 Opening up a business of your own can be quite an adventure. It takes hard work, long hours, and a tremendous amount of dedication to attain the great American dream. To make things a little more difficult, factor in a sagging economy.
With stiff competition all around, how does a small business survive? How do small-business owners distinguish themselves from big-box chain companies? There are many things that set these businesses apart from their deep-pocket counterparts, including taking the risks to follow their longtime dreams and passions.
Baby Vogue
162 United Penn Plaza, Kingston, PA 18704
(570) 714-2229
On May 1, 2010, Chia-Yi Wu opened the doors to her unique children’s boutique. She originally lived in New York and was encouraged by her friends to take an adventure and open her own shop. The Wyoming Valley had a large demand for an upscale children’s boutique. Wu believes that the target customer is still looking for a good quality product. In an effort to keep costs low, she plans carefully and studies the purchasing preferences of her customers. Wu feels that Kingston is the best location for her business. The community is child oriented and has been very supportive and inspirational. This location allows her to be creative and offer a New York-style boutique in a tranquil city surrounding.
Baby Vogue offers a large variety of items made from organic and natural wood products that are imported from Europe and manufactured in the United States. It has a selection of clothing for children from the ages of birth to 7 years old. Springtime is here and swimsuits will be, too, in beautiful colors, with a large selection of designers and styles. Wu’s store offers hand-knitted designer clothes that are one of a kind and made by Impress Art. Other items include christening dresses, special-occasion outfits, gift accessories, and natural-made toys that are packaged for convenience and traveling. Designers include Isabel Garraton, Ella Moss, IKKS, Laura Ashley, and Catimini.
Take the Stage
5 Dug Road, Trucksville, PA 18708
(570) 690-5439
Take the Stage celebrated its first anniversary on February 9th. Christina Metz loves working with children and looked for a location to open her own studio for the last five years. In February of 2010, doors started to open.
It was about luck and timing,” she said. “Everything just fell into place and I knew this was the right decision for me to make.
There was a large interest from parents looking to keep a local performance studio in the area, so she was not worried about how the economy would affect business. She wakes up every morning and loves what she does for a living– being a positive influence in children’s lives.
Her belief is that kids can do anything. The mission of Take the Stage is to provide a facility in which students can learn, grow, and have fun in an encouraging and creative environment. It offers dance classes in ballet, modern, hip-hop, and tap. It also offers cheer, hip-hop, and gymnastic classes. A performance studio would not be complete without theatre and voice lessons.
What Metz enjoys the most is being a part of the community. Her students recently performed at the Dallas Harvest Festival and also at the Back Mountain Memorial Library. They are preparing for a recital in June and will perform at Disney in August. Take the Stage is currently looking for an outdoor venue to perform theatre during the months of May through September.
Bratty Natty
204 Pierce Street, Kingston, PA 18704
570-714-2323
With the help of family and friends, owner Natalie Wilczynski opened the doors to Bratty Natty’s in June of 2010. The boutique is designed with vintage furnishings that have been given an updated and stylish new life. Wilczynski worked in the medical imagery field for the past six years, and although she loved it, she felt as though something was missing in her life. She had always been creative and even dabbled in the jewelry business a few years ago. Opportunity was knocking and she just could not ignore it. Following her intuition, Wilczynski provides a boutique that has LA flavor with a deep New York inspiration.
She is particular about the clothing that she carries in her boutique. Her mission is to provide stylish clothing at affordable prices, and she believes that a woman does not need to spend a fortune in order to look good and feel good. Bratty Natty’s has something for everyone, in all different styles and sizes, from head to toe. It offers everything from daywear to clothing for a night out with the gals, as well as accessories.
Bratty Natty’s encourages consumers to visit it on Facebook™ for upcoming sales events.
Contemporary Concepts Photography
900 Rutter Avenue, Forty Fort, PA 18704
(610) 360-2005
After teaching for 14 years, Jane Caruso-Dahms decided to follow her passion for photography and opened her studio in May of 2010. Since photography is classified as a luxury item, the sagging economy has not affected this business industry. Business has steadily improved.
Contemporary Concepts specializes in children and pet photography. In February, a portion of its proceeds went to the Wyoming Valley Children’s Association. Also, the Modified K-9 Pit Bull Rescue in Wilkes-Barre receives proceeds from the popular Vic Chew toy sales.
Contemporary Concepts is a full-service, boutique, photography studio that offers custom photo gift items such as bags, jewelry, and personalized stationery products. Check it out on Facebook or at www.contemporaryconcepts.com.
Ellesse Boutique
100 Wyoming Avenue, Wyoming, PA 18644
(570) 609-5176
In the Fall of 2010, Lisa Kohut started her new journey and opened the doors to her New York-style boutique. Formerly a part-time nurse, Kohut was encouraged by her husband to follow her long-time dream of owning her own shop. Perfect timing and determination were her driving factors.
Kohut’s mission is to supply this area with New York fashion designs in a beautifully decorated setting. She wants to bring some of the big city into the area.
Ellesse is located at the former Rygiel Studios. Some of the featured brands include MIH Jeans, QI Cashmere, and JOIE. For more about Ellesse Boutique, check out the web site (www.ellesseboutique.com) and follow the shop on Facebook.
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