David's AW News: In Hard Core India.

Greetings from Goa, India

We just arrived in (or I should say escaped to) Goa. Catching up with old friends and checking on the renovation of the apartment we have here.. it's almost completed!

Last week I was telling you about our last days in Kathmandu and how we got invited to a wedding..and found ourselves in the year 2082 (yes really!) if you missed it you can catch up here.

After arriving in Delhi - we spent a few days at the Spring Fair, the huge trade show where Indian exporters exhibit. Usually packed, but this time horribly empty... and very very hot!

Here's Toni from Spain and our man in India - Mr Chatterjee behind.

It was not just the heat that was hard core in Delhi.. let me explain..

In the Trade Show

There is a hotel adjacent to the halls, mostly booked in advance by the traders, and Mr Chatterjee managed to get us rooms in there, which is super convenient; other people have to take shuttle buses sometimes to distant hotels.. Not that there were many buses running, the show clashed with both Easter holidays, the Canton fair in China and Trump tariffs, resulting in many long faces. So as we ventured round the stands, we saw the same faces, and began to realise there were simply not many foreign buyers. Very sad, you could feel the desperation in the air. One guy told us their business was 80% American-bound, and all orders had been cancelled or put on hold. 

Needless to say, we were very popular - Toni, mine and Mr Chatterjee phone non-stop messages, requesting a visit.. please come sir.. and people following us around, or waiting in our path, hoping to capture us.. as much as we'd like to see every supplier and make an order.. It's not possible.. Sadly had politely declined people to focus on the main people we need to see

Sorry guys.. I know you read this newsletter.. Please be patient. 

In Old Delhi

We spent two days in Central Delhi.. Mr Rashid, one of our wooden box suppliers, came to our hotel, he came with his daughter, three staff and 19 cartons of samples, which they laid out all over Mr Chatterjee's hotel room. That was Hard Core! Crazy.. but in the end we found some awesome products because Rashid is an old supplier and knows exactly what AW customers (like you are looking for) with our designers' input, I'm sure we can make magic happen.

It was hard core.. 

Deep into Old Dehi (hard core)

The next day we went deep into the old into the ancient maze of streets that house some of India's artisans for generations.. Hot day.. so hot. Our supplier meets at the point the taxi cannot go further and we follow him though the maze of streets, stepping over people sleeping on the sidewalk, into a maze of alleyways.. then deep deep inside, then finally up tiny stairs through almost hidden doors and out to a showroom. We have been here many times.. a fan chops the hot air, and across one wall, a long table filled to the brim with carefully made stuff, especially for AW.  Our supplier Mr Karim is a humble chap, keep cricket player and devoted to finding the perfect AW lines.. I know he has spent the last six months working hard with his swathe of Delhi artisans (and far beyond) to produce the samples he has for us.

If you think this is hardcore..

Next Level Hard Core

Well, the next morning, before going to the airport to come down to Goa, we squeezed in a visit to the oldest and most notorious trading area in India.. that place is truly hard core. I'll tell you all about Pahar Ganj next week. 

Going great guns!

Meanwhile, in the warehouse, things are hotting up! So many new and fast selling products we are actually struggling to catch up.. the Big Buddha Statues are flying out..(one lady told us she puts one outside her store and it sells in a day). Incense back in stock but selling like crazy.. 

Now we are in Goa. The place we are staying at is so peaceful and quiet. And I just realised it must be a bird watcher's paradise. I woke up this morning to find a big, fluffy bird tapping on my bedroom window. We have seen storks and peacocks, and this morning, as we were meeting with our gemstone guy, a cute, friendly parrot came to visit us. Just wanted to feed..haha.

We made a new friend in Goa!

Hope you have a lovely week. 

More updates next week. 

Take care

David