doing what they were doing for decades, band together and tell the world about it. There are towns that were market towns for over a century and then someone came up with a twist and started an open air market or flea market that draws hundreds of thousands of people a year.

Build it and they will come. If they know about.

Here's some of the problems I've witnessed or heard about in my two small towns. No budget. People don't want change.  People can't agree on what to do.Egos. Power struggles. Not enough money for a full-time Chamber of Commerce or  visitor center person. Not enough money for advertising, signage, etc.

And here's some of the solutions I've either witnessed, heard people come up with or have come up with myself.

*People don't have to all agree on what the town will do--just a core group of people that don't let personality issues, egos or religious or political disagreements stop them from doing good on behalf of a whole town's health. Don't grow the town in size necessarily--grow it in events, festivals and showcasing of what is already there.

*Money should never be an issue. If there are not enough people to man the phones for a Chamber or visitor's center--tap into the high school or local college. Arrange for students to volunteer their time and talents for either credit at school or to bolster their future resumes. Tapping the Senior Centers and civic groups leads to reaping decades of wisdom and business acumen.

*Also tap into students to send out press releases and free calendar events to newspapers and magazines. Many students would jump at the chance to benefit their town if it would lead to increased business and help their families, or help them stay in town after graduation.

*Make your event or services your shops, businesses and eateries offer so compelling that the media comes to you. If you donate even a small portion to charity or a non-profit, media outlets are more inclined to do a story about the event or business.

*Think big in a small town. All someone can say is no. If you have something interesting happening--there is no reason not to contact travel magazines and lifestyle editors across the country. Their readers are often looking for some experiences that sometimes only a small town can offer.

*Find the right people in the town for the job. Pick someone (generally just one or two people) that are confident and come across well on camera. Local news station are often looking for a lively filler story on a slow news day about an event told by the spokesperson that speaks professionally and has a sense of humor. Then pick one person to field the print media--and have that person equipped with the correct information for the media, such as who to interview on each specific story. Have those people always be the contact people for the media, so they can build a relationship with the media and each side can call on the other when they either need a story or want to tell a story. If the contact people change, inform the media of that and introduce the new person in a brief email or phone call. It's all about relationships, even in bigger cities and the media.

*Come up with that fundraiser that will get the media's attention. People like feel-good stories to counteract all the serious news. Create a calendar or other salable item that promotes the event or cause that is humorous, heartwarming or interesting.

*The people that get publicity are usually the ones that ask for it. Either by asking directly or creating an event or item that draws positive attention. It's really that simple.

*There are many little-known ways to get free TV commercials that broadcast to many households by nominating businesses. The production people will come to you, for free. Others will charge, but keep playing the videos for free after the initial charge--and there are ways to get those videos shot economically and then promote them on social media and websites. And most high schools and colleges have video equipment and talented students looking for an opportunity to promote their town and own abilities.

*There are many lesser-known TV travel shows that are always accepting ideas for their crews to come film in off-the-beaten track locations.

*It's appropriate to present the positive things about one's town and/or event as a travel destination. But don't be alarmed if someone in the media asks about the negative things in the town's history or present. There needs to be a counterbalance in most every story. Those negative things (such as past injustices, power struggles, crime, corruption, economic downturns, water issues, crumbling infrastructure, etc.) can be used to show how a town righted wrongs or overcame challenges in a positive way.

*The core of many small towns is its agriculture. Farm to table and agri-tourism are the trendy words now. But it's what many small towns were founded on--and they don't need to change a thing, except getting cohesive on how they present. Have maps and brochures that list every winery,corn maze, alpaca farm, apiary, organic vegetable garden, etc. that are open to the public. Get those maps to every business, appropriate venue and visitors center, airport, train station, etc. across the state. Again tap into high school, college students and seniors and have them attend marketing seminars, symposiums and other related events with the maps and the STORY of their town.

It's all about the story. It's so simple. What story will small-town America tell about itself? Will it tell the story of whining about flower baskets--or will it tell the story of it's rich history, ethnic backgrounds, agriculture, festivals and fiercely independent small businesses? And will it use the diversity of its town--including seniors and students--to tell that story in such a compelling way that people can't help but notice.

Will the story, as old as America, be told of small towns pulling them up by their bootstraps--or descending into a maelstrom of pity and negativity?

You know which story I am rooting for that is told about small-town America!

p.s. AND get your town on social media! I have few followers, but within minutes of Tweeting these posts I had retweets and marketing and agriculture people following me on Twitter. When I asked one business owner, who was the one who initially asked for help, why most local business owners did not tweet, blog or Facebook much--I was told they were too busy running their business. Then get someone else to volunteer to do it.

AND in my opinion, every small town should have a community blog where people are invited to tell their STORIES about their businesses, events and what's special about their town and what it is like to live in rural America. I don't promote my blog (or myself) except with an occasional tweet and people still find it--the counter at the top left shows we are closing in on 100,000 hits. I've proven it. It's all about the story. Just tell it!