Feb 11, 2009

Locally Owned: Owner uses retail experience to start own businessBy BGDailyNews.com

Bowling Green, KY — Each week, the Daily News profiles a locally owned business.

Name of business: Heart Strings Gifts; When did it open? 1995; Owner: Kathy Scariot; Number of employees: 20

Heart Strings Gifts specialties are gifts of every kind for adults and children. Jewelry, home fragrances, purses, totes and luggage, and lots of personal items to pamper yourself or someone else. We also have a children’s specialty store next doors, Chatters. There, we sell clothing and shoes for birth to size 17 and baby gifts and accessories.

How did the business get started? I had the idea that Bowling Green needed a new gift shop. I did a lot of research and went forward from there.

What is your background? Previously, I spent a lot of years in the retail office products field and also in the automobile business and had great mentors from both of those careers. I was accustomed to working hard and long hours, so I was ready to give my own business the time it needed to take root and grow.

What are your biggest challenges as a business? With the current state of the economy, my biggest challenge is forecasting the needs of the business for the future. As buyers, we have to purchase so far in advance that it becomes a risk. I just try to think positive and continue moving forward.

What’s your business philosophy? Always take care of your customers and treat them in the manner you would wanted to be treated as a consumer, and mean it.

What issues are affecting your industry? The retail business, like most other businesses, is in a decline, but Heart Strings is continually growing. We attribute that to a great customer base here in our area. Like all small businesses, we still struggle with the rising cost of doing business, such as store supplies and freight charges.

Read complete article.