Our fulfillment center at the Anthe (pronounced Ann-thee) Building is now fully operational. The material lift has been repaired, the new roof is on, the skylight has been replaced, the back wall masonry has been rebuilt, and we have dehumidifiers on every floor – plus extra heating capacity to deal with the occasional cold snap.
The price: in$ane. Thank goodness John and I both have other ways to make money. Because Lost Art Press has primarily been paying contractors for the last 11 months.
Next month, John and his fulfillment crew will move the last of our inventory from storage units in Cincinnati and Latonia into the Anthe Building. If all goes well with that, we’ll have an opening day party for y’all (I hope you like Milwaukee’s Best and oyster crackers).
Now John and I can finally start looking ahead to what to do with the space. What is the next project? Restoring the exterior storefront? Getting a retail store up and running? Building a break room for fulfillment employees (probably this one).
This project has been the most stressful and difficult thing John and I have ever done together. If we could do it all over again, we’d probably do something different (a pole barn in unincorporated Kenton County would have been faster and cheaper). But for now, we’re just happy that the place is running and running well. John, Mark and Gabe have been getting orders out faster than our fulfillment house ever has. And we’re able to offer some signed editions and other niceties for customers that were once impossible.
So thanks to everyone who helped. Whether you bought a hammer, a class, a book or a bandana. Every penny helped.
— Christopher Schwarz
That’s great news. It’s been obvious that it’s taken up a lot of your time and energy this past year. But it probably had to happen, just as you had to move out of your sunroom in your last evolution. On the fulfillment end, I hope you ease into a long stretch of monotony. Monotony is great, because there are no crises.
Things seldom end up looking how you thought they would at the outset. As long as you end up happy, it doesn’t matter.
Is it still possible to contribute to the Anthe fund in some way? I meant to but the timing didn’t work out. It’s likely others would like to do so, as well.
Thanks Margaret. We raised money by selling some special products (engraved hammers etc.). We are out of those now. Simply your continued support is more than enough to keep us moving forward.
Thanks Chris and congrats on the Anthe building.
Three cheers and congratulations! A major milestone achieved.
Great news!
Happy to contribute the small amount I was able to.
Splendid news! And oh, how it makes me wish I were able to turn up for a can of that Milwaukee’s Best when it’ll be on offer … Goldurn Atlantic Ocean, is all I say.
You sure have come a long way, though, so congratulations all ’round!
Cheers,
Mattias
Sunroom for the win. Was that only in 2011? Seems like it was a billion years ago.
Looking forward to seeing Anthe again. What a project! What a result!
I am so happy that the Anthe project is finishing up, it is an honor to be a small part of this project. Thank you.
Congratulations. Mmmm, “Milwaukee’s Best and oyster crackers”. It’s almost as good as Froot Loops in the morning.
Fruit Loops made me what I am today. It’s a little sad, actually.
Congratulations! I am looking forward to seeing it when I can get my butt to Covington.
Definitely build that break room. Happy employees are invaluable.
As a Wisconsinite, we would reserve Milwaukees Best for the most indiscriminate of gatherings. Sadly this wonderful libation is no longer manufactured. Perhaps You could offer Schlitz as an alternative?
Oh I’m sure I have a couple cases in the basement.
I can attest to the fast shipping!?! Crazy fast. Like, Jimmy John’s commercial, prime membership fast, and that’d with the standard shipping, and me in Maryland!
Excited to visit one day. I use my Anthe hammer for assembly strictly, so far, haven’t retired my old lump hammer yet. Maybe I should bring it along when I finally make my pilgrimage? It’d be funny if there was an “Anthe Hammer Owners Preferred Parking Spot” in the back, just one spot past the employees only parking… Would be a funny sign.
Happy to see the “ Be kind or be none “ anthem back where it belongs.
Thank you
Old Milwaukee’s Best and oyster crackers! Woohoo!! Is there a Skyline Chili nearby? Have they experienced a recent run on their little bags of oyster crackers now?