I guess a bit of the story is in order here. I met Michelle Gann in June of 2005 while we were doing the extensive and arduous remodel project on our Moravian Falls home. I related to my friend Lisa Factor that I sure could use some help with all the decorating decisions, especially colors. One of Michelle's many hats that she can wear is manicurist and Lisa had met her when Michelle did her manicure. So I called her and she was an integral part of our remodel project guiding us so as to not make any major clashing errors! And a friendship was born!
Last year, in April of '07, Michelle and a friend decided to open a retail store on Main Street in Wilkesboro specializing in vintage old and new furniture and gifts. This partnership eventually did not work out and Jug and I just hated to see Michelle's dream dissolve. We stepped up and offered to help her get started feeling and knowing that Michelle's great talent, instinct, energy and strong work ethics just HAD to be given this opportunity! Michelle came to Wilkes via Columbia, SC via California and actually had a successful retail store in Columbia. So she was bringing experience to the equation as well. Believe me, Kim knew NOTHING about retail!!
Onward we plunged!! Full steam ahead!! We spent probably---hmmm....three weeks finishing getting the store ready to open which included repainting the walls. It's a large space and the project wasn't accomplished in a day! We "stucco-ed" the walls using sheetrock putty and a trial--thingy (you know, what you use working with cement!) and a spray hopper that is used to create the "knock-down" look on drywall and created a old-world, distressed effect. Then painted over this with a warm cream. Then glazed over this using the same browny-gray that was used on the walls in the back of the store--see above. We applied the glaze and then wiped it off so that the glaze remained in the depressions. It is so pretty! Just love it. In photo above Michelle is applying and wiping off the glaze.
Michelle had worked for the previous year at the Wilkes Antique Mall and had accumulated a good bit of inventory and it was a good start to filling the store space. We added to this ordering from companies that had merchandise that fit Michelle's vision and what we could find at auctions, flea markets, individuals and sometimes even yard sales. One fellow's junk is another's treasure! Michelle has such an eye, such style. She's taught me so much! The way she can arrange the most ordinary things and make them so pleasing--so appealing that you go--I gotta have that! I remember clearly in very beginning how I would be inventory-ing the many china and glass pieces preparing for our opening and think how ordinary this or that piece was and then be just amazed how she could display it so that it was SPECIAL!! I particularly remember an off-white oval shaped bowl that I thought, now who's gonna want this? Then I saw what she did with it! Humph!! Amazingly beautiful.
More preparing for the opening......
Notice the lovely piece on the left? Michelle found this one and when it came in, I was like....hmmmm....a bit too distressed for my taste and hoped we could get our money back on it. It was a European piece and Michelle could tell you the style--can't remember. But we sold it the very first day we were open!!! I ate crow! And learned to REALLY trust Michelle's instincts and vision.
Michelle and Joe Campbell, her friend, former employer and retail mentor! He's our retail comrade! Always eager to see Michelle succeed. As the store has evolved and Michelle has seen the trend, she has bought less high-priced furniture and more vintage-y gifts and maybe half the furniture in the store is Joe's from the antique mall. He has four enormous floors and it's jam-packed. He has a great business but often, it seems that when Michelle brings his pieces down they sell quickly because she showcases them so well. So it helps Joe and it helps Michelle!
God, I look so FAT! So matronly! When did that happen? Maybe I shouldn't wear red?!!
