Is Portico Indoor & Outdoor Living a boutique for "wants" or "needs"?When people ask me to describe what types of products portico carries, I tell them that we carry indoor furniture, outdoor furniture, gardening items, home decor, botanicals, giftware, artwork, water features and so on. I also tell them that I have a strong focus on carrying products that are made from reclaimed, recycled, and sustainable materials whenever possible. Goods that benefit charitable causes and are free trade are also something near and dear to my heart; I try to do what I can to be a good global citizen. Pretty much everything has some type of connection to the outdoors in one way or another. Although customers embrace my reasoning as to what Portico is all about "bring the outdoors in, and the indoors out", sometimes the reaction is "I want it, but, I don't really don't need it'......
So if someone comments saying we are a boutique purely of "wants"; I disagree. For instance, if you acquire some of our amazing (made from recycled materials) Adirondack chairs because you "want" something to sit on that is fashionable etc, it is actually fulfilling a "need". The "need" is a comfortable place to relax and unwind in the backyard, garden, or at the lake. Relaxing and unwinding due to the craziness of our lives is essential - it is a need.
A perfect example occurred the other day when one of our repeat customers was in the store and saw one of our larger water features that was in operation. She mentioned how much she would love it, but she said "I really don't need it......" but then she added how much she "enjoyed spending time in Portico because of the sounds of our water features, fragrance of our candles and florals etc - that it is such a happy and relaxing place." huh, what does that tell you?!
Sometimes having something in your life that at first seems like a want is truly something that is fulfilling a need - you just might not realize it at the time! (I should disclose this is coming from a type a person constantly searching for ways to relax lol!)
Our lives are sometimes a blur of work, family, and friends; so consider taking a step back and see what wants you have, that are actually needs.
T