Business & Tech

Etc. Stores: Mom, Daughter Find Balance Working Together

Open for less than a year, Kirsten Larsen and her mom, Tania Sylvester, are already looking to expand their shop, which deals in consignment purses and dresses, as well as crafts from local artisans.

Listen to Kirsten Larsen and her mom, Tania Sylvester, talk about their consignment and crafts shop, , and there's one word that will pop up: balance.

It's practically the mantra for this mother-daughter team, especially when they describe their business relationship.

"We balance each other out," Sylvester said. "She's more of the business person, and I'm more of the (person who does) decorating, moving things around, finding people. And she's more of the marketer."

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"And if I freak out about something, she's like, just calm down, it's going to work out, it's going to be all right. Don't worry," Larsen added.

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The two opened Etc. almost a year ago--the day after Thanksgiving, to be exact--as a way for people to sell on consignment expensive designer purses. This was a first-time venture for the two; Larsen had worked at an investment firm for three years, and Sylvester still works as an office manager for a home association, where she's been for eight years. Along with purses, the shop also has become an outlet for area artisans to peddle their wares.

"We just felt when you spend $300 on a purse and you're done with it, what do you with the $300 purse?" Sylvester said. "We started the idea with the purses, and we have a lot of friends that make crafts, so we just thought that we'd open it up and invite other local crafters. And we have about 30 local crafters from Frankfort, Mokena."

Those crafters have given Etc. a wide and varied selection of merchandise, from jewelry and fragrances to candles and dolls. One seller displays "steampunk" rings and bracelets made from watch gears. Another has created decorative glassware. Sylvester says they're always open to new and different type of items, but the store has received so many requests for shelf space that they've had to turn away some people.

"(Crafters) can come in and rent this spot for a small monthly fee and sell as much stuff as they want to," Larsen said. "We have no limit on how much they can fit on their table."

The approach has certainly gone over well with customers, who express their love of the shop over Facebook and Twitter.

"A pleasant surprise has been just how much people love the store," Larsen said. "And they tell all their friends about it. They're really supportive. And it's nice because everybody loves that all of our vendors are local and they really like supporting the community."

With only about a year under their belts, Sylvester and Larsen are already considering expansion plans ("I've told my mom that we're going to have to start hanging stuff from the ceiling," Larsen said). And they're also looking at balancing out their merchandise, hoping to pull in items with a more masculine slant.

"My dad came in and said it's a girly store," Sylvester said. "And I said it wasn't meant to be. We can't control what our vendors bring in. So we're definitely looking for guy items."


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