August 27th, 2002 was the day we got our first order. I had been working on the website for a week or two getting the credit card set up and figuring out how to put items on the website and take photos etc. All stuff I still do today on the same Yahoo Store platform even thought the name has changed.
Here it is without the person's info. He was from Bend OR, and he bought an "8-inch Chef's Knife" us. I'm guessing it was from F Dick since they were one of the first suppliers that sold to us. I wish I had that knife back so I could put it on our office wall.
ChefKnivesToGo wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 10:05 am
August 27th, 2002 was the day we got our first order....
Here it is without the person's info...he bought an "8-inch Chef's Knife" us...I wish I had that knife back so I could put it on our office wall.
Do you think it might be too rude to try and "find" that first customer and see if they still have that knife? You could offer them something new and expensive in exchange for it.
If God wanted me to be a vegetarian he wouldn't have made animals taste so good.
ChefKnivesToGo wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 10:05 am
August 27th, 2002 was the day we got our first order....
Here it is without the person's info...he bought an "8-inch Chef's Knife" us...I wish I had that knife back so I could put it on our office wall.
Do you think it might be too rude to try and "find" that first customer and see if they still have that knife? You could offer them something new and expensive in exchange for it.
Well said Sir Jeff! A very good idea indeed.
Sleeping in that big red truck most be conducive to deep thinking.
You can blame Mr. Suburban for my being here. The thing about quotes on the internet is you can not confirm their validity. -- Abraham Lincoln All steels are equal if you can't keep them sharp. -- Jeff B.
I'm still amazed that you started in 2002. So much of your platform has shifted to cover Japanese knives and - more significantly - young, new, or up-and-coming Japanese makers - many of which did not exist in North American markets in 2002 in any meaningful way. It is really a testament to your interest, investment, and risk assessment that you've invested in the directions you have to serve so many new customers and to introduce them to so much new product (that STILL isn't widely available to most people in most areas save for online!). Kudos.
It is still on my personal bucket list to visit your store while you're still running it...more to just share a kindly Midwestern hello and thank you than anything else! Well done.
~J
Comments: I'm short, a home cook, prefer lighter, thinner blades, and have tried dozens of brands over the years.
We’re amazed as well. 340,000 orders ago is a lot of orders for a mom and pop retailer.
Our first big seller was the F Dick Offset Bread Knife. Kitchen Confidential came out and I read his recommendation in the book and bought some and we sold hundreds of them.
Joe, you’re welcome to come for a visit anytime. We can go to the Union and toss a few back.
ChefKnivesToGo wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 10:05 am
August 27th, 2002 was the day we got our first order....
Here it is without the person's info...he bought an "8-inch Chef's Knife" us...I wish I had that knife back so I could put it on our office wall.
Do you think it might be too rude to try and "find" that first customer and see if they still have that knife? You could offer them something new and expensive in exchange for it.
enjay wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 10:27 am
Do you recall how you advertised back then?
I remember having to click thru all those categories and sub-pages in Yahoo to find anything online. Ah, the early days of the World Wide Web.
We’ve never advertised besides some very minimal tests. I just don’t believe it works very well.
Early on I figured out the basics of search engine optimization and spent time trying to get good rankings on search terms organically. As more competitors entered the space I decided I would prefer to follow my interest in Japanese knives and the area was wide open with almost no competition. Korin was established and a couple others but even they were doing mostly production stuff at the time like Masamoto and Misono and other Seki producers. Global was one of our more popular brands and that got me looking for more Japanese brands. My first Japanese blacksmiths that I got ahold of were Takeda and Moritaka. Shortly thereafter I met Kosuke.
enjay wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 10:27 am
Do you recall how you advertised back then?
I remember having to click thru all those categories and sub-pages in Yahoo to find anything online. Ah, the early days of the World Wide Web.
We’ve never advertised besides some very minimal tests. I just don’t believe it works very well.
Early on I figured out the basics of search engine optimization and spent time trying to get good rankings on search terms organically. As more competitors entered the space I decided I would prefer to follow my interest in Japanese knives and the area was wide open with almost no competition. Korin was established and a couple others but even they were doing mostly production stuff at the time like Masamoto and Misono and other Seki producers. Global was one of our more popular brands and that got me looking for more Japanese brands. My first Japanese blacksmiths that I got ahold of were Takeda and Moritaka. Shortly thereafter I met Kosuke.
I suspect that part of your continuing success is the shear number of blacksmiths you carry. Also your willingness to take a blacksmith's production when someone else craps out on the order they placed, and taking on new, (unknown) blacksmiths. You also keep your customers well informed via this forum and answer email very promptly! I can't tell you how many places I've sent emails to (where you are very important to us and we'll get right back to you!) with no response years later. You and Sue (and the others that work with/for you) are great. Thank you for all the hard work you do.
Edited to correct wrong word.
Last edited by XexoX on Wed Aug 10, 2022 10:11 pm, edited 2 times in total.
You can blame Mr. Suburban for my being here. The thing about quotes on the internet is you can not confirm their validity. -- Abraham Lincoln All steels are equal if you can't keep them sharp. -- Jeff B.
XexoX wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 5:58 pm
I suspect that part of your continuing success is the shear number of blacksmiths you carry. Also your willingness to take a blacksmith's production when someone else craps out on the order they placed, and taking on new, (unknown) blacksmiths. You also keep your customers well informed via this forum and answer email very promptly! I can't tell you how many places I've sent emails to (where you are very important to us and we'll get right back to you!) with no response years later. You are Sue (and the others that work with/for your) are great. Thank you for all the hard work you do.
[/quote]I suspect that part of your continuing success is the shear number of blacksmiths you carry. Also your willingness to take a blacksmith's production when someone else craps out on the order they placed, and taking on new, (unknown) blacksmiths. You also keep your customers well informed via this forum and answer email very promptly! I can't tell you how many places I've sent emails to (where you are very important to us and we'll get right back to you!) with no response years later. You and Sue (and the others that work with/for your) are great. Thank you for all the hard work you do.
[/quote]
Well said Xerox & a big +1 from me
Cheers Grant
Just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean they're not going to get you!!
Great, great work Mark. You've created something truly beautiful. I hope I can hang my hat on something like cktg one day. Kudos and congrats on 20 years.
I really enjoy new blacksmiths and also new steels llke Enjin and SRK8. I bought one of his first batch and loved it. The wide array of steels and high number of hand-forged knives sets you apart along with unparalleled customer service and delivery! No competitors measure up, especially in the shipping end of things. You blow them away! The forum is also head and shoulders above others. You've built quite a castle for yourself and Susan, many thanks for all the fun and friends its brought all of us! Here's to the future, may it be as joyful and enriching as the first 20 were!
In the immortal words of Ken Schwartz-"Master The 1K."
