This April, PNKY Collection turned its 7th leaf, 7 challenging years of tedious work down untrodden paths, inspired creations, expanding boundaries, and of course not without its healthy dose of missed deadlines, bad collections and aching muscles.
Today, 7 Aprils wiser and stronger, we thank God for bringing the little shop that opened on April Fool’s Day in 1996 to never-dreamed-of-heights, and it was no joke either.
In 1998, we moved to our present location along Brent Rd., Baguio City and I was perfectly happy with the cozy home setup and the spacious garden where my leisure furniture laguidly sat amid the trees and cascading vines. But with clients wailing that Baguio was too far and Christmas and summer only two occasions a year to venture north, I was convinced to take the winding road to Manila in 2000, and opened at the hopping Remedios Circle, right under the wings of LJC, the Larry Cruz of Adriatico fame.
Back up the mountain, PNKY Collection accepted the invitation to open a satellite shop in 2001 at the newly renovated upper basement of the Baguio Country Club, offering a special selection in keeping with the high standards of the club.
In 2002 I finally succumbed to the "Call of the Mall" and opened at the destination shopping Homezone area of Glorietta 4 in Ayala Center, bidding adieu to the Malate nightlife and shop hours hitting midnight. Since the G4 shop is small compared to my other locations and can only showcase accent furniture, antiques, artifacts and the PNKY Lifestyle Accessory lines, determined furniture hunters come over to our Mandaluyong show-home for the larger furniture pieces, antique or otherwise.
This summer 2003, in thanksgiving to an awesome God who led us through the last 7 years, and to our loyal clients who became friends and friends who became clients, we celebrate with a never before 7th year blow-out bodega sale in Baguio! With discounts hitting 30, 40 and 50 percent off, it’s surely worth the trip up the mountain! Not forgetting of course the bonus of a respite from the fetid heat of the lowlands.
As we labor moving the mountains of wood from woodshed to workshop to showroom to its final destiny in its chosen master’s home, I’ve always wondered why I punish myself (and my people) with such back-breaking manual labor. Couldn’t I have gotten into selling something that didn’t need four strong carabaos to budge it an inch? (I tell you, sometimes I suspect our exotic Philippine hardwoods are actually disguised boulder rock, they weigh just as much!) Furthermore, opening shop in Manila guaranteed us a yo-yo lifestyle: up and down, down and up.
It’s darn hard work, this business. But when I see the happy faces of my clients and receive text messages that proclaim "Tnx so much wr xtremly hapy wd ur furnitur" I now understand exactly why I’m where I am, doing what I’m doing, and believe me, that’s where the real profit lies.