For two couples running destination businesses in Edmonds, teaming up to share retail space has created a sense of community and most importantly, attracted more clientele enticed by the businesses’ complementary styles.
Dave Arista, co-owner of Arista Wine Cellars at 320 Fifth Ave. S. in Edmonds, said literally opening the door that separated his business with the retail shop next door jumpstarted their partnership.
Arista owns the business with his wife Ruth where they sell wine, wine accessories and host tasting events.
The Aristas share their business space with the boutique C’est la Vie, owned by Colleen Bowman, along with her husband Michael.
C’est la Vie features contemporary jewelry, clothing and home furnishings that attract a primarily female clientele.
Bowman said sharing space with another business creates a sense of community and offers improved security for employees because they are rarely alone, if ever.
“It creates great conversation and it’s just a better sense of community,” she said.
Proving her point, Bowman is opening another C’est la Vie and planning to share the retail space with another business, Poggi Bonsi, which specializes in ceramics. The shared storefront is scheduled to open in November at The Landing, a shopping district in Renton.
“It definitely works,” she said. “For us it has worked.”
Arista said the four of them formed a partnership and purchased a building where both establishments are located side by side.
“We both feel we have destination retail stores,” he said. “We killed two birds with one stone.”
Bowman said it helps that she and her husband have a similar business philosophy and place a high value on customer service, much like the Aristas.
“It introduces people to new businesses,” she added.
Bowman hired a Portland-based master welder to create a decorative pocket door between the businesses that always stays open for customers to visit both stores.
They encourage cross traffic between stores and benefit from sharing customers with similar tastes that are attracted to both businesses’ products, he said.
Arista said both stores are open seven days per week with similar hours, but if the store hours do not jive, they simply lock the door separating them.
Arista said it is not his place to preach advice to other business owners. But, he volunteered that sharing a business space is a great idea as long as the product lines do not compete.
Arista admitted there are occasional bumps in the road but like any partnership you have to have good, honest communication.
“You have to have a clear definition of what you carry and what I carry so there’s no conflict,” he said.
Sharing store front space allows for small businesses with complementary styles and products to attract more customers.
For new business owners, it allows for an easier transition and taking a lower risk gamble by sharing with an established business.
Chris and Carrie Kuehn wanted to take a risk and open a toy store at Mill Creek Town Center, located near their home in unincorporated Snohomish County.
With both employed and with a young daughter, the couple were looking for a low-risk gamble, despite the added challenge of opening a small business during a recession, slithering into its second year that has collapsed small businesses.
The Kuehn’s celebrated the soft opening of their small business, Town Center Toys at the Mill Creek Town Center, on Oct. 1. A grand opening is scheduled for early November.
They are sharing their space with Lil Lads ‘n Lasses, a children’s clothing store at 15506 Main St., Suite 103.
Approximately 300 square feet of the store will be designated for the toys the Kuehn’s will merchandise for Lil Lads ‘n Lasses.
Chris Kuehn said last week sharing a space for toys and clothing is a good fit.
“It’s a good collaboration with two types of products,” Kuehn said.
Mill Creek Town Center is a great place for a toy store, Kuehn added. The couple has shopped at the Town Center for years.
“There are so many families there it surprised us (that) no one had thought of it,” he said.
The Kuehn’s were frequent customers at Lil Lads ‘n Lasses, namely for their 4-year-old daughter who participated in fashion shows organized by the Lads ‘n Lasses owners.
Kuehn said he and his wife volleyed the idea of sharing a space with Lads ‘n Lasses co-owner Karin Heusted for a few years but their plans were pretty basic.
Sharing a space will allow Kuehn and his wife to “go in and see if it’s something that would work in that area.”
“It’s a great opportunity for us at a low risk,” he said.
Eventually, the Kuehns would like their own storefront, but in the meantime they are grateful for the opportunity to piggyback with an established retail business.
“It’s a lower risk opportunity to get our feet wet and see if it’ll take,” he said.
Kuehn said the details of extended hours and synching up schedules have yet to be ironed out.
“It’s been a pretty flexible arrangement,” he said.
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