Ideas & Objects: STORE SPOTLIGHT PREMIER RETAILER Q&A

We interviewed boutique owner, Susan Johnson, of Ideas and Objects in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on her style advice, on staying true to classic style with unique twists and how “trendy” isn’t always what the customer needs, her store’s top 3 “go-to” items that are must-haves for any parent this fall, and a smart way to keep your kiddo’s lunch pail fresh and cool. 

IDEAS and OBJECTS

252 Strawberry Square
Harrisburg, PA 17101
717.234.4505

CHECK-IN and
JOIN IDEAS and OBJECTS Boutique Facebook page and click HERE

1.    Tell us the inspiration behind starting your shop?
Susan: Having worked for years in the visual merchandising and store design arena, I recognized a missing venue for contemporary “neat stuff.”  IDEAS and OBJECTS was born In 1987 when I decided to try my hand at the ownership of a specialty shop featuring unique objects with BOTH contemporary form and great function for work and play, for young and old. This platform soon expanded to include some wearables for women and children. Here I am, nearly 24 years later, in a larger shop in the same building and the current merchandise mix is nearly 50/50 as to wearables and “objects.”

2.    Give us the inside scoop about any special events that you have planned for Labor Day Weekend or back-to-school, especially the fun deals we can expect.
Susan: At IDEAS and OBJECTS the holiday weekend is not a high traffic weekend. We have discovered that here in central Pennsylvania this weekend (and when I say weekend, I mean Saturday since we are in a city center that is closed on Sundays and Holidays) is one when our customers tend to grab hold of one of the last outdoor event celebrations of the summer season. As to back-to school and fun deals…Unlike the mass market merchants, our best deal is ongoing in the UNIQUE lines of quality fashions we offer and the seasonal timeliness of our wardrobing choices. And when it comes to fun, I like to think that it is ALWAYS FUN to shop our little store of wonders!!!

Display features Le Top's "Pizzazz" Collection tiered tunic and ribbed leggings

3.    Back-to-school is just around the corner – what are 3 trends you can tell parents to look for when buying their kids’ wardrobe?
Susan:  Looks like leggings and tunics are a strong trend, but some say that plaids may be finding a renewed appeal (although I am not convinced the youth think it is so, and I hear about a surprising fondness for the 70’s influence remaining). Of course the proverbial tees and jeans are still all too popular from my point of view. As in season’s past, we do not fit well into the “trendy” shoppers world, other than the fact that we do have delicious tunics and legging sets!! I have always shopped the market determined not to sell something just because the media is intent on dictating it as a “must have.” I do lean towards the bold and contemporary colors and patterns, but the lines and items I choose are based first on QUALITY, second on UNIQUENESS AND STYLE, and then PRICE.

4.    Please tell us 1 easy tip or snack/meal for a child’s back-to-school lunchbox.
Susan:  My parental favorite was always “lunch money” back in the days when buying a school lunch meant a hot CAFETERIA MEAL, rather than pizza, candy and soda “food court” selections. Have to admit my lunch packing was rather ho-hum except for a little note or an unexpected sweet treat from time to time. I do like insulated lunch ”boxes” so that veggies and dip, mayo dressings and or salads, etc. stay cool. So my tip for a COOL lunch would be that when you are including a drink, try buying smaller plastic bottles of water or juice and put them in the freezer the night before. Partially frozen, they will be thawed before lunchtime and will also act as an ice pack even in an un-insulated lunch carrier.

5.    Tell us…before you “had kids or grandkids, what is one thing you swore you’d never…?” Please share!
Susan: Reply with “BECAUSE I SAID SO!!!” to any question they may ask. I will admit I failed in keeping this vow to myself. And come to think of it, my daughter probably regrets my shortcoming even more than I do.

6.    What is your top selling 3 “go-to” items at your store currently?
Susan:  Rabbitmoon and Le Top are always favorites, with extra applause for the boy/girl brother and sister groups! Grandparents are especially excited when we give them a call that we have something to “match” for their sibling or cousin grans. The fuchsia fleece jackets by Mack & Co are getting many “oohs and ahhhhhs” and the cordy plush from Jellycat and the Zolo line of creative playthings remain strong staples.

7.    Describe the neighborhood of your store location in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Did you grow up in the local area?
Susan:  IDEAS and OBJECTS is located in Strawberry Square, a mixed use city center in downtown Harrisburg. The center adjoins the Hilton Hotel and we are but a stone’s throw from the state capitol complex. I grew up about an hour from Harrisburg in a small (population 1,000 or so when I grew up) rural Lancaster County town, Terre Hill. I was the oldest of 4 girls and although we did not have extensive wardrobes or many shopping trips, that which we had was most often bought in family owned specialty shops!

8.    Tell us about a “special” moment that made your day working at your store.
Susan:  There have been so many…and the highlights truly have nothing to do with large sales. My best moments are the personal ones that convince me that we are a people, not just a business at IDEAS and OBJECTS. The thank you notes, the photos, the tales of good and bad, its the people moments that make it all worthwhile. Not so long ago a college-aged student came into my store and was just beaming as she looked around. She was between trains (Amtrak is a block away) and came to Strawberry Square to see if the shop was still here. She had moved away over 10 years ago, but had fond memories of her mother bringing her to the shop. As I and the shop grow older, it is good to be reminded that we are part of a family of customers with good memories.

9.    Where are the best/essential family hangouts and places to go around your store location?
Susan:  Our neighborhood’s best include the Whitaker Center, that is home to an IMAX theatre, Science Center and Performance Theater and Gamut Theatre, home of the Popcorn Hat Players wonderful children’s theatre.

rabbitmoon's "Harmony" collection print swing dress

10.    What Le Top or rabbitmoon Fall 2011 collection is your store’s favorite and why?
Susan:  The bold color of the Le Top’s Pizzazz collection “big dot” group makes me smile, while the current customer favorite is the Harmony collection from rabbitmoon.

IDEAS and OBJECTS

252 Strawberry Square
Harrisburg, PA 17101
717.234.4505

 CHECK-IN and JOIN
IDEAS and OBJECTS Facebook page
and click HERE

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Kids’ Ketch: STORE SPOTLIGHT PREMIER RETAILER Q&A

This week we travelled to Lewes, Delaware to interview one of the cutest children’s boutiques we know – Kids’ Ketch! Owner, Teresa Ford, gave us the inside scoop on what “ketch” means in sailing, their upcoming event for the Italian Fun Fest, back-to-school trends, the fabulous local hangouts for families, and a fun tidbit to leave in your kiddo’s paper bag lunch to make their day! Read more and discover fun facts about Kids’ Ketch boutique!

KIDS’ KETCH
132 Second Street
Lewes, DE 19958
302.645.8448

or go to www.kidsketch.com for more information

CHECK-IN and JOIN Kids’ Ketch Facebook page and click HERE

1.    What is the inspiration behind your store’s name? Give us 3 fun facts about your store that a typical customer wouldn’t know.
Teresa: We are located where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean, so I wanted to have a name related to the sea and to children. A “ketch” is a two-masted sailboat and when I combined that with “kids” I liked the sound of it.  As for 3 fun facts a typical customer wouldn’t know:

1. We started as a small store in 1990 with just 450 sq. ft.  After two moves, we are in our spot today, with 3,700 sq. ft, which is the only way a lot of people have ever seen us. We’ve been in this location since 1998.
2. My two children have both worked here, my son still does, my mother who is 90 years old continues to work here, and my two nieces have worked here. So it has really been a family affair.
3. We have a large fish tank in our store that the children love, and my husband, who is the mayor in this town, takes care of it. When people ask who takes care of our fish tank, we tell them “The Mayor does!”

2.    Tell us the inside scoop about any special events that you have planned at your store this  summer, especially the fun deals we can expect.
Teresa:  On Friday, September 23rd, our downtown businesses are having an Italian Fun Fest where the street will be closed to cars, and we will celebrate all things Italian. In our store, we will feature Quercetti toys, which are made in Italy. We’ll raffle off a Bocce set, and have a fountain set up in the street where kids can make a wish and throw in a coin. The proceeds will benefit the Food Bank of Delaware.

(left to right) Teresa Ford, store owner, Mayor Jim Ford, Drew Laroche, and Karin Evick, store manager, celebrating the Best of Delaware award for children's clothing store in 2010.

3.    Back-to-school is just around the corner – what are 3 trends you can tell parents to look for when buying their kids’ wardrobe?
Teresa:  Back-to-school trends I love are:

• The deep rich colors and mix of textures this fall
• The mix of prints, especially in girls clothes that have cute tops and dresses, with leggings of a coordinating different print
• Appliquéd flowers that create a 3-dimensional look on garments

4.    Tell us…before you “had kids or grandkids, what is one thing you swore you’d never…?”
Please share!
Teresa:  One thing I swore I would not do is spoil kids or grandkids by giving them too much from my store.  All I needed to do was think of the kids that don’t have much, and realize that kids can get by with less than you think. I think I followed that rule with my children, but I don’t have grandchildren yet, and I bet that will be more difficult! 

5.    If you could pick one item to pack in a paper bag lunch for your kid, what would it be?
Teresa:  The one item I would put in a paper bay lunch is a note or funny picture that would make them smile.

6.    Give us your must-have essential for a boy and a girl’s back-to-school wardrobe from your store.
Teresa:  A must-have essential is a vibrant, colourful tunic top with fun contrasting leggings.

7.    Describe the neighborhood of your store location in Lewes, Delaware. Did you grow up in
any of the local area?
Teresa:  Our store is located on an old-fashioned “main street” with small boutiques and restaurants. Shoppers often see their friends and neighbours while strolling the area. The town was founded in 1631, so many of the buildings are historic architecture. One block over is the canal where many boats are docked, and walk a couple more blocks and you’re at the beach! 

8.    Tell us about a “special” moment that made your day working at your store.
Teresa:  The special moments that come to mind are when I get to interact with the children and they let their guard down and allow me into their world. This often happens when they are playing in our play area that has a train table and kitchen set up, or when they let me teach them a new game they enjoy playing. Special events allow us to interact with the kids more than usual, and I  guess it’s my latent “school teacher” genes I inherited from my mother that make it so much fun.

 9.    Where are the best/essential family hangouts and places to go around your store location?
Teresa:  The best place to go – the Beach! We have the best beaches here, plus the Cape Henlopen State Park with it’s rolling sand dunes. We  have a wonderful Canalfront Park with playground, and the best places to get ice cream – like Kings Homemade Ice Cream, the Dairy Queen, and Two Dips.

Le Top "Cute Cookie" Corduroy Dress & Footless Stripe Tights

10.    What Le Top or rabbitmoon Fall 2011 collection is your store’s favorite and why?
Teresa: My favorite Fall 2011 Collection – Cute Cookie by Le Top for its vibrant colors, mixture of textures, and easy-to-wear styles.

KIDS’ KETCH
132 Second Street
Lewes, DE 19958
302.645.8448

or go to
www.kidsketch.com
for more information

 CHECK-IN and JOIN
Kids’ Ketch Facebook page
and click HERE

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