Friday, December 21, 2012

Gift Ideas from Room 363

Only 3 more shopping days until Christmas!  That means only 3 more days to figure out what you're going to wear.  Both of these dresses would be perfect for a holiday party and are on sale starting today. The dress on the left is now $65, originally $94.  The dress on the right is $55, originally $79.


Room 363 has a large selection of well-priced scarves.  These make great gifts for any woman in your life.   Keep one on-hand as an emergency gift for those awkward situations where you didn't realize you were exchanging gifts with a friend until they brought a present to lunch.


Mark also has a new display by the check-out counter of vintage-inspired Ella E. jewelry.  There's a stunning collection of earrings, necklaces and cuffs.  The cuffs are made from recycled leather belts!  These make for a fun conversation piece.



There are great gift ideas in the kid's room, so be sure to make your way to the back of the store.  There are handmade pillows, dresses, bibs, hair bows, hats, and lots, lots more!  The flower clips would look adorable dressing up a wrapped gift or clipped on a gift bag. Use them afterwards as a pretty addition to any little girl's outfit.


One of my favorite items for little girls are these handmade cuffs by Hazel Brown Designs.  There are several in the store if you're looking for stocking stuffers, but you can also visit Hazel Brown's website for personalized requests.  How about as a cute favor for a little girl's birthday party?


In the front of the store, you'll find a great selection of men's items.  The beanies, gloves, button-down hooded shirt-jackets and long-sleeve crews would be perfect for that teenage boy on your list. How about a fedora or cap for your brother, husband or boyfriend? Room 363 has those, too!  The boots are now only $80.  They're a great neutral color and are extremely comfortable. Mark has road tested them to be sure!


On December 26th, Room 363 will mark all holiday ornaments and decorations down 50%.  This would be a great time to stock up on ornaments for next year!  Also, the mercury glass and silver ornaments would look great in an apothecary jar or bowl as a New Year's Eve party decoration.  All men's items will be 20% off that day as well.

Stay safe this weekend and enjoy celebrating with friends and family.  We hope to see you in the store!


Saturday, December 8, 2012

{theNOOK} Recap and Moving Day!

Thank you to everyone who visited the holiday pop-up shop, {theNOOK}, in downtown Naperville last weekend.  It was fun to see people shopping, mingling and lingering to have conversations with friends and neighbors. We plan to continue this new tradition next year, adding more booths and making minor tweaks to continue to grow the shop and improve the experience.  A huge thank you to Alicia's Photography for allowing us to use her studio space, to Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory for the truffles and hot chocolate and to Flour Power Cookies and Confections for the delicious cookies Friday evening.



I had planned to post some fun pictures of {theNOOK} in full swing, but the unexpected swim my iPhone took in the toilet Saturday morning threw a wrench in those plans.  It spent the remainder of the weekend nestled in a large bag of rice. In case you're wondering, the rice treatment on wet phones does work. Mostly. My home button doesn't work and my camera light stays on at all times, giving my purse a nice green glow, but I can make calls!

Through this process of setting up the holiday pop-up shop and writing his blog, I've become friends with Mark. I've found that one of the most endearing aspects of his personality is that he truly doesn't want his customers to spend unnecessary money. I often visit Room 363 and make comments about wanting an amazing new piece he's found.  His immediate response is always, "Where are you going to put it?"  If he doesn't like my answer, he won't sell me the item.  This is because he's seen my house and knows what will and won't work.    The piece might be great, but that doesn't mean it's right for my space. He encourages his customers to make thoughtful purchases. I spent a good portion of my time at {theNOOK} going through this "I want that" / "Where you going to put it" routine with him.  Finally, on the last day, he said he'd found something I should buy.  He got as far as saying, "I think you should buy. . . " and I was shouting "Yes! I'll take it".  I had no idea what he was recommending, I was just happy to be walking out of there with something Mark-approved.

So, this is it.  This is my $24 red stool that ended up never making it past my front porch.  


Mark arranged my front porch to be used as backdrop for our family pictures, incorporating the vintage red stool.  My favorite part is the screen door with the wreath hanging from it. It was a great way to bring some height and interest to a blank area of the porch, behind my love seat.


Mark designed the family photo "set" using materials we had decorating the outside of {theNOOK}.  He left me with a wreath to hang on the front door, instructing me to buy a Command brand hook and hang it.  Which I did.  He stopped by the next day to drop off a rug and the first words out of his mouth were, "You hung your wreath upside down."  Seriously?  I get one job and I can't even get that right.  I like it upside down though, so I'm keeping it.


Never one to sit still long, as soon as we closed {theNOOK}, Mark immediately began moving from his townhouse in St. Charles to a home in Naperville.  He sent me these shots of the chaos.  


Now that he's been in the house for a couple days, he sent me a small sneak peek of his favorite cabinet to share.





I promise to get more pictures after he's settled and has had a chance to decorate and paint.

Welcome to Naperville, Mark!

-Maria

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Introducing: The Nook

Room 363 had an AMAZING Thanksgiving weekend!  We weren't sure what to expect, as this was our first Black Friday and Small Business Saturday in Naperville, but the turnout and support from our customers was incredible. Thank you to everyone who shopped and to those who are spreading the word about what we have to offer.

Naperville's Hometown Holidays 2012 continues this weekend with the Little Friends Parade of Lights on Saturday, December 1 at 4:30pm.  In coordination with this event, Room 363 is hosting a vintage and handmade cooperative, {theNOOK}. {theNOOK} is an opportunity for local creatives and downtown Naperville retail owners to market vintage finds, unique holiday gift ideas and holiday decorations.

Our **GRAND OPENING** is Friday, November 30, from 5-9pm.  Stop in to warm up with hot chocolate, generously provided by Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, and fill your bags with goodies from our complimentary wine and sweets bar.

{theNOOK} is open for 3 DAYS ONLY, November 30 through December 2, in the future home of Alicia's Photography at 32 W. Chicago Avenue, Naperville.  If you planned on shopping at Room 363 this weekend, make sure you visit us in both locations.



We spent the first part of this week preparing the space for setup, sweeping, mopping and hanging beautiful vintage chandeliers to give the space a homey feel. Vendors began setting up their booths today and watching the transformation has been exciting.  

Here's a few sneak-peek pictures:


This Saturday, December 1 from 1-4pm, there will be a *FREE* Holly Trolley shuttling customers throughout the downtown area.  One of the pick-up/drop-off locations, at Main and Chicago Streets, is right next to {theNOOK}.  The trolley will be a fun way to shop and explore your way through town.

Thank you again for your support and we hope to see you this weekend at both Room 363 and {theNOOK}. 

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Black Friday Savings

We are knee-deep into the holiday season here at Room 363.  The store has been a revolving door of holiday decorations.  As soon as something new is displayed, it's carried out the door with a lucky new owner.  Which is great, because it means the store will look different every time you visit.  The courtyard has also been transformed to match the festive atmosphere of downtown Naperville after last weekend's illumination of over 300,000 lights!


We have our own illumination going on at Room 363.


This week we got in a great selection of candles in reusable mercury glass and vintage pottery containers.  These candles are extremely fragrant and with scents like Red Currant, Mistletoe and Warm Cinnamon Buns, your house will smell incredible all season long.  Pick one up as a hostess gift or keep it on hand as a last minute emergency gift. 


It's unbelievable that Thanksgiving is just a few days away!  We will be closed Thanksgiving Day, but will reopen Friday, November 23, at 9am to partake in the Black Friday madness.  For those of you braving the crowds Friday, Room 363 is offering 10% off the ENTIRE STORE (including furniture) and 20% off items in the kid's room (furniture in the kid's room is 10% off).

May you have a safe and delicious Thanksgiving surrounded by those you love.  Hope to see you all on Friday!




Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Whats New? Holiday and Kids!

There is no shortage of glitter, sparkles, bows and garland in Room 363 in preparation for the holiday season.  In fact, I don't think I've seen Mark once in the last two weeks when he didn't have at least a small amount of glitter stuck to his face.  It's all been worth it though, because he's created quite the winter wonderland!


A favorite item in the shop for customers is the vintage (or vintage-like) sleighs Mark transforms with burlap ribbon, ornaments, sprigs of greenery and ice skates.  If you have your own sleigh at home, bring it in and let Mark make it spectacular! They are beautiful displayed by a front door or fireplace.


Browse the store to get great ideas for decorating your tree this year.  You'll find the trees tend to lean toward the monochromatic with varied shapes and textures to keep it interesting. Don't forget to throw in those handmade ornaments from your kids that make your tree unique to your family. 


Weave your way through the holiday decor and you'll find yourself in a new and growing section within Room 363;  which is, the adorable kids room! You'll find furniture pieces that fit perfectly in a child's space, picture frames, artwork, blankets, clothing, accessories and unique gift ideas. 

Room 363 focuses on supporting and promoting local small business owners who make well-crafted, handmade products.  The items in the kids room are no exception. Local children's clothing designer, Hazel Brown Designs, is a perfect match with the vintage feel of her clothes and a focus on detail and quality.  Her clothing is beautiful enough for family photos and holiday celebrations, without sacrificing comfort.  As any parent knows, it doesn't matter how beautiful something is on the hanger, if it's not comfortable it'll remain on the hanger.

If you have a baby shower, child's birthday or are looking to add something special to an existing room for your child, come in and talk to Mark. He always has ideas on how to turn the ordinary into something extraordinary.


We'll keep you updated as more holiday decorations and children's items arrive in the store in the coming weeks.  Check the Room 363 Facebook page for frequent updates.

When you stop into the store, be sure to sneak a peek behind the counter and say "Hello!" to sweet Ella!  A big THANK YOU! to Alicia from Alicia's Photography for the beautiful pictures!





Friday, October 26, 2012

To Market, To Market

If you're a frequent visitor to Room 363, you know it looks different every time you come in. Mark, the store owner and visionary, is constantly editing, moving, selling, bringing in new pieces, re-moving, stacking, unstacking, changing and improving his space. You don't often find him sitting still.  Because of that, it's been difficult for him to keep his blog up-to-date with information that's reflective of current inventory and projects.  In order for Mark to keep his customers informed, he's enlisted my help in doing the writing.

My name is Maria. I met Mark at his Grand Opening in August and I immediately became a fan of not only his work, but of him as a person.  I live in Naperville with my husband, 4 kids, 2 dogs, 2 frogs, rabbit and fish. We may also have a hamster living somewhere in the house but are unable to pinpoint his exact location at the moment. My passion is writing, but I’ll try to stick with more pictures, less chat for Mark’s blog.  

I recently tagged along on Mark’s trip to StyleMax in Chicago.  We were there to start his Spring clothing buying and also pick up a few pieces you’ll see trickling into his store in the next few weeks.  If you’re unfamiliar, StyleMax is a women’s apparel and accessory trade show where clothing buyers shop over 3,000 clothing lines (a.k.a. my personal heaven - not so much for Mark).  He was grateful to not make this trip to buy women's clothing in bulk on his own.

When we looked at the different lines and clothing pieces at StyleMax, we picked items that would compliment the style of his store and maintain the reasonable price points his customers have come to expect, without sacrificing quality.  Here’s a sneak peak from the show:

Room 363 will have plenty of pretty tank options to dress up your favorite pair of jeans or shorts.




The best, most cost-efficient, clothing purchases are the items you can carry through multiple seasons. For that reason, this dusty rose dress offers great versatility. During the Fall, layer it with leggings, a jean jacket and cute boots. If you're always cold, like me, add a cropped cardigan under the jean jacket.  This dress would be equally as stunning worn on a Summer date night, free of the layers.



These shear long-sleeve tops with tie detail are favorites from the show.  The patterned top that ties at the waist has a comfortable, care-free, easy feel.  The cream with tie detail at the neck works just as well running errands as it does for a dinner out with the girls or paired with a cropped blazer for the office.


To sum up the style of clothing ordered, the theme is pretty and flowy with touches of lace and muted colors.  Remember, this is just a very small peak into clothing pieces he has planned for the next several months.

As we go into the gift-giving season, keep an eye out for these leather wristlets arriving soon. They perfectly fit an iPhone (yes, the 5 - we checked) and have space for ID, credit cards and money.  These would be great gifts for girlfriends, sisters, sister-in-laws or yourself!



The purchase Mark was most excited about involved bringing in a line of men's shoes.  These are the first two styles you'll see in his store.  The price point is great and the quality is amazing. They would make great gifts for the man in your life this holiday season!


In addition to the men's shoes, you'll also see some changes to the clothing lines in the upcoming months. Mark is experimenting with new brands and styles. You'll find a good selection of men's basics:


Mark has been working really hard on researching his men's lines.  Expect some new additions and changes in the near future.

Stay tuned for more! There's a lot we'll be sharing with you as the boxes start arriving.  

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

EmilyAnneStyle: Boutique of the Week: Room 363

 Check out Emily Anne Style blog 
she did on Room 363!!!





Room 363 232 S. Washington Naperville, IL (630) 778-0363
 www.Room363.net For Mark Norkaitis,
 owner of the new Room 363 in Naper...

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

What a Month ......


I made it my first month! 
I might look like I'm alive but very tired inside! 

There is so many new learning adventures each day! 
Im very happy with my decision of starting my own shop, 
Nothing like getting excited about selling furniture!!! Then next breath,
 (crap what am I going to replace it with!!!) 

Im starting to work on getting back to doing the
shows again, I will be with Traci next weekend 
at Kane County in our normal spot... 

Check out some of the new things that 
arrived in the store!