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Corie White, one of Stick and Stone’s founders, said furniture and other products created by Mabry will fill a need at the business. It also means the store has five different artists to cooperatively run the shop, each of whom provides a different product for potential customers.
“We don’t compete with each other,” White said. “Each of us does something different.”
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White owns Paper Moon and Co., which focuses on unique art and jewelry. Duston Rupp owns Blaidco and Champion City grooming, a line of grooming products for men as well as laser cutting and engraving. Megan Kirby owns Skin Deeper, which includes her line of homemade beauty products and Valerie Reiker owns Ludic Soap, which includes artisan soaps and other products.
Adding Mabry means the store likely won’t add any additional owners any time soon, although White said the store sells products produced by a variety of area vendors. That helps the artisans get their products to the public and covers some overhead costs for the business, White said. All five of the businesses in the store split expenses, making it more affordable for everyone.
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Kirby said she wasn’t initially aware of Stick and Stone until a customer connected her with White. Now, she’s one of the five owners.
“I wouldn’t be able to do it by myself,” Kirby said of operating her own storefront.
Mabry said the idea was appealing to her because all five businesses also split time running the store’s daily operations. That allows the other owners to spend more time making new products. Mabry also manages a traveling boutique show called Ruffles and Rust, so the extra time allows her to manage both.
Small local businesses often see a lot of high and low points, White said. Working together helps ease some of those challenges. For example, all five businesses can work together to develop marketing strategies, and they often provide their own skills to assist other businesses in the shop.
“When you have five people and one of them is going down, the other four will help build them back up,” White said.
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