Aromatherapy shop has smell of success
When Kelsey Metzinger was a little girl, she loved to play store and dreamed of the day when she would own her own shop.
“I’ve worked in retail my whole life,” the 31-year-old entrepreneur said. “I’m in it because I love it. I love talking to customers, educating them about products and helping them find the special or unique thing they’ve been looking for.”
Metzinger’s dream store, Bungalow 26, opened in September at 535 W. Douglas in the Delano district. It features a line of aromatherapy and beauty products created by Metzinger along with a collection of home decor and furniture items.
“People stop in and tell me this is the kind of shop you find in New York or Boston and they’re surprised to see it in Wichita,” she said. “But I think this is the kind of place Wichita needs more of. We need places for people to visit and shop where they find items they wouldn’t find anyplace else.”
Metzinger majored in fine arts in college and also provides consulting services on interior design for businesses and residences, as well as making some floral arrangements and decorative items.
“I believe that interior design should be affordable,” she said. “I do all the shopping for people to help with their design. I have access to the high-end items, but I’m able to do things on a budget, too.”
With a little help from her sister, a graphic artist, she has designed the logo for her business and the packaging for her products, which are manufactured and packaged in the store.