For all our loyal, regular customers here at The Afternoon, we also have our fair share of Doubting Friends and Reluctant Husbands. You can spot these pained participants--usually "manly men" and "dudely dudes"--being dragged in by their wives, daughters, girlfriends (or just more stylish acquaintances of either gender) to show them an awesome clock or furniture piece, or an anniversary gift that he's supposed to remember for later. They then try to get their unenthusiastic friend to browse, but oh no, these guys just aren't having it. They've labeled our store as Not Their Sort Of Thing and there is no changing their minds, no sir.
But there are some new products at The Afternoon. Just a little display in the front corner, simple and unassuming, a few lamps, accessories, a chair...and it's different from the rest of the store. This is an area of aged leather and brass, where the wall art replicates a WWI propeller and the Campaign Chair looks like something Teddy Roosevelt would sit it after shooting an elephant.
I'm not going to say that guys' eyes light up when the see The Man Cave (as we call it) because I don't think manly men would ever admit to being capable of such a thing. But you do see the hesitation melt as they approach and get replaced with contained, manly enthusiasm. They want it. They want to buy it and put it in a basement with wood panelled walls or build a den around it with shelves of heavy books about war. They want to sit in the chair, smoke a cigar and grow a beard.
Now, I'm no Manly Man, I am merely an enthusiastic lady, but even I am finding myself lusting after the standing binoculars and exposed bulb lamps. It's different from what we usually carry, but I like it, they like it, and I think you will too.