RUBY HQ has a new home, rubynz.com has a new home, how tf we plan our production and manage our stock holding has a new home. Think of us like a cicada, we have just casually shed our old skin and are stepping out into the world all fancy and new.
✔ NEW RUBY HQ
After 6 years near the corner of Karangahape Road in Auckland, we have waltzed down Great North Road to the top of Bond Street.
We’re going to be here for the long term: we have painted our floor yellow, and we get to use the front space to test out ideas for what the future of clothing and retail could be.
Chatting to De while I have been typing this letter, I have been struck by a feeling that this is made up, not real life. Like when you play Shop or House when you’re a kid. Lining up all your lil’ trinkets, deciding where the cash register (cardboard box) is going to go.
As a side note, it now means that I get to walk along the bike path that runs parallel to the motorway every day. My god, when I’m walking I feel like I can see what the future could be. So many people walking, cycling, scooting, skating! So many trees! Such a nice time!
✔ OPERATION: BRING RUBY INTO THE 21ST CENTURY
As we’ve grown, we’ve added a little system here, a little process here, and fourteen thousand spreadsheets there. We ended up with systems and processes that belong more on a String Wall, than in a business that exists in the 21st Century.
Same thing with our website - we did a refresh in 2015, and even then we were pushing the limits of what our operating system could do. We have been nifty in figuring out work arounds to get the functionality we would like, but once again, STRING WALL.
So, we have a new website, and our IRL stores have a new point of sale system. Our IRL team will be busy bees setting up our new system on Monday 10th so we’ll be closed - bear with us!
Our website looks SICK I reckon. Take the time to explore the RUBYVERSE, it really has been a labour of love love love for so many of our team members. I feel emotional as I am typing this actually, seeing the level of care and pride that our team has for the work we do. I know that I’m always in danger of having consumed too much of the ol’ RUBY Kool-Aid, but my GOD what an incredible team we have. Thank you x
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Special mention to our two project leads, Olivia O’Neill and Samantha Taylor. I tell you what, those two know how to get shit done, and get it done RIGHT.
But mostly I want to acknowledge Anna-Lise Sharma Lawson (AKA Lou, AKA my sister, AKA our Sales and Marketing Director) who has been the force that got this project up and going, and then driven it like the smiley bulldozer that she is until it just bloody well got done.
For YEARS she has pushed for this project to happen, while I have tentatively kicked the can down the road. She knew it was what we needed as a company, and she knew that it is what will serve you all in the best way.
IN THEORY VERSUS IN REALITY
In a classic when it rains it pours, all of these projects have happened at the same time. At times RUBY HQ has felt like when I was at University - long hours, frenzied team members, a constantly replenished snack jar. As far as I know, my patented energy boost for University all nighters hasn’t been deployed (2 teaspoons instant coffee, splash of hot water, shot it back at 3am, lie down under desk, set alarm for 15 minutes, have a weird nap where you are both sleeping and the caffeine is hitting, get up and charge on).
Our general vibe is pretty DIY, it means we can design iteratively, make quick decisions, and our essence isn’t lost in translation between our team and another company.
But it would have been impossible to do this stuff alone. We needed to bring on people who know what they are doing - the adults if you will! My bottom-of-the-heart thanks go to:
Josh, Luke and Sahill at BDO, Monica and Alex at Studio Almond, Fitzy and Simon at Fitzjames Construction, Courtney at CKA Architects, Steve from No Fuss Cloud and Anthony from The Refinery.
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