The interior of Anna's. Step into a different world.

A Creative Life by Jen Merritt

If you have been following my column, you are probably familiar with my mantra “Buy Local, Buy Handmade.” I always keep this slogan tucked at the back of my mind, and was excited to find a shop in downtown Chatham that follows the same ideology. I had a chance to interview the owner, Angelica Locher, for the following piece and am excited to introduce this local gem to those of you who may not have yet discovered Anna’s Gifts & Home  Décor. Just in time for the holidays – Have a Merry Handmade Christmas!

What is the name of your business and how long have you been open?

I opened Anna’s Gifts & Home Décor in December 2008.

What is your business philosophy?

I’m constantly searching for unique, beautiful gift and home décor items for my customers. My main goal is that my customers leave my store happy and/or inspired. I want them to go home knowing that they found what they were looking for and that it was worth its price. I want them to bring beauty to their own home or to someone else’s home by buying them a gift. I love decorating and I know that you can make yourself feel good by surrounding yourself with beautiful items. You can make every home beautiful whether this is just one room or a whole house if you decorate it with items you really like (those that just catch your eye). Your home is so important. It is the place to relax, feel comfortable and have a good time.

What is the most exciting thing that has happened to you in your shop? What is the most challenging thing?

Metal wall decor item from the shop.

I’m not sure what the most exciting thing was that happened to me in my store. What I really appreciate is that almost daily there are customers coming to my store telling me how nice my store looks and how many beautiful treasures I have. This is very encouraging and tells me that I’m on the right track. The most challenging thing for me as well as probably most new business owners is to build a solid customer base in order to make the business thrive.

What sort of things do you do to help your business grow?

To help my business grow I’m working on my own website where people also can buy online.

How do you think your shop adds to Chatham-Kent? Does it add something special? Fill a gap? Create a movement?

Some customers have shared that my store is very special. This might have to do with the beautifully renovated location and the mix of gift and home décor items that create a certain ambiance.

Hand made, fair trade journals from Thailand. Made from the bark of the fast growing mulberry tree. The bark can be peeled off the branches and then the tree is left to replenish itself the following year.

When I chose an item for my store, the first priority has the item itself. Is it beautiful, is it special, is it worth its price? These are the questions I’m asking myself. Some of these items are from suppliers who buy their products all over the world. Others are produced or hand made in Canada. Then, it just happened that I met artists from the Chatham-Kent area who offered me to take their work on consignment. If they met the criteria mentionned, I was more than happy to display their work at my store. In their work they express their own personality, vision and ideas. And – it’s all hand made which makes each peace one of a kind.

In addition, I also carry unique hand made items from Thailand and Indonesia. They are made of eco friendly materials and fair trade.

What would you tell someone who wants to, someday, own a shop similar to yours?

I would tell this person to stay him or herself and not to try to copy someone else. This way his or her store would be special. Another gift store?  Oh yes. But bring in your own vision, your own taste, your own ideas and you will attract the right customers for your store.

What would you like to see happen in your retail sector, and how are you going to make it happen?

I hope that more new stores will come to Downtown Chathm to contribute to the great shopping experience you can have already now with all the great stores each with its own character and uniqueness.

Stop by Anna’s Gifts & Home Décor in Downtown Chatham and 161 King St. West. Anna’s carries fair trade goods, as well as products from local artisans such as Becky Fixter-Vagner, Brenda Braun and me – Jen Merritt. The shop can be reached by phone at: 519-351-3335