Would you shop at a childcare store run by a MALE Gruffallo look-a-like?

[BigBadWofie]

Found a tiny-weeny retail premises opposite an outdoor play area that's perfect for a very petite independent store promoting pushchairs, car seats, perhaps some books for children and other cool stuff :) Would love to sell some of the products recommended by mumsnetters (is that the appropriate collective noun?) BUT would you feel comfortable buying stuff like that from a 30yo man with an uncanny resemblance to a Gruffalo?

Planning on putting a ballpool and slide in one corner to keep the little ones occupied and have a little area in the opposite corner so the parents and I can discuss requirements over a and maybe a .

Please feel free to stamp all over the notion in the name of honesty. extremely enthusiastic about the idea. Selling is something that comes naturally to me without recourse to high pressure tactics etc. Fairly sure i don't come across as creepy (perhaps a little grumpy on a bad day)... So can i interest you in a cup of tea now mums (and dads)? ah go-on!

Sounds fab to me, I'd have no issue with it being run by a MALE (as you deem yourself)

My favourite soft play place is run by a MALE and it's fab.

But word of warning do be careful this conversation doesn't stray into an advertising pitch as that's very much frowned upon....

Defo want to avoid being frowned upon. Shall endeavour not to mention the name of the store (should be easy since I've not thought of one) or write anything that might be deemed as advertising or promotion. It's not so much the being a MALE that bothers me as it is the uncanny resemblance to a real life Gruffallo that concerns me. if anyone has a good idea for a name (for the store) perhaps they would be so kind as to e-mail me [email protected] thank you kindly.

Monty. :)

why am i up at 4.30am typing poorly thought out messages on forums? damn you double espresso machine. should have put it in the cupboard with the sandwich maker and that 90s teasmaid.

Pesky caffeine eh!

Yes. Wouldn't be an issue.

Wouldn't bother me in the slightest

Wouldn't be an issue for me.

Since you resemble the Gruffalo, how about you call it 'Gruffnuts'?

To avoid copyright problems I'd call your shop G.Ruffalo

The only shop assistant who I can even stand at my local Mothercare is male. Go for it.

As long as I couldnt see your arse crack as you were crouched over a laptop looking at porn it would be fine.

(((as experienced in local build a bear style shop last month))))

Wouldn't bother me at all. Neither the male-ness nor the Gruffallo resemblance.

As long as you are competent, friendly and not horrible to my children, I would shop there.

Ah, I thought you were going to run the shop while dressed as a Gruffalo. Damn. :o

I'd only shop there if you dressed as a Gruffalo...

sounds good

No problem for me, your reasoning sounds superficial. Looks are not everything

Do you have knobbly knees and turned out toes, OP? And a poisonous wart on the end of your nose?

A real life Grufallo would have been a great draw for my DC when they were younger.

If I see a shop that looks interesting I'll have a look; I don't tend to even notice the appearance of the propietor. The qualities that do put me off are the 'hard sell' types, or staff that watch you like a hawk as if they think you're going to steal something.

I think like any shop, if you know your stuff, have good displays and your prices are competitive, people will come..

My MUM stopped shopping in a local wool shop because there was always a guy staffing the shop, but TBH I think had he of shown he knew his stuff about wool, they his male-ness wouldn;t have been a problem. I think a good % of the issue was that he didn;t know much about wool as well as being a guy.

I think acknowledging it will also help - as others have mentioned, give it a name like "Gruffnuts" or "Big Bear's" and you'll acknowledge it.

Also, half the children born are boys, and half the parents are dads - there is definately a market for a "no frills, ribbons and fliunces" approach to children's items - all the independant nursery shops I know have very feminine names, and look like they have been sprays with pepto bismol

can't you hire someone more easy on the eye

a non-twee baby shop where blokes will feel comfortable, great idea.
I was worried about the idea of you actually dressing up as a gruffalo because I have told my kids gruffalos are only 18 inches high because otherwise I can't get them to go for walks in the woods, but if you merely resemble one that's fine.

You need to embrace the whole gruffly connection. Get a costume. Live in the woods. It will be a shop and a theme park experience.
G.Ruffalo is perfect ladygaggia.

Go with that.
Or big hairy fucker.

One of those two

Do you have purple prickles all over your back? Awesome, I'd come just to see that. Can you make the shop front look like a cave entrance too?

Wouldn't be a problem for me at all, and DS1's enthusiasm for your shop would increase the more you looked like the Gruffalo!

My dd would love to see a real live gruffalo. Sounds fab.

Gruffalo thing sounds like a proper USP, go for it :)