So, I started out on my whirlwind, “let’s try retail” adventure with Annie Mame on April 1, 2012 at the very well established Venetucci Home in Westbrook, Connecticut. The dust has settled, and that includes on the shelves in my boutique where I have lots of glass ware. Can you say dusting alot? I am starting to get the hang of what happens when you own your own business on a very small scale. It makes me want to do a full-on salute to anyone who has made a go of a store in a free standing bricks and mortar establishment, or whose family has been in business for decades. It’s hard work around-the-clock, and all who make it need to be celebrated.

Locally grown ideas is where it’s at for Connecticut and for the nation in this rebuilding process as we come down off a ledge from the fall of 2008 when things crashed economically. The situation isn’t all the great yet, but the fall has given way to a lot of folks trying new things and that includes the group of little shops in which I find myself. The creativity is awesome and there is a sharing and learning process that is helping to push people forward.

In the photo up top are roses right out of my garden and in the background are my maternal Grandmother, Anna (for which I am named) and her twin sister Martha, next to the twins is my father-in-law, a Marine when he was station in the South Pacific. The symbolism here is that we are all pretty much the same, we have family and friends and life is lived in many different ways, if you thrive everyone else does too. It’s all about local everything, period.

When you get the chance come on in to Annie Mame and the other shops and see what people are building. In my opinion it’s the one floor old-fashioned department store without the guy in the elevator or a mezzanine… it’s a really inspirational place.