Today, January 4, 2023, Pop.Bop.Shop. is 14 years old. I started this blog when I was 24. I'm now 38. It's astounding to think about how much of my adult life has been spent creating content for this site.
I launched this blog on January 4, 2009 as a New Year's resolution. I wanted a place to share all my discoveries - new TV shows, incredible movies, delicious restaurants, vibrant cocktail bars, unique ice cream flavors, awesome fashion finds, and more. I kicked it off with this post.
Over the years, I added in more categories. I began sharing all my decor for my annual awards show viewing parties. I started chronicling all my travel adventures. I became a fierce champion of small businesses. I began compiling annual holiday gift guides. And in a move of total vulnerability, I published my New Year's resolutions (including progress updates and year-end recaps).
In March 2020, the world shut down. In what felt like an instant, many of the things that made this blog possible were no longer accessible. Movie theaters were closed. Concerts were non-existant. Restaurants shifted to takeout only. Travel became a source of fear instead of excitement.
I did my best to pivot. I started sharing weekly streaming recommendations. I was reading at a faster pace and was sharing a much higher volume of book reviews. I started publishing ways to support small businesses during this crushing time.
In addition to pandemic shifts, consumer attention span has shortened. When Pop.Bop.Shop. launched, Instagram, TikTok, Snap and BeReal did not exist. In 2009, blogging was king, and readers devoured long-form content. That just isn't true anymore. Followers want to see what you're up to, but they want to see it in under 15 seconds.
In a culmination of all those factors, you'll be seeing less posts here on Pop.Bop.Shop. in 2023. There will still be things I detail here, but the post volume will be significantly less.
I'll be sharing much more on Instagram, which is my platform of choice these days. If we aren't connected there, please find me @mollygaller.
The most rewarding part of Pop.Bop.Shop. has always been you. This community. Over the past 14 years, we've shared things we're excited about, shows and movies we couldn't wait to watch, book releases we were anxiously anticipating, travel destinations we were dreaming about, restaurants with exceptional menus, indepdent businesses that deserved more exposure and support, and so much more.
Thank you for reading, thank you for sharing this blog with others, and thank you for being the world's best and most thoughtful recommendation engine. I am grateful for you.
*Image courtesy of Unsplash.
