Fresh Produce Blog

Julia B. Lives the FP Life

11.19.2007No Comments » in culture, employee profiles, living the FP life, philanthropy | by: fresh-E

Hello everyone!
Last week, I was alerted to some “Do-Goodingness” back in the warehouse…It seems that Julia (fpHoneyB’s mom), had gotten together with some of her girlfriends and had created some AWESOME Christmas gift packets for the children at the Lovia School in Accra, Ghana. The preschool was funded with love by Carol Freund, mother of our own Customer Service Diva, Kathe. The school started with 10 kids in a garage and now lovingly supports 150 students! I can’t wait to see pics of the kids once they’ve received their lovingly created packages. Not only did Julia and her friends send 200 gift packets for the students and their siblings, but they also sent crayons, notebooks, fun pads, playdough, pencils, and hygiene packets for the children. What a great way to live the FP Life at the holidays!

By the way, all of us at Fresh Produce want to know how you’re living the FP Life too! Please send me (ehendley@fpcolor.com) some pics and stories so that I can post them on the blog and share them with everyone! Or, if you have a friend or family member you’d like to nominate for the way they are Living the FP Life, please write a profile on this person because like I said, I’d love to highlight some of your “Do-Goodingness”!

Have a great Turkey Day! ~fresh-E

Julia, with her lovingly crafted gifts

Toys galore, and look at the cute hand-stamped packages!

The Story Behind the FP Store…

11.12.20071 Comment » in design, employee profiles, fp stores | by: fresh-E

Hello there and Happy Monday!

Last week, I introduced you all to Teresa, who is one of the talented individuals behind our new stores and their design. In her employee profile, she didn’t feel like she gave us the full story behind where she finds her inspiration…so much so, that she gave me the full story behind how the new Fresh Produce stores are evolving.

Check it out! Pretty cool stuff…

Where do you find your inspiration? for props - the ideas come from all kinds of crazy places.

For our stores - well it is a pretty neat story…A team of us, Thom and MaryEllen Vernon - the owners of Fresh Produce, David Murphy, our Director of Retail at the time, Sarah Seifert , Merchandising Manager and myself, Visual Merchandising Manager went on a trip to some of our stores in Atlanta and Florida. We looked at what we liked and wanted to carry over from our existing stores. We met over the next few months and also brought in Scott Brogan and Cem Basturk as well (from our Brogan owned stores in Florida) and talked about what the FP lifestyle meant to all of us and how it made us feel.

We kept coming back to Thom and MaryEllen’s home in Santa Barbara and the different elements in it that really spoke to the FP way of life. We gave this information to an architect at Catamount Designs and he designed several different scenarios for us with different options and interpretations to bring that same look into our retail stores. From this we chose the wall treatments and cash wrap design to reflect a coastal cottage look. It consisted of a board and batten look and a cash wrap with hutch style cabinetry and glass doors. Then we added weathered floor fixtures, hardwood floors, coastal prop elements, transom windows, weathered hutches and furniture pieces, seagrass chairs, chandeliers, eclectic light fixtures, wrought iron elements and special accessories that added a personal touch. We also added a “History Wall” for our customers that tells the story of Fresh Produce.

Our first store with the new design was our store at the Borgata in Scottsdale, AZ. It was a great experience, and in each store we challenge ourselves to make it more fun than the last. In each store we alway bring a message of color, fun creativity and what the spirit of Fresh Produce is all about. We also try to bring in a little bit of individuality of the local area to make it feel like home….

If you haven’t been to an FP Store in awhile, get to one and check it out.

Find a redesigned store near you here.

Live life, enjoy color…fresh-E

FP gets 3rd place!

11.12.2007No Comments » in culture, pr | by: fresh-E

Congrats to Mary Ellen Vernon, co-owner of Fresh Produce! This year, Fresh Produce was named 3rd in the list of the top local women-owned businesses in Boulder. You can read the article here.

FP Employee Profile - Teresa!

11.06.20071 Comment » in employee profiles, living the FP life | by: fresh-E

Hello all of you FP Blog fans! I haven’t done an Employee Profile in awhile, so today I’d like to introduce you to Teresa, our uber creative & talented store designer. If you have visited a remodeled or brand new store, she’s one of the masterminds behind it. Besides being creative, she is also a do-gooder in one of the biggest senses of the word. Recently, Teresa designed, made, and donated pieces from her one-of-a-kind jewelry line which were auctioned off to benefit the Longmont Humane Society. What a creative way to Live the FP Life! Pics from the auction courtesy of Silver Lining Productions.

Catch up with her in a recent interview:

- Describe your job…I have the best job in the world, I get to make things pretty!
- How long have you worked at Fresh Produce? 2 1/2 years
- What is the best thing about your job? the people that I work with and the freedom to be myself
- What is your favorite color (doesn’t have to be an “FP specific color”) Neptune and semisweet
- Describe your typical day at work…all kinds of things… looking for inspiration and new ways of showing the fp life, looking for new ideas in merchandise fixtures, putting together storyboards, shopping for fun props, painting and modifying props - its all about props and color!
- Where do you find your inspiration? in the craziest places….
- Who is your favorite artist? Nicole Seifert
- What is your favorite song? What’d I Say by Ray Charles
- What did you have for breakfast? coffee and a bottle of water
- What do you want to be when you grow up? Run a siberian husky rescue in the mountains- or let them run me…that is kind of the husky way

Teresa and her “pack”

That’s right folks, she also fosters kitties!

A few of Teresa’s lovely designs to be auctioned

The Longmont Humane Society’s Auction

Such cute centerpieces!

The Great Jean Swap!

11.02.2007No Comments » in fp stores, promotions | by: fpHoneyB

jeans info

The Great Jean Swap, is happening right now! Its taking place from
November 1-10th 2007.
All the corporate-owned stores listed below will trade
a pair of your old jeans for $15 down on a new pair of FP JEANS!
We’ll donate your trusty standbys to a local shelter.

Here is where its happening!

Boulder, CO 303.442.7507
Charleston, SC 843.724.5144
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 954.463.8131
Gilbert, AZ COMING SOON!
Boca Grande, FL 941.964.0800
La Jolla, CA 858.456.8134
Las Vegas, NV 702.791.2444
Myrtle Beach, SC 843.626.8780
Marietta, GA 770.977.9830
Sarasota, FL 941.388.1883
Sanibel Island, FL 239.395.183
Naples, FL 239.434.5654
Norcross, GA 678.966.0056
Palm Desert, CA 760.568.5250
Scottsdale, AZ 480.609.9445
Orlando, FL 407.363.9363

Find one of the stores above, that is closest to you here.

Finding jeans that fit is like finding
the eighth wonder of the world.
We know.
So we designed FP jeans to suit just about any body type.
They’re available in 6 perfect styles &
2 classic washes and are sized from 4 - 18.
So go ahead. Try them on and look in the mirror for your “ah ha” smile moment.

Enjoy your favorite FP clothing with your new favorite FP Jeans!

jean swap photo

*Valid toward any style of FP Jeans at time of purchase only. Valid in-store only at all participating locations listed below. One per customer please.

More Halloween at FP Boulder

11.01.2007No Comments » in culture, fp stores, just for fun | by: fresh-E

We all had such a great time handing out candy at the FP here in Boulder. There were tons of trick-or-treaters and lots of great costumes! Have a looksie for yourself…fresh-E

FP Boulder - full of new stuff - go check it out!