Retailer Profiles

4/27/2012

Climbing the Treehouse

A Wisconsin couple changes their lives for a shop, and then changes their shop with the times.

Often, when you talk to storeowners, you learn that they have a background in art, design, merchandising or commerce. It’s not common to have a past career in, say, nuclear ... Contains Image

2/22/2012

Since trend forecaster Faith Popcorn coined the term “cocooning” back in the early 1990s, it has come to be synonymous with creating a home environment that’s a comfortable retreat. Because ... Contains Image

2/3/2012

Double Delights

Sister shops Berlin Village Gift Barn and Country Gatherings build on each other’s success to attract shoppers in Ohio’s Amish country.

When Ruth Schlabach’s Berlin, Ohio, retail business grew, she didn’t just add on to her existing shop—she opened a second shop right across the parking lot. Today, business is thriving ... Contains Image

12/19/2011

Daring to be Different

Social media savvy, a distinctive merchandise mix and wildly inventive displays draw customers to A. Dodson’s.

Alison Dodson Anderson has retail in her blood—her mother owned an antiques business, and her grandfather was the proprietor of a general store. Anderson herself enjoyed a 10-year career in ... Contains Image

11/29/2011

Lively Lady

The Country Maiden stays vibrant by looking forward while still celebrating the past.

As the third owner since The Country Maiden opened for business in the late ’80s, Cheryl Kappes wanted to bring something new to the table as well as build on ... Contains Image

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