Wife, mom inspire engineer to enter retail business
If you ask David Touwsma about the key to his success in the retail business, he’ll say go into business with your wife and mother.
That’s what Touwsma, 35, did four years ago when he and the two women founded Limetree, “a gift experience.”
Their first shop opened in Peachtree Battle Shopping Center. Today, they have five locations and a lease for a sixth store in Newnan. The stores ring up more than $1 million in revenue each.
It may seem counterintuitive, but his retail chain is growing even as consumer spending has taken a hit from high gas and food prices, as well as constrained credit.
But Touwsma believes Limetree has a formula that works.
The stores offer gifts for weddings, hostesses and just about any special occasion. There are cocktail napkins, including tongue-in-cheek ones that say, “It’s hard to be optimistic when your ‘fat’ pants are tight.” Plus personalized stationery, stickers and dog collars with college logos, picture frames, a bright pink leather address book for $22, corkscrews and wine bags, not to mention serving platters and all kinds of bath products.
Here are a few things he’s learned as he’s gone on this retail adventure with his wife, Angel Brown Touwsma, and his mom, Gail Touwsma .
Q: How did an industrial engineering grad from Georgia Tech decide to go into retail?
A: I was in the technology business, working for Accenture and other companies as a consultant. For 20 years, my mom and dad owned the Vista Grove Hardware and Gift shop in Northeast Atlanta. My mom didn’t want to open additional locations, but she said she would sell purses on Peachtree Street if she could do anything else. That was the springboard.
