The Eagle Has Landed: Container Day July 2012

The eagle has landed indeed. Hopefully by now some of you have had the opportunity to stop by the shop to see what I mean, but if you haven't, let me just say every nook and cranny has been filled with new goodies fresh off the boat. We're filled to the brim with "new" antiques, including fresh pub signs, stained glass, chesterfield sofas, chests, cabinets, buffets, and even a World War II water tank! Part of what I love about my job at Oddfellows is getting to experience container days first hand. Each new addition that is carted off the container into the warehouse is a welcome surprise, and every box unpacked is truly like Christmas morning for me. Yesterday proved no exception. Yes, it was hot. Yes, it was a lot of work. But I cannot reiterate how much fun we have doing it! The energy is really awesome on container day, particularly when our customers are able to walk away with a new treasure. Here are a few pictures from yesterday for you to enjoy. Stop by or leave a comment letting me know what you think!

Here is a shot of 40 feet of furniture goodness. The container arrived right on time, and our helpers for the day began offloading right at 9AM.

Just before the blood, sweat, and tears began. These men are gazing fondly into the box thinking, "What have I gotten myself into?" We have exactly two hours to get everything unloaded and into the warehouse and at times it can seem like a very daunting task figuring out where each and every item will be placed.

To the left is my friend Dennis, whose mirrors we carry in the shop. It was his first time helping unload and hopefully we didn't scare him off for the next one! To the right is my husband Ethan in action. Lots of sweat going on in these pictures. One of my favorite things to do at the end of container day is ask Ethan two questions. First, I like to know what his favorite item is. Second, I want to know the heaviest thing he lifted. The foundry part Dennis is scooting was, according to Ethan, the heaviest.

This is a shot toward the end of unloading and it just goes to show how quickly the front room can fill up despite emptying it out a couple days prior.

Donuts! I told you in my last blog post there would be donuts involved. I'm just checking to make sure you're all paying attention:)

A very foggy photo of the never-ending abyss. It's always amazing to see just how many things you can fit into one small space.

My favorite photo of the day! Everything you see in the warehouse in the next few days was literally brought to you by this handsome group of men. Left to Right: Dennis, Ethan, Mike, Adam, Chip, Mike, and our fearless leader Tom.

And here's a little sneak peek for you. By the end of the day I was able to assist Kelly as she styled the front room into place. An excellent job, and one of my favorite container days to date. A big thank you to all that were involved!