As some of you may have noticed, Something Borrowed Portland has recently gone through some changes to the structure of our business. Here we answer some questions we’ve received regarding the service changes and expansion.
Who Do the Changes Effect?
The change in our structure does not affect people who have made a reservation to borrow prior to March 26, 2012. We put a temporary freeze on reservations during the time we went through our restructuring so that we could come up with a structure that would fit the needs of everyone.
What Exactly Changed?
Prior to March, residents in Washington, Multnomah or Clackamas county were able to borrow items from our inventory for free. Since we relied on donations to cover our operating expenses (our storage facility, web hosting, etc.) and we were not getting enough in donations to cover those basic costs we had to look at alternatives to be more sustainable. We did not want to stray too far from our mission so we implemented the following changes for all new orders:
- If you’re an individual, we offer a sliding fee scale to help offset the costs of your rental. No one is turned away for an inability to pay.
- Whether you are an individual, event planner, photographer, or florist, our rentals are now open to anyone within a 100 mile radius of Something Borrowed Portland
- We are no longer just a wedding goods and decor provider, but focus on rentals for any occasion such as baby showers, anniversary parties, engagement shoots, rehearsal parties, birthday parties, work related events and more!
- If have your heart set on something in particular but it’s not currently part of our collection, we now offer custom searches.
Why the Change?
We changed the structure of our business to allow for future growth and to expand so that we are able to service a greater audience and clientele. While a lending library of wedding decor was novel in theory, it had limitations and was not a sustainable business model allowing us to meet the needs of our customers while at the same time covering our basic needs such as our operating expenses.
We hope that our changes and expansion continue to reach out to those in need. As with any business, it’s been a learning experience and a true labor of love. If you have any questions regarding these changes, please don’t hesitate to leave us a comment or contact us.
