Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
On a sunny weekend, Guan Wenru's two "Ruyi Clothing" stores officially opened amidst the noisy sound of firecrackers and the curious gazes of onlookers.
Guan Wenru made a special trip south ten days ago to prepare for the opening.
On the surface, she hired several reliable and skilled veterans and a few quick-witted educated youths who were eager to find work, forming a temporary purchasing team to go to coastal cities like Guangzhou to buy goods.
She went with them for a few days, personally selecting styles and determining the types and quantities of the first batch of goods.
Secretly, she made full use of her own space.
In the dazzling wholesale markets of the south, filled with Hong Kong and Taiwanese flavors, she took advantage of opportunities to investigate and act alone.
She quietly bought a large number of stylish and unique shirts, dresses, flared pants, and skirts that she liked, as well as some brightly colored and high-quality accessories such as scarves and hair clips, and moved them into her space without anyone noticing.
In this way, the quantity of goods she transported back on the surface was reasonable and not too conspicuous, while the actual stock in the store was far more abundant and plentiful than what the outside world could see.
...
On the opening day, both shops displayed celebratory flower baskets at their entrances, and the plaques covered with bright red silk cloth were particularly eye-catching.
Guan Wenru also used a clever publicity method…
She arranged for all the young, well-proportioned waitresses at her several Ruyi Home-Style Restaurants to change into the latest outfits from a clothing store before starting work.
So, a few days before the opening, diners noticed that the waitresses and waiters who served dishes and water with sweet smiles were no longer wearing the same gray-blue work clothes, but were wearing all sorts of eye-catching styles.
Especially the girls, what they wore... included chiffon blouses with ribbons at the neckline, plaid dresses in elegant colors and with a good cut, and khaki straight-leg pants that made them look particularly smart and upright...
In the restaurant, familiar regulars can't help but ask questions every day.
"Hey, Li, you look really smart in that outfit! Where did you buy it?"
The staff would then smile and reply, "These styles are from our boss's new clothing store, called 'Ruyi Clothing,' located near Xidan. It'll be opening in a couple of days, so feel free to check it out!"
The effect of this live advertisement was immediate.
On the day of the opening, many customers who had been influenced by the restaurant staff, as well as many trendy young men and women who had heard the news, crowded the entrances of the two shops.
"Grand opening! All items are 10% off! Show your 'Ruyi Home-Style Dishes' receipt for an additional discount!"
The shop assistants, dressed in uniform and neat attire, greeted customers warmly.
Inside the store, the racks are filled with all kinds of clothing, with a wider range of colors than those in department stores, and styles that are closer to the Hong Kong and Taiwan style that young people are secretly yearning for.
Many female customers were immediately attracted as soon as they entered, touching this piece and trying on that piece, with exclamations and praises filling the air.
"This shirt is made of such soft material!"
"Wow, these flared pants have such a great cut, they make my legs look so long!"
"The color of this dress is perfect!"
A small queue formed in front of the fitting rooms, and the cashier was bustling with activity.
Guan Wenru moved between the two shops, checking the sales figures with an extremely satisfied smile on her face.
The young intellectuals she hired who had returned to the city to work as shop assistants cherished this hard-won job opportunity. They provided warm and attentive service and were very knowledgeable when introducing the products.
Although He Yanzhi was busy with military affairs, he still made time to show his face. He was dressed in civilian clothes and his tall and upright figure stood not far outside the store.
Looking at the bustling crowd and thriving business in the store, his eyes were filled with pride and support.
The triplets also came to join in the fun out of curiosity, their little faces full of excitement as they looked at the colorful clothes and bustling crowd in their mother's shop.
At the end of a busy day, when the accounts were tallied, the sales figures for the two stores were quite impressive, far exceeding Guan Wenru's initial expectations.
Looking at the ledger, she knew that she had made the right move again.
"Clothing, food, housing, and transportation"—clothing, ranked second, has enormous market potential that is slowly opening its doors to her as times progress.
Her business empire has successfully expanded into a new area beyond restaurants.
......
The clothing store has been open for more than half a month and business is booming beyond Guan Wenru's expectations.
The sales of both stores increased day by day, and the novel styles brought from the south were almost sold out as soon as they hit the shelves.
The money box in the counter was always full, the abacus beads clicked loudly, and the amount of money coming in surprised Guan Wenru.
She realized that the demand and spending power of ordinary people in the capital, especially young people, for clothing was even stronger than she had anticipated.
The supply of goods is being consumed too quickly, and the inventory is about to run out.
Guan Wenru knew that she had to set off for the south again.
Although she had long planned to open her own garment factory and control the source, it was only 1980, and there were still many rules and regulations for private factories, as well as many ambiguities in the policies. She needed to observe and wait for another year or two.
So for the past two years, she has had to work hard, frequently traveling between the north and south, relying on wholesale purchases to build up the "Ruyi Clothing" brand and branch network.
There's no rush to deal with the factory matter.
Knowing that the journey to the south would be long and the transportation inconvenient, taking at least ten days round trip, Guan Wenru felt reluctant to leave her family.
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