York 24/7: The shop manager
We asked writers to keep a diary of their day on July 24 for the York 24/7 project. Running two shops and making a movie means a long day for Steve Shooter
12.15am
My 23rd ends on the 24th, after a long night of filming for our movie project. Sleep time!
6.20am
Apparently it is morning. Time to get up for another long day in the new shop. The company I work for has decided to open a retro Fifties-style milkshake bar on Church Street and it opened on Saturday, so haven’t really stopped. Going to be a long day.
8.15am
Jumping out of wife’s car on a packed (as always) Gillygate and walking through town, a favourite playlist in my ears – the soundtrack to How To Make It In America, a long cancelled TV favourite of mine. Never fails to make me feel better!
9am
Open the doors to customers, enjoying a little peace and tranquillity before the delivery arrives. I use the time to make sure all my paperwork is sorted, till has change in, and pretty much set up for the day. Time to update the Twitter and Facebook feeds for both Candy Avenue, my American sweetshop and Stars & Shakes, our new business.
9.15am
I have a little fun making a Vine video of the shop. Anything for a bit of promotion!
10am
Traffic kicks in on Church St as all the delivery vans jostle for position, trying to reverse in and out of Swinegate. Mucho fun.
11am
Had a bit of a run on fruit shakes. I suppose it makes a kind of sense. It is as close to health and detox as we get. The fact we make all our fruit flavoured shakes from actual fruit seems to impress people. None of this syrup flavouring for us, entire bananas, big scoops of strawberries, raspberries and blackberries.
11.10am
My sales assistants, Hannah and Alice are out on Church Street giving away samples. I have to come to the rescue of one of them, moving on a slightly creepy guy.
1pm
Got a bit busy, been out and about sampling, having some chats with locals and tourists alike. Been trying loads of new flavours out, see what people like. I’m a bit of an old lady magnet, they can’t keep away. Must be my charming nature. Or something.
3pm
Finally grabbing some lunch, got pretty busy for a while there, always nice. Turns out launching a new business, very close to your competition, is pretty hard work. Quick roll from Thomas the Baker and I’m back to work.
3.30pm
Got an email through with some cool photos of the shop taken on our opening day, so I stop for five minutes to upload them to the Facebook page. Hannah and Alice are really getting the hang of the way the business works.
4pm
Take our first pre-order. Group of international students are having a party on Friday and they want large selections of shakes in various flavours for their guests to enjoy. Excellent.
6pm
Shop is finally closed, cashed up and clean. Finally getting into a routine with the closedown. Been a very long day. Takes me ages to drag myself to the bus.
6.30pm
Home!
8pm
After a hectic week, seeing plays, movies and gigs, nice to settle down with my wife to catch up on Luther, Dexter and True Blood. Sore feet, but back out to do it all again tomorrow.
11pm
Sleep, glorious sleep. Switch on the fan…
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