All business spaces have similarities in that the purchase, sale or exhibit of goods, ideas or services require secured and practical facilities to maximize desired profits. Bigger isn’t necessarily better, and a home computer setup isn’t necessarily convenient.

Art business space probably requires more analysis because the product’s primary concern is visual. Studio, gallery, museum and store are words that have confusing meanings, and often are used incorrectly.

An art studio is where the artist creates. This is basically a manufacturing space and has a use and tax base accordingly. An art gallery is a retail space that exhibits art items for sale. An art museum is a space that exhibits art that is generally not for sale, or if it is for sale benefits the non-profit organization. An art store is a retail area that sells items related to art such as work supplies, books, easels, or an array of items that have art images depicted on them.

For several years, I have advertised my business as the largest fine art gallery in the Northwest. This was true, as I boasted of the 160 feet of street level store frontage on a corner block a couple blocks from the ferry terminal. It was a good marketing tool, but the 14,000 sq. ft .space profited no better that when the gallery occupied 4,000 sq. ft.

This is an interesting cycle of business that we can all identify with, particularly when one also is the building owner. It’s hard to know which you learn more from, managing the building or running a business within the building.

It was only by happenstance that my business took up so much space. With downtown Bremerton’s wavering economy, business renters came and went. As they left, so as not to have an empty storefront, I would extend my business to take up the slack.

Bigger is not better. Until recently, I was juggling over 11,000 sq. feet of retail gallery space, with three street entrances and revenue that did not merit more than one or two employees. The sprawling area was not as customer friendly as it should have been. One employee could manage the gallery, but two of the three doors would have to be locked with directional arrows, display installations arranged with security in mind, and customer assistance jeopardized.

There came a point that storefront occupancy has to take a back seat to my sanity and better judgment.

August began the consolidation to a large but much lesser space. I predicted that the gallery would see an immediate 20 percent profit increase, a more customer friendly atmosphere, and afford more time for marketing and correspondence. Even though four months is not long enough for a conclusive evaluation, the smaller space has so far exceeded expectations.

The visual capabilities and arrangement is such that one person can accommodate the needs of many customers at one, there is less cleaning to do and the open office arrangement affords multiple tasking.

At my present 4,000 sq. ft. I can’t advertise “largest” anymore, but can say “one of the largest.” And the new space has been designed to accommodate an additional 1,000 sq. ft. of business if so desired in the future.

“Space selection and management is key to efficiency” is one of those zip phrases that is silly and obvious, but becomes a complicated premise when seriously analyzed.