Hello, everyone. Welcome back to Book Talk. I'm excited to introduce you to the first of the small town business owners in this week's blog post series: Small Town Businesses.
Tonya Parrish owns Royal Gifts & Fine China, located on the square in Clinton, North Carolina. She learned her passion for business and creativity from her parents who ran a shop on the far side of town for many years as Tonya was growing up. After a brief time of working various jobs, including filing in an office, Tonya decided that she needed an outlet for her creativity and decided to open her first shop, Shabby Lane, in 2013 where she sold refinished furniture and carried some bridal registry items. In 2015, she moved her shop to a different side of the square and renamed it Royal Gifts and Fine China. Tonya discontinued the furniture but expanded her line of china and began focusing heavily on bridal registry. Today she carries 50+ lines of China, Vietri being her personal favorite.
Tonya shared with me some of the ups and downs of shopkeeping. "You don't know from day to day what you're going to sell. When I make a sale, I have to put that money into my next inventory purchase. They say it takes five years to build a business. I'm at the three and a half year mark, so I'm almost there."
Although Tonya has run a shop for more than five years, when she moved to Royal Gifts, her inventory changed enough that it was equal to opening a new shop.
Creativity:
Tonya's creative process runs from choosing favorite items like Vietri's dinnerware and lotions and room fragrances from Vietri's fragrance line Erbario to Southern Gates jewelry. She uses her training in bridal registry to choose every day dinnerware patterns as well as exquisite, gold-edged plates and silverware. She advises brides, "Choose a pattern, then come back in two or three days. If it still wows you, it'll wow you in 20 years."
Facing Fears:
To face her fears, Tonya keeps busy posting on Instagram and Facebook. Her newsfeed is always a burst of color with the gifts she is wrapping for bridal showers and weddings. She also keeps her shop freshly rearranged with new products to keep things new and exciting. On those few occasions when she does experience burnout, she pushes through because of her commitment to her store, her customers and her livelihood.
Advice for new shop owners:
I asked Tonya to give me her advice for anyone opening a new shop. I've listed her main pieces below.
Some of Tonya's Favorites:
Upcoming Christmas Items:
You can find Tonya on Facebook, Instagram and on her website www.royalgifts.bridgecatalog.com.
If you are local, visit Tonya's shop at 117 Wall Street on the square in Clinton or call her at 910-590-2795.
Thank you for joining me on this Small Town Businesses series. I'll see you tomorrow for our next featured small town shop.
Connect with me on:
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Check out great ebook deals on Smashwords.
Note: Some links are affiliate links.
Tonya Parrish owns Royal Gifts & Fine China, located on the square in Clinton, North Carolina. She learned her passion for business and creativity from her parents who ran a shop on the far side of town for many years as Tonya was growing up. After a brief time of working various jobs, including filing in an office, Tonya decided that she needed an outlet for her creativity and decided to open her first shop, Shabby Lane, in 2013 where she sold refinished furniture and carried some bridal registry items. In 2015, she moved her shop to a different side of the square and renamed it Royal Gifts and Fine China. Tonya discontinued the furniture but expanded her line of china and began focusing heavily on bridal registry. Today she carries 50+ lines of China, Vietri being her personal favorite.
Tonya shared with me some of the ups and downs of shopkeeping. "You don't know from day to day what you're going to sell. When I make a sale, I have to put that money into my next inventory purchase. They say it takes five years to build a business. I'm at the three and a half year mark, so I'm almost there."
Although Tonya has run a shop for more than five years, when she moved to Royal Gifts, her inventory changed enough that it was equal to opening a new shop.
Creativity:
Tonya's creative process runs from choosing favorite items like Vietri's dinnerware and lotions and room fragrances from Vietri's fragrance line Erbario to Southern Gates jewelry. She uses her training in bridal registry to choose every day dinnerware patterns as well as exquisite, gold-edged plates and silverware. She advises brides, "Choose a pattern, then come back in two or three days. If it still wows you, it'll wow you in 20 years."
To face her fears, Tonya keeps busy posting on Instagram and Facebook. Her newsfeed is always a burst of color with the gifts she is wrapping for bridal showers and weddings. She also keeps her shop freshly rearranged with new products to keep things new and exciting. On those few occasions when she does experience burnout, she pushes through because of her commitment to her store, her customers and her livelihood.
Advice for new shop owners:
I asked Tonya to give me her advice for anyone opening a new shop. I've listed her main pieces below.
- Be consistent with your store hours. Make it easy for customers to stop in by having hours that are easily memorized.
- "My advertising is my wrapping." Tonya has a unique wrapping style that she is well known for in town. Anyone that sees one of her gifts at a wedding or a bridal shower knows that gift came from Tonya's store because of her unique wrapping style. Find what you are uniquely known for and use that feature to advertise your shop.
- Offer something that's not available at chain stores. Tonya wraps and delivers gifts to bridal showers, weddings and baby showers within 30 miles of her store. Customers can pay for their gift in Tonya's store and leave the wrapping and delivery to her. What greater convenience is there?
Featured Items for Fall:
Tonya has a new pattern from Vietri for fall.
Some of Tonya's Favorites:
Upcoming Christmas Items:
You can find Tonya on Facebook, Instagram and on her website www.royalgifts.bridgecatalog.com.
If you are local, visit Tonya's shop at 117 Wall Street on the square in Clinton or call her at 910-590-2795.
Thank you for joining me on this Small Town Businesses series. I'll see you tomorrow for our next featured small town shop.
Connect with me on:
Check out great ebook deals on Smashwords.
Note: Some links are affiliate links.
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