Ever wondered what it's like to stumble upon a marketplace where every vendor has a tale as captivating as their wares? Welcome to the heart of Charlestown, West Virginia, where the Needful Things Emporium serves as a beacon for the community's spirit and entrepreneurial zeal. In our latest chat, we unwrap the vibrant stories behind each of the 74 vendors, revealing how this family-run business has become a treasure chest of 3D-printed gadgets, handcrafted delights, and artisan goodies that mirror the soul of West Virginia.
Transforming a humble consignment shop into an 11,000-square-foot department store is no small feat, and we hear straight from the horse's mouth how the emporium's owners did just that. Their journey, marked by resilience through the pandemic, is a blueprint for any business eyeing reinvention in a dynamic marketplace. The episode illuminates the pivotal role of excellent customer service and community connection in crafting a shopping experience that feels like home, complete with memories and milestones that resonate beyond the transactional.
For all you aspiring business moguls or those contemplating a career shift, this episode is your mentorship session compressed into audio gold. We glean indispensable advice from industry veterans, discuss the integration of tools like Simple Consign to streamline operations, and ignite the spark for those ready to make their mark. The emporium's evolution, punctuated by a shared love for a quirky treasure known as Shark Lee Reborn, attests to the magic that happens when passion meets retail, and we're inviting you to join the celebration.
Ever wondered what it's like to stumble upon a marketplace where every vendor has a tale as captivating as their wares? Welcome to the heart of Charlestown, West Virginia, where the Needful Things Emporium serves as a beacon for the community's spirit and entrepreneurial zeal. In our latest chat, we unwrap the vibrant stories behind each of the 74 vendors, revealing how this family-run business has become a treasure chest of 3D-printed gadgets, handcrafted delights, and artisan goodies that mirror the soul of West Virginia.
Transforming a humble consignment shop into an 11,000-square-foot department store is no small feat, and we hear straight from the horse's mouth how the emporium's owners did just that. Their journey, marked by resilience through the pandemic, is a blueprint for any business eyeing reinvention in a dynamic marketplace. The episode illuminates the pivotal role of excellent customer service and community connection in crafting a shopping experience that feels like home, complete with memories and milestones that resonate beyond the transactional.
For all you aspiring business moguls or those contemplating a career shift, this episode is your mentorship session compressed into audio gold. We glean indispensable advice from industry veterans, discuss the integration of tools like Simple Consign to streamline operations, and ignite the spark for those ready to make their mark. The emporium's evolution, punctuated by a shared love for a quirky treasure known as Shark Lee Reborn, attests to the magic that happens when passion meets retail, and we're inviting you to join the celebration.
Speaker 1:
Well, my business is Needful Things Emporium and it's in Charlestown, west Virginia, at 218 West Washington Street. And what we are is we have 74 vendors currently and they are small businesses that rent space and sell their products for wholesale or retail, and we help those businesses thrive to see if their small business is worth a brick and mortar before you have to take on the hardships of a brick and mortar.
Speaker 2:
Wow, and what kind of products do you have? So I see you brought some in today as well.
Speaker 1:
Yes, I brought several little examples, but it's a mirage of things. We have vendors that do handcrafted items, we have our antiqueers and pickers and then we have people that do homemade goods and things like that crocheting, recycle, repurposed and, if you'd like, I could show you some of the things that my vendors do offer. Please, please please please.
Speaker 1:
Okay. So what we have here, this is by SG3D. He's my 3D printer and he has a wide variety of 3D printed items and, as you can see, this possum is one of his products. This is from Paul Mary Designs and she is our gnome lady, so she makes all of our gnomes and then, of course, for the holidays and things like that, she's got other things to kind of dress it up Very cute. We also have. This is from one of our vendors. This is a friendship ball of West Virginia and it lights up, which is really nice, but with the friendship ball, this is from Appalachian Glass and our vendor, nala Bob, is a distributor of Appalachian Glass. So you know it is made and comes from West Virginia. And what's a friendship ball? It's something that you give to people to offer friendship and to just know that they're thinking about you.
Speaker 2:
Okay, that's beautiful. I love that, and the lights in there are really nice.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, and the thing is it's, even though it may look like an ornament, it is something that you can enjoy year round, so you can put it in a window, you can put it in your kitchen, you can put it, you know, by your nightstand. So just to know that someone's thinking of you. Yeah, from West Virginia. Yeah, there you go, which is even better. Yes, and this is from our chocolatier, harper's Fairy chocolatier. She does all of our chocolate and these are her creations. We also have can of four diamonds, and this is let me get it right side up this vendor is wonderful because she repurposed, reuses and recycles, and she puts it in resin. So we've got an old frame with the beautiful lantern fly that everyone is told to kill and get rid of.
Speaker 2:
Yes, I actually know about that.
Speaker 1:
With some baby's breath and a fern, but it's all dipped in resin and these are her creations. So she has. She takes bugs, flowers. If you wanted to have some memorial for your pet or hair from your children, she does custom pieces and things like that. She's really wonderful.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, her stuff looks awesome.
Speaker 1:
I love that she is. Her. Her booth is quite amazing. This is from Ashley Lascaux Designs. She's another one of our vendors and she works in resin also, but most of her stuff is beachy themed and like that one's real cute. It's got sharks in it. But the nice thing about Ashley Lascaux Designs is that she gives a portion of her sales to recovery centers because she lost her brother due to addiction and so to give back and pay it forward. You know she she gives part of her proceeds to helping people recover. This is from Nature's Kind and she has all of our geodes and things like that. That is a forgive. What that is, let me see. This is the Agate slab with a solid center.
Speaker 2:
It's beautiful. It's like a coaster. I feel like I don't want to use it as a coaster.
Speaker 1:
Well, she puts them on a stand, and I don't think I have the stand.
Speaker 2:
They're usually set up for display.
Speaker 1:
But I mean, if you really wanted to be bougie no, it's beautiful, you can be like, come and join my casters, but it's basically for just show or you know, decoration. We also have Andrea's auditorium and this is her box and she does. She's an artist with a twist, a unique flair, so she takes oddities and makes them better. I love that.
Speaker 2:
I love that she put a little signature right there too.
Speaker 1:
That's so cute and everything is unique, everything that she does. Her booth is wonderful, one of a kind and it's so playful to get in there because you look around and you're like I never knew you could do that with that. That's amazing. But it's a really great booth and she's so fun and she does an excellent job. This is from our chainsaw artist, k-bear Carvings, and so she has a wide variety of pieces that she does with a chainsaw, and this is one of them, and so she is one of our newer vendors with us, and so if you need a piece for your porch or for by your fireplace or anything like that, I don't think I can get it to stay, but her coat hanger and everything from small pieces to large pieces she does everything with a chainsaw.
Speaker 2:
Okay, that's intimidating, but cool yeah.
Speaker 1:
And she started out just with like a little roadside stand and she's always wanted a business, but kind of leery of taking on brick and mortar and the hardships that come with owning your own business and things like that, and so we gave her a try, you know, to see if the other feet wet and she's done very well. You know, we're really happy. All my vendors are very, very happy. But this, this is from Squatchworks Snarly Yao, and he does a variety of cryptid items and cutting boards and charcuterie boards. So if you need anything, sasquatch or the Snarly Yao, which was in Harper's Ferry and he's like a vicious, wild, almost dog, but with probably something else mixed with him. It gives a new meaning to the word mixed dogs. Yes, and the moth man I've heard of that, bracksy. You know all the the cryptids.
Speaker 2:
The little unknown creatures.
Speaker 1:
Yes, and this is for you what yes?
Speaker 2:
Stop, really.
Speaker 1:
Thank you, that's so nice Squatchworks.
Speaker 2:
Snarly Yao, we're gonna use this in the studio. Now we have our snacks Complete Sasquatch.
Speaker 1:
You all, you all have to fight it over it.
Speaker 2:
I'm keeping it, I'm just kidding, I'll share.
Speaker 1:
But he does an excellent job with woodworking and with the cryptids and he does this like by hand, you're like paints.
Speaker 2:
How does he do this?
Speaker 1:
It's a CNC machine that it etches into the wood and then he coats it with food accepted resin that and then so you can use it for food items and things like that and cutting boards. But he has a wide variety of items, not just cryptid, but some of his cutting boards and circuitry boards are resinated or resins and colors and just really beautiful work.
Speaker 2:
And everybody can check all these vendors out on your website or in store.
Speaker 1:
We prefer you to come into the store, but you can check us out on our website. You can find us through Needful or it is Needful Things. Dash website is our website. And then you can check us out on Facebook, instagram, yelp, google Business. We are everywhere. Tick, tock. Oh, my gosh good, we even do tick tock A cartel box.
Speaker 2:
Oh, the cart is sorry, we'll cut that, I'm sorry.
Speaker 1:
Which card do you want? Yes, I have all my business cards for everything, and then we also have the QR codes to find us and see, and then every all my business people that I brought today all have their cards here. So you can check them out with Appalachian Glass. I'm just going to move.
Speaker 2:
You can keep that up there, but I'm going to move this back down, so that way in your video.
Speaker 1:
It doesn't look so cluttered.
Speaker 2:
Okay, when we give it to you, it looks nice and clean, but we got to showcase all of this, so that's the important part there. Help me Right up in the box.
Speaker 1:
Be careful with some of these, because I feel like they're very beautiful I'd say, yeah, let's just move down here.
Speaker 2:
Just go down. Do you need these? No, okay, all right. And then I know your business has been open. It seemed online for like 30 years, but you took it over 17 years ago.
Speaker 1:
Yes, we are a family owned business. So in 1968, my grandmother started in Arlington, virginia, with just a little 1200 square foot store and it was consignment but she also would go and find dilapidated furniture and yard sales and stuff like that and she was a wonderful reupholsterer, she was amazing and she could also stain and refinish furniture and everything like that. So started in this little store, westover Thrift Shop. Then my parents moved to West Virginia because they were tired of the city and they still commuted for Westover, but they bought what we called in the 80s Charlestown Thrift Shop and it was in Charlestown. It was just a little 3500 square foot store and as we were growing, my mother wanted to expand and so we went to the planning commission and asked can we, you know, expand our shop? We had the land we wanted to grow, and all these people came out of the woodwork and they said, no, you're going to depreciate our property value by bringing in commerce. And so my mother said, okay, I'm going to buy the largest storefront on Main Street and show you all. And that's what she did. She went and she bought what was the Old Newberry's building and it had sat vacant for six years but it was 11000 square feet and it was a large department store and it had a little lunch counter in the middle. And so my parents, they would buy delinquent storage and bankruptcies. And so they did that. And when I took over in 2007, I did that also.
Speaker 1:
But then along came our pandemic and COVID shut everything down and my parents and I had to take a really hard look at what we were going to do. We were the largest storefront on Main Street and we really didn't want to see it as an office building or you know, just something non-merchant. We have always been business people. We have always wanted to sell to the public, you know. And so we decided that maybe we should try to do a vendor spot, you know, to invite people in, to give them the chance to try their side, hustle their small business, their hobby, their passion, and see if it worked.
Speaker 1:
And so we took the leap and we refinanced the building and the government was handing out some free money, and so we took very, very low interest rate loans and we created the Needful Things Emporium and that is where the magic happened. We started out with 22 vendors and now we are growing even more. We're at 74 right now, but we just did some construction to our it's like a breezeway in the middle of the store and we created a mercantile for just food. So we have a baker, we have a pickler, we have jerky, we have honey, we have, oh, just the tea, we have chocolate, and so it really gives the opportunity for these people to experience what it's like to be a business person. I provide the staff in the beautiful location and they just have to bring their product and we really offer a unique shopping experience.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, it sounds like. It sounds like nothing I've ever heard of before.
Speaker 1:
Well, they are common, you know. I mean you see them in like thrift stores and things like that, but we're better than a thrift store.
Speaker 2:
Well, I mean, thrift stores are nice, but we this is like we have so much variety in the food in there.
Speaker 1:
Yes, we have. We have everything that you've seen of our vendor products and more. We offer a unique shopping experience and we like people to come in. You can be a newbie and walk around and be like, wow, I've never been here before. You can be a some timer, you can be a regular, but if you become a nuisance, we might have to take your card. We are. You might not be able to come back.
Speaker 2:
What would be a nuisance? I'm curious.
Speaker 1:
Oh, when we couldn't lock them out. They're just there every day all the time. But it's great we have. We have a restaurant that runs through the middle of the store, so essentially you can eat and browse, which is very nice.
Speaker 2:
Yes she's staying there longer too.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, and the nice thing is it's one stop shopping so you can come in. If you need a quick gift, pick me up, anything like that, or just a little retail therapy, Just come in and see us. You always see a happy face and we still have customer service, which is a very, very hard thing to find in a big box store. If you need something, there's someone there for you and I have staff that's worked for me for over 17 years and they will go and hold your hand and shop with you if need be. That's how great our customer service is.
Speaker 2:
How many employees do you have?
Speaker 1:
I currently have five, and so we have a Mr Fix it, of course, and then some great cashiers and I have a wonderful digital coordinator. That is my right hand and she keeps pushing us in every direction of social media's stands, points and through just advertising and getting our name out there.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, and for vendors. How can they apply? Is it by approval or?
Speaker 1:
what are the? Well, we do have a vetting process because we have a no compete clause. So when you come into the store you aren't going to find 10 people that do crochet work or 20 people that do candling. We have a wide variety, a unique variety, of all of our vendors and you can just check us out at our website or you can email us at needfulthingstoocom and ask for a vendor application. So you send us back the application and some pictures, of course, because they say a thousand words yes, they sure do. And then you know, if one of my candle people leaves, then we start looking at who has the better candles or more unique candles that we'd like to have in the store, and then we would replace that candle person. So it's not like you would go to a flea market and see a wide variety of the same thing we have special yes, got that For during COVID.
Speaker 2:
What were some of the hardships that you had to overcome? Like did you have to close down?
Speaker 1:
Yes, we had to close and I had to say goodbye to 13 staff, which is really sad. The restaurant at the time they were offering free masks with an order so you could come in and get a mask and a lunch. Because we couldn't be open, Everything had to be take out or curbside. That's where curbside really became, you know the thing, and DoorDash and Uber Eats.
Speaker 2:
Yes, I remember.
Speaker 1:
Still driving too, yes, but with the PPP loans and the SBA loans we were able to keep some of our really intricate staff and we took on the construction. You know it was sink or swim and we've always been swimmers, so it was. It was a needed and we like it because it really brightens up downtown.
Speaker 2:
Good, and would you say that watching your grandma run the business inspired you to want to eventually take it over? What really inspired you to be like? You know what I'm going to take this on.
Speaker 1:
Well, you know, it's funny that you asked that because I have a master's degree in sports medicine. But when I came back from school and I had worked in my field for about 10 years but I always worked in the store on holidays, you know, breaks from school and everything Coming up in the business you had to work. You had no choice. And so when I came to a point where my job at a company that I really enjoyed ended and my parents were ready to retire and I was working with them part time and they were like you know, if you really want see how well we've done for ourselves and how we have this great clientele, would you like to take over the store or do you want to keep struggling in my field? Because in that time women weren't making a whole lot of money in the sports field. You know they just it's men's world sometimes, but we're getting there.
Speaker 1:
So I decided I could do this. I could. I could enjoy going to work every day. I could enjoy seeing people come through my door and helping them find whatever they need. And so we I decided this is what I'm going to do and I took the leap. I sent them to Florida to live happily in God's waiting room and I I really got into it and and took it on because I felt that that's what I wanted to do. You know, that's that's what I was not like here for.
Speaker 1:
But it was, it was a time in that crossroads that really spoke to me and said you need to like what you do and as much as I liked my athletes and things like that, you have parents and there's something to deal with. But this was by far the best decision I had ever made and I don't look back. I'm a very proud woman, owned business and I hope that since we've been in town for 40 years and on Main Street 30, I hope I can keep it going for another 30.
Speaker 2:
What were some resources that you use to help you with the business, like, did any books help you, or just talking to your peers or anything? Well, what really?
Speaker 1:
when you take on something like this. I mean, we understood the business world but we had. My mother and I went and visited a lot of emporiums, antique malls, little consignment shops and things like that just to get a feel. So my, my greatest mentor is in Florida. He is in Vero Beach at the Wildwood antique mall and he has seven of them and his largest has 200 plus vendors. But he really took me under his wing because what we would do, my mother and I, we would go into these establishments and I'd want to shop immediately. You know like I want to look around, I want to see what's going on, and mom would be like, no, you go find the owner, do what. You ask your questions, see if they'll assist you. I'm going to go shop and I'll give you 15 minutes when you're done. I love that.
Speaker 2:
I love that you're like all right, let's get to business first, chop chop, yeah.
Speaker 1:
So, um, michael was the owner and I went in and I started talking to him and he's like oh, you want to do this. This is wonderful, this is what you should do. This is what you shouldn't do, this is what you're going to run into. And it really was something that was so inspiring. And the time that I spent with him, he told me here's my personal number. Call me anytime If you have any questions. He helped me with point of sale system how to vet my vendors, how to not only treat your vendors but keep them in line. Essentially, you know, because some will just want to. You don't want it to look like a flea market, and his definitely doesn't look like a flea market, but with 200 plus vendors, he also has a no compete clause, so his is a unique shopping experience also. But to this day, I can still call him and whenever I'm down in Florida, I always make it a point to go and see him. But he by far has been one of my biggest cheerleaders and inspiration for help.
Speaker 2:
Wow, that is amazing, just and like. This is in person A lot of people reference, like books or YouTube or something. But I love that your mom like inspired you to go out and talk to people and you met him. Yeah, just by asking. I feel like that could apply in any industry as well, for those business owners were like, oh, I don't know what to do. I need advice with this. Or I don't know what to do. Who can I ask? You got to go out there and actually talk to people and ask him. Some people will say yes.
Speaker 1:
I had the door shut on me several times and I try to tell him like I'm just trying to start this in West Virginia. I am not trying to impede on in your area, your turf at all and some just were not open to the idea. People like Michael and several other antique stores that we visited were very open With something like this. There are the people that just write everything down for their vendors, or there's the point of sales. We chose to go with point of sales because sometimes it gets time consuming when you do everything with pen and paper.
Speaker 1:
So Michael and led us in the right direction for a good point of sales system, which came with tutoring and videos and live help. So if ever anything goes awry, I can pick up the phone and be like Kailin what's happening? Or can you send me a video link to how I fix this or learn to do this on the point of sale system? And our point of sale system is great because it is in real time. So all my vendors get a dashboard and so they can be sitting on the beach or at a vending show, you know, taking their crafts in other places, and they can check in and just see how the store is done, or if they've sold anything for the day, if there's been a discount. If the people use credit cards, it's just so they have access to all that Everything.
Speaker 1:
That is awesome, and so it's a really good driving force for this business because it gives the vendors that freedom of not always having to check in. They just stop by the store to bring me more product, you know, but they can see from their laptop or any device that they have, just how they're doing, what inventory is needed, what's sold.
Speaker 2:
Is that like a system that you guys have with a program or something?
Speaker 1:
Yes, it's called Simple Consign and we looked at several, but Simple Consign was the one that really fit all of our needs, that's pretty awesome actually.
Speaker 2:
Is that newer technology that's come out, or has that been around?
Speaker 1:
for a minute? I don't know. I'd have to ask Michael.
Speaker 2:
No, that's pretty cool though, because all those vendors they can like they don't have to be in the store but they can still keep up with the day to day stuff of what's going on in their booth or in their little shop. I feel like that's pretty cool. I didn't know that.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, and it really helps for my sales associates, because when we're 10 deep in the line, you know we're just like boop boop, boop boop. Everything's barcoded and scanned and so it goes to every individual vendor and they can see what product is sold and it just really it's very seamless for time and you know when you're waiting in a store, even though it's kind of nice and it gives you more time to look around. But some people are on an agenda, yes, and we gotta get and go, yes we gotta get to the door.
Speaker 2:
Would you have any advice for any business owners who want to also not pivot, but change their careers Kind of like how you did as well, when they're thinking something like, oh, I really want to do this, I know I got my degree in this, how does that transition look? Or what advice would you give to them?
Speaker 1:
I would say research is always the best way, whether it be through a book or just going out and talking to people, but you need to find the things that fit for you. I enjoy going to work every day. You know, I like my job, I like my clients, I like our transition. I liked what we did before with the storage units and things like that that my parents did. I liked stripping furniture with my grandmother. But you have to find you. So if it is coming to a time where you have to pivot, then do your research. It's like we did. We went out. We went from the all up and down the East Coast, through Georgia, into antique malls and there's beautiful antique malls in Hagerstown and Frederick. We talked to them down in Florida, where my parents live. My mom and I went all over. But you need to know is this something that I can do? Is this something that I want to commit myself to? And then you just got to take the plunge and that's the really truly hardest part.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, make that jump, yes, great. And then, just to wrap things up here, if you could leave our listeners with one message, it can be in regards to your business, the world family, anything. What would that message be? I think?
Speaker 1:
that if you like what you do, then others will like what you do, and I think that's a real big, inspiring way to look at going to work every day. I like what I do, I like my vendors. I like people to come in and enjoy my store, walk around, just get a little retail therapy, take a lunch break and walk around, take a day trip and come walk around, because I know if I can get you into the door, I can sell you something.
Speaker 2:
I love that. Thank you so much and thank you for the Shark Lee Reborn. Oh, I hope you enjoy it. Yes, I'm going to share it with everybody here. We won't fight over it. Thank you so much. I appreciate your time.
