The Nantucket Bagg Co. LLC

Well, there is a lot to cover here. . .
First, I want to let everyone know that we are incredibly excited about the new site, but all should know that it took a lot longer to launch and correct problems on the site than we had expected. Too many stories to cover in one night’s blog but I will at least gic=ve a shot at recapping the year:
Although I took a hiatus at the begginning of the year, we jumped into the show season in Boston for the Mass Hort Society’s Flower Show. Then to Baltimore, MD for the Strictly Sail-sponsored Sailfest at the Boat Show in late January. From there it has been–at least for me–Baltimore, Chicago Strictly Sail, a short notice QVC appearance at their studio in Pennsylvania, Los Angeles for the Barkleigh PetQuest Dog Grooming Show in Bubank, a late entry to the Craft and Hobbies Association show in Anaheim, a stellar appearance at the Strictly Sail Show in Miami, then back to our new opperation center in Black Rock, Ct, before hitting the Maine Boat Builder’s Show in Portland (which by the way was an AMAZING Show), another QVC appearance, then another trip out West.
Logistics on this recent round were absolutly insane; I just pride myself on the phenomenology that goes with Nantucket Bagg hitting the ENTIRE Country with an enthusiasm and fervor that goes unmatched. I drove, yes drove, out West with the best flash baggs in the nation, and a couple of banners to do (just for me) a Rockabilly Convention in Vegas, then, our now-annual appearance at the biggest sailboat show on the West Coast–Pacific Sailboat Show at Jack London Square in Oakland, CA, The Woodworkers Show in willey Puyallup, WA (I swear, If those guys call it the Seattle Woodworkers Show again, I’m not going!) Rested in Bellingham, Wa, flew out to Reno, Nevada for the National Art Materials Trade Association Trade Show, where the Diddy Bagg became “The Award Winning”. That’s right, we won the highly-touted Judge’s Special Recognition Award!!! The best news is that I was able to pick up 18 individual puchase orders for about 30 stores, from Punta Gorda, Fla to Houston, University Of Texas-Austin, a formidable independant fine-art store in LA, along with a sizeable order to nine stores in Canada (which I will be getting out tomorrow). Thank you so much everybody.
After that I had to drive back to Connecticut. But not before hitting Charleston, SC for their now harbor-wide HarborFest! It was another excellent show/first time appearance–great folks, good times, sweet wooden boats. I had a great reception and was gratefull to be put up by one of the organizers of the event–’thanks Bennett’. ‘Stopped in to see our good friend Ella Vickers at Ella Vickers Recycled Sailcloth Collection at her studio. Tell ya what, folks, she is the BEST in the business. Her bags are so fresh, beatiful lines, and stout, check her line out today!
I had two days in Black Rock with Jo Eaton (our new business consultant) and diddy bagg-doyen, my Father–Charlie Cirgliano, before we decided to drop everything and head out for the Memorial Day weekend. Jo headed South to see family and friends in the Chesapeak (sp) Basin and the Cirigliani decided to head up to Nantucket. We dropped the van off on Friday afternoon i Hyannis, hit Spanky’s for some (mediocre) Calamari and Cocktails (great Margarita) before catching the six-o’clock Hy-Line High-speed Ferry to “Tha Rock”. For those who don’t remember, this weekend in Hyannis and Nantucket is the annual Figawi weekend, full of libation–hey, even when it’s not foggy, sailors are still askin’ ‘Where the Figawi?”, where I got to spend time with family and work on The Nantucket Joinery, which, by the way, is the asset that has been financing this entire project. Big News Soon!!! and– Thanks for the support throught these past few years, we are always humbled when we hear how much you folks that have given the bagg a chance, appreciate it.
Props and Introductions:
Thanks to Malcolm Brooks at malcolmdesigns.com for helping to push this web-project through, and being a faithful (and loyal) web designer. Malcolm represent ‘more than a few’ major Nantucket businesses on Tha Web, and produces in-house culinary programs for local television on the Island.
Our new West Coast salesman Cameron “Bud Lee” Bennett. Bud “jumped ito the frying pan” for me in Chicago when I had 2 1/2 days notice to show up at QVC, and nearly set a new one-day record selling 84 baggs in 8 hours in Chicago–(we may have to reevaluate that, Bud, much as I would hate to admit it.) Introduced to me by my loving uncle, Mike Cirigliano, Bud is an awesome native-Indianan cum-movie director, who has decided to thow his weight in on this project. Thanks Bud–He’s in Dana Point, CA this weekend doing the boat festival, please go out and see him.
Next, Jo Eaton at norepeatsfiberworks.com who is probably (in my year-and-a-half on the circuit) the most creative crocheters I have ever met. Yeah, well that is just a start–Jo has a background in Grantwriting AND small business consultation. We hit it off instantly at the Boston Flower Show, (even after we showed up late and took back the the ten feet the Show had given her thinking we were a no-show.) Jo is perfect for my father and I-she can sit through ten unfinnished sentences and still manage to bring us back to the point–Thanks Jo!
More soon!