Every SOHJI store so far started the same way: me, a backpack, and ten full glass bottles.
I load up at my apartment in Chelsea, pick a part of the city, and start walking. Ten 16 oz glass bottles is heavy, no way around it. And you learn fast to walk like you're carrying something fragile, because you are.
Why stores say yes
New York loves an entrepreneur. Some people get it right away: the cobalt glass, the scent, the idea of a cleaner you'd actually want to leave out. Others say yes because they like seeing someone out there doing it themselves. Honestly, I'll take both. A lot depends on the store and who shops there.
The days it doesn't go your way
You get a few yeses in a row, walk into the next store thinking you've got this one nailed, and then, bam. They only buy through a big distributor. Or the manager's out sick. Or gone for the day.
The biggest lesson: go first thing in the morning. The manager is usually there, the store isn't slammed yet, and people actually have time to talk.
Who actually decides
It depends on the store. Sometimes it's the manager on the floor. Sometimes it's a buyer, or someone at corporate. What surprised me most is how many stores I've gotten into with no sales rep and no distributor, just by walking in.
So if you've seen SOHJI on a shelf around the city, there's a good chance it got there in my backpack.
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