Celebrating Small Businesses
What type of products do you offer?
Little Sister’s carries a large variety of products and services. We offer repurposed furniture, we are a stockist for Fusion Mineral Paint, handmade jewelry, soaps and more. We carry T Shirts for both men and women, candles and melts, a variety of home decor, licorice, natural dip mixes, vintage and antique items. We also have a Make and Take Jewelry Bar. We offer sessions for people to come and make jewelry after hours. We have events set up or you can schedule an event for you and your friends or family. We also offer furniture painting services for people in the community that want us to do so. Right now we prefer smaller pieces for this service. We also have separate rooms decorated within the shop by local curators. Their rooms add so much fun to the shop. We are a great place to find the perfect gift for someone special.
What inspired you to start your business?
I have always been a creative person. Before opening Little Sister’s in 2013 I had a pattern company for 20 years. The company was called A Stitch In Time. I have always loved all things old and rusty. I used to make signs, dolls and samplers for the Wholesale Gift Market. I shipped my handmade goods to many shops across the states. I began collecting and did a couple spaces in local shops and sold things on Etsy and EBay. That is when I knew I wanted to open my own storefront. But, I waited many years to do so. I felt it was important to know the time was right. I wanted my kids to be older as I knew it would take much of my time. So nearly 12 years ago I sought out a space. That space was the front of the Opera House in town.
When did you open your doors and what was the first year like?
I opened Little Sister’s in September of 2013.
In that first year I also had a full time job working with my sister’s family at their Granite Fabricator business working 4 days a week in addition to A Stitch In Time. I was open every second weekend Friday-Sunday and every Sunday. I loved the shop so much that I decided to take a leap of faith and quit my full time job in May of 2014. It was scary but also so fun!
How has the community supported you throughout your journey?
It is funny because in those early years I would shop and create on the days I was not open. A lot of weekends in the summer I would sell out of most of the small outside and fun painted pieces. Many folks stopped each week just to see what was new to the shop. Some weeks I would paint as many 3-4 large pieces of furniture. I have made many wonderful friendships with local people in the community and people from farther away in Minnesota. I appreciate all the kindness people that live here have shown me, especially when I had to move my business after 10 years in the same location. They came out and supported the shop in its new digs.
What does being a small business in cold Spring mean to you?
I love owning a shop where everyone knows my name. You don’t get that in a big city. One of my favorite things about the shop has been when I can help young families and others be able to afford quality furniture for their homes. And to help them select the perfect gift for someone and I might know them. I guess I love the connection to people I know and have come to know through owning Little Sister’s.
How have you been able to support the local communities?
Our way of giving back has always been through donating gift baskets and gift certificates to local events and benefits for people in the community. My favorite way to give back to our community these days since moving to Main St is through offering Pop Ups for local businesses. The businesses we collaborate with don't have a storefront of their own. I have made so many amazing friendships through this endeavor. And when they have a wonderful Pop Up, it makes me do a happy dance for their success. I love working with and seeing this benefit families of our local community members.
I want to thank everyone who has supported Little Sister’s in any way through all these years. Whether it be shopping with us, donating items or just being kind. I love seeing all of your smiling faces. I could never have done it without all of you and the support of my family.
Little Sister’s carries a large variety of products and services. We offer repurposed furniture, we are a stockist for Fusion Mineral Paint, handmade jewelry, soaps and more. We carry T Shirts for both men and women, candles and melts, a variety of home decor, licorice, natural dip mixes, vintage and antique items. We also have a Make and Take Jewelry Bar. We offer sessions for people to come and make jewelry after hours. We have events set up or you can schedule an event for you and your friends or family. We also offer furniture painting services for people in the community that want us to do so. Right now we prefer smaller pieces for this service. We also have separate rooms decorated within the shop by local curators. Their rooms add so much fun to the shop. We are a great place to find the perfect gift for someone special.
What inspired you to start your business?
I have always been a creative person. Before opening Little Sister’s in 2013 I had a pattern company for 20 years. The company was called A Stitch In Time. I have always loved all things old and rusty. I used to make signs, dolls and samplers for the Wholesale Gift Market. I shipped my handmade goods to many shops across the states. I began collecting and did a couple spaces in local shops and sold things on Etsy and EBay. That is when I knew I wanted to open my own storefront. But, I waited many years to do so. I felt it was important to know the time was right. I wanted my kids to be older as I knew it would take much of my time. So nearly 12 years ago I sought out a space. That space was the front of the Opera House in town.
When did you open your doors and what was the first year like?
I opened Little Sister’s in September of 2013.
In that first year I also had a full time job working with my sister’s family at their Granite Fabricator business working 4 days a week in addition to A Stitch In Time. I was open every second weekend Friday-Sunday and every Sunday. I loved the shop so much that I decided to take a leap of faith and quit my full time job in May of 2014. It was scary but also so fun!
How has the community supported you throughout your journey?
It is funny because in those early years I would shop and create on the days I was not open. A lot of weekends in the summer I would sell out of most of the small outside and fun painted pieces. Many folks stopped each week just to see what was new to the shop. Some weeks I would paint as many 3-4 large pieces of furniture. I have made many wonderful friendships with local people in the community and people from farther away in Minnesota. I appreciate all the kindness people that live here have shown me, especially when I had to move my business after 10 years in the same location. They came out and supported the shop in its new digs.
What does being a small business in cold Spring mean to you?
I love owning a shop where everyone knows my name. You don’t get that in a big city. One of my favorite things about the shop has been when I can help young families and others be able to afford quality furniture for their homes. And to help them select the perfect gift for someone and I might know them. I guess I love the connection to people I know and have come to know through owning Little Sister’s.
How have you been able to support the local communities?
Our way of giving back has always been through donating gift baskets and gift certificates to local events and benefits for people in the community. My favorite way to give back to our community these days since moving to Main St is through offering Pop Ups for local businesses. The businesses we collaborate with don't have a storefront of their own. I have made so many amazing friendships through this endeavor. And when they have a wonderful Pop Up, it makes me do a happy dance for their success. I love working with and seeing this benefit families of our local community members.
I want to thank everyone who has supported Little Sister’s in any way through all these years. Whether it be shopping with us, donating items or just being kind. I love seeing all of your smiling faces. I could never have done it without all of you and the support of my family.