BIG BIRTHDAY BASH (PART 1)

[Karan]:  We had the most brilliant and amazing day yesterday.  As you are probably already aware, IKD is celebrating its 18th birthday tomorrow, and we're hosting the Big Birthday Party Bash at our place - all are welcome, and we hope to see YOU there.

However, we thought it would be a good idea to host a pre-launch event for some of our all time favourite and most local customers, so that if we had any teething problems we could iron them out before our guests of honour arrive tomorrow: always best to hit your snags with a sympathetic audience, don't you think?  A pre-launch event would also serve as a huge personal "THANK YOU!" from Ian and I, for the many years of loyal custom and support we have received from these lovely, lovely existing VIP customers. And so out went the personal invitations.  And then we waited.  As we hadn't asked for a RSVP, we had no idea who would accept and who wouldn't.  It was a bit high risk as we could have been drumming our fingers on the table listening to the deafening silence, however...

From the moment we decided upon a date to launch the showroom fully to the public - it was Thursday 1st April, I remember it clearly - business has been brisk, to say the least.  Now, I'm not complaining that business has been brisk, I'm well aware there are plenty of people willing to trade places with us, but it has meant the showroom has been designed and installed during weekends only, and the odd evening after work.  This has proved to be a challenging and delicate balancing act, particularly when you consider Ian and I have two very young children, as well as a brisk business.  We have met ourselves coming back on many, many occasions.

We worked on the showroom until 2.30am Saturday morning, went home, got a couple of hours sleep and were up again with the kids at 5.30am.  Ian threw some water on his face and completed a basic set of ablutions, before dashing back off down to the showroom to polish and tidy - promising himself faithfully that he'd pop back home to shower, shave and change, once the preparations had been completed.  None of us involved really believed we'd see a soul until mid-morning at the earliest - there'd be plenty of time for Ian to shower, shave and change.  Or so we thought.

At 9.55am three of our dearest and kindest customers (friends really) stepped through the doors, at which point IKD became the official venue for the Mutual Appreciation Society as people just kept stepping through the door until it was time to go home and rest our weary feet and voice boxes.  Ian never did shower, change or shave, and no one seemed to care.  Everyone who stepped through the doors just seemed to be delighted to hear good, positive news about a strong thriving local family business, and Ian's attire or facial hair status seemed irrelevant.  Of course his embarrassment and predicament was hilarious to those of us who know how particular he can be, but it didn't detract from the joy he has given people - or the value he has added to their homes over the years!

Yesterday was a complete pleasure and education for me too.  I have an almost encyclopedic memory for who our customers are, what work we've completed for them, when and where etc, but I hardly ever get to meet them - I'm always lurking in the background.  It's not unreasonable for me to suggest that I know some of our customers almost as well as Ian does, but I'd walk past them in the street, not having the foggiest who they are. Well, yesterday I was introduced to a great many of them, and it was such a joy to finally put faces to a names - I loved it. 

And so now we await tomorrow with much anticipation.  Some of our VIP existing customers who couldn't make it yesterday have promised to attend tomorrow, but tomorrow is all about the new people who have been invited by leaflet, Facebook, Twitter, The Best of Kettering, and word-of-mouth, and Ian and I are beside ourselves with excitement.  Who are these new people?  What will they think to our brand new kitchen showroom?  Will they become our friends like so many in the past have done?  And, more importantly, will Ian be showered, shaved and changed this time?  Why not come and find out, click here for more information including a map and directions - we'd love to meet you.