One of my most favorite places to visit and relax is Eureka Springs Arkansas. Nestled in the beautiful Ozark mountains, Eureka Springs offers spas, Victorian Bed and Breakfasts and wonderful shopping. "Legend has it that the Native American tribes of the area believed that
the cold spring water could cure many ailments, and the surrounding
land was considered sacred ground. Victorian-age health-seekers deemed
the hills full of miracle cures, and flocked to the area by the
thousands, creating a stylish retreat amid the grand, green curves of
nature." www.eurekasprings.com.While researching my next trip, I came across a wonderful boutique called Feather Your Nest. Gina Drennon, owner of Feather Your Nest, graciously accepted my request for an interview. I can't wait to actually walk into her store and meet her personally.
Gina, can you share a little bit about yourself and how you got started?
I am a married mother of 2 boys and owner of Feather Your Nest--a boutique selling cottage and vintage inspired home accessories. We opened in 2003 in one location and moved to a larger location the next year. We are located in the beautiful Victorian tourist resort of Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
I got started in retail as a buyer for other businesses, although as a child my parents owned a popcorn/confections/"fun foods" shop as well. My love for vintage comes from years of being drug to estate sales, auctions, garage sales from a very young age. My mom, aunt, grandmother were all collectors of old things like depression glass long before it was the thing to do!
I was given the love of all things vintage by the women in my family. Honestly I just buy what I love and hope others love it as much. I love magazines such as Country Living, Country Home, Romantic Homes and the sadly soon-to-be defunct, Cottage Living and Mary Engelbreit Home Companion.
Describe your best selling items and your favorite experience with your boutique?
We have a unique situation with our "best sellers". Because we sell online and have a store front there are really two different types of clientele. Sometimes that becomes a struggle of what to re-order first; the store best sellers or the online best sellers?? The store best-sellers are our vintage inspired tablecloths and aprons, melamine plates, Sweetgrass Farm Soy Candles, lotion bars and other aromatherapy products. Our online best sellers are the child's cardboard suitcase set, fun rubber gloves, and Nouvelle Candles. The overall best seller for both has become our new striped and polka dot pottery line we began carrying this year.
My favorite experiences are when my customers ooh and ahh over the store. I realize everyone has different tastes and we're definitely geared towards one type of customer, but when those women come in that are "vintage girls" and go nuts it's a lot of fun.
What are your plans for the future?I think right now it is, sit back and enjoy the ride and continue the growth we've experienced so far. When we first began the goals were to work up to a good local/regional following for the store front. Our online store opened within the first few months we were in business and was originally aimed towards those tourists that shop with us on vacation, giving them the ability to order more online from home. We quickly began shipping to people coast to coast that had never been in our store before.
I know somewhere in the back of my mind I would have loved to be one of those stores mentioned in a magazine like the ones I cited before. After just 2 years in business our first call came from another favorite of mine, InStyle magazine followed right behind by Cottage Living & Budget Living all in the same month!! Since then we've had many more small features & products listed in national magazines. In February of this year, Romantic Homes Magazine published a 5 page story on our store! It was definitely a "pinch me" sort of moment. Very flattering! We were also chosen this year by a trade magazine, Gifts & Decorative Accessories, as a "Gifted Retailer" for 2008--we were in the company of 24 other fabulous retailers from across the country. All of those things were almost beyond what I could have imagined when starting a business.
Visit www.shopfeatheryournest.com. Eureka Springs, Arkansas
Beth Anderson is the Editor in Chief of Chic Galleria Publications.
This is right up my alley! I love this style and what a terrific article!
I LOVE vintage decor. I need to add more of that to my place. Great interview Beth!