WOW! What a Year!

It’s amazing that we’ve already celebrated our one year anniversary under my ownership! Last week was our 1+13 anniversary – 1 year for me and 13 for Adela’s! Thank you to all who stopped in to shop and congratulate us. It has been a fast year, but a great one, thanks to our friends, family and customers. I’ve learned so much and am ready to set my sights on the next year. We’ve already ordered most of our Christmas and holiday merchandise and are putting together a plan for offering online shopping options later this year.

The biggest lesson I have learned in the last year is to be myself and while I value what the store has been, I need to make it my own. With lots of counsel and guidance from Dorian and all our current staff and customers, I now feel like the store is a reflection of me. We still carry the same great brands you’ve come to love and expect (Pandora, Mariana, Mudpie, Nora Fleming, etc.) as well as other new brands that I am sure will become favorites.

In my home, I love to mix old pieces with new modern décor, so you will see a mix of that inside Adela’s – contemporary pieces that you can mix in with vintage, farmhouse and industrial pieces. It’s interesting to watch the trends and see the selection at Market and from our sales reps – no two years are the same and the selection changes based on popularity and what is hot or forecasted to be hot. Our goal is to keep bringing fresh merchandise in for you to see and be inspired by.

While we have brands we continuously stock (i.e. Nora Fleming, Sticks, etc.), we enjoy turning over the store and switching out the selection from season to season and holiday to holiday. We still have a few Easter items in store, so hurry in to see those before they are gone! We have new art poles celebrating Mom and Memorial Day. If you haven’t seen these works of art, you must peek at our new window display for a sampling.  

Our line of Fairfield gift items continues to be a staple in the store and will soon be joined by a similar selection of University of Iowa items, also created by artist Heidi Hensley. We have committed to donating 10% of all sales of the University of Iowa items to the Stead Children’s Hospital at the University of Iowa. These items should be in stock around April 15^th.

And if you haven’t looked at Pandora lately, you need to stop in and see the beautiful new Pandora Garden Collection, as well as the Mother’s Day Collection. I laugh when I say “it’s not your mother’s Pandora,” but it really does look totally new and fresh. The colors and finishes are more vibrant than ever and the designs have an updated look that will make you look twice!

Stay tuned to our emails and social media for news about a Mother’s Day promotion from Mariana. We continue to host a drawing each month for the Necklace of the Month Club. Stop in and sign up for your chance to win one of these gorgeous necklaces!

As always, we enjoy seeing all of you in the store and look forward to helping you find that perfect gift for Mother’s Day, graduation, Father’s Day, birthdays, whatever the occasion may be. Thank you for shopping Adela’s – behind the red door, where every gift is wrapped with love!

Happy Spring!

Kara

Falling Into the Holiday Season(s)

The sun is finally out as I sit down to write this blog post -and by the time I hit send, it is raining again! The chilly temps are here and now it really feels and looks like fall. I better hold on tight because this year has gone by so fast, that I will blink and it will be 2019! So before that happens, I want to share what’s new in store and what’s coming up for the holiday season at Adela’s.

I survived my first porch sale and want to extend a big THANK YOU to all of you who came in to see us and shop the sale! We still have a few items remaining on our sale rack and hope to clear those out soon to make way for more holiday sale items.

Our Fall Open House happened last month and we enjoyed awarding the first Mariana Necklace of the Month to Amy Megrath. We are hosting this promotion through the end of the year and will have a different necklace each month for you to try on and register to win! This month’s selection is stunning! Please pop in and check it out!

Our Christmas Open House is planned for November 1-3 and will feature specials on holiday items as well as prize drawings. I think we better have cookies too! That is what Santa would want! And speaking of Santa, he’s in our window and popping up all over the store as we continue to change out our displays.

Handbags have been HOT HOT HOT at Adela’s and we’ve struggled to keep a good supply for you to choose from. We do have some great wallets, totes and purses still in store, so if you are in the market for a new bag, don’t wait, because before long, they will all be gone!  

Our new Fairfield items have been popular with class reunion attendees and we have restocked those for your holiday and hostess gift giving needs. We’re excited to have more new items coming into the store throughout this month and into November, so visit us often as inventory changes all the time! If you haven’t already liked and followed us on Facebook and Instagram, please do to see updates of new items arriving daily!

We are already thinking about Black Friday here at the store and we haven’t finalized all our plans, but we know for sure there will be a great PANDORA sale/giveaway, so stay tuned for that. And don’t forget you can send us your wish lists or come into the store and fill out a wish list – we’ll even send a postcard to your loved one as a reminder to visit us for your gift.

Next time you visit us, you may see a new face in the store – rounding out our staff is Kimberly Conley. Kim has several years of retail experience, most recently with Herberger’s, and she’ll be working in the store on select Saturdays. She joins Grace, Audra, Ashley and Madelyn in helping me serve all our friends here at Adela’s!

As always, thanks for reading and shopping with us. We have so many ideas for your holiday season and we look forward to seeing you walk through our red door!

Important Dates to Remember:

October 12-13             Pandora SHINE event – free gift with ANY $125 PANDORA purchase

October 25-29             Pandora Promotion – Stay Tuned for Exact Details

November 1                October Mariana Necklace of the Month drawing

November 1-3             Christmas Open House

November 23              Black Friday Specials

November 24              Small Business Saturday Specials

Kickoff to the rest of the year….

I can’t believe it’s already September! This year has flown by (probably because I bought a retail store) and before you know it, snow will be falling and we will be decorating for the holidays (yikes – yes I just said it)! Many of you are ready – I know because you are asking when Christmas merchandise will be in the store. Soon, soon my friends!

September is a busy month – from school starting back up to early planning for holidays with family, we all have a lot going on! Adela’s is no exception – we have a lot in store for you (pun totally intended!), so please keep reading for all the upcoming events and a few tips to keep your wits about you during this busy time of year!

Calendar of Events:

September 7 & 8         25% off all collegiate merchandise – including new Iowa, ISU and UNI wood signs

September 14 & 15     Adela’s Annual Porch Sale – savings up to 75% off

September 20-22         Fall Open House – savings, new merchandise and Pandora Promotion

Did you know a lot of our vendors are small business owners just like us? Our newest wood collegiate signs (and seasonal signs) are from Kendrick Home in Edgewood, Iowa. We were referred to this great company by Fairfield native Meredith Flattery who handles their marketing. We love finding companies to work with who have a great backstory – typically a family operation and a dream that grew into a full-fledged business! Stop in to check out this craftsmanship!

Also in store now are canvas paintings from Darren Gygi Home Collection. I met Darren and his family at Market – he is the artist, his wife runs the business and their 14 year old daughter works sales. They have an incredible story to go along with his incredible artistic talent. Stop in to see his Halloween countdown calendar, fall paintings and soon to come Christmas scenes.

We continue to receive new handbags, including collections from Chala and Simply Noelle. We are anticipating a new shipment soon of leather wallets and totes from Abbachino – a new line from Spain that we think you are going to love. And with the cool temperatures coming, we have new wraps and sweater jackets that will give you a warming layer to get through this weather transition and look great at the same time!

Many of you have already started shopping for holiday gifts and we want to help make that easier and stress free for you. Stop in, call, email or message us for ideas. We love putting together suggestions and helping you shop for those hard to shop for people in your life. Don’t forget about our personal selections and complimentary gift wrapping.

As you begin to host gatherings, remember we have décor and entertaining pieces to make your table pop and hosting easier. At the end of the day, it’s all about the people we share our time and home with, so give yourself a break and make sure you are taking time to enjoy yourself and give quality time to those you love!

Market Recap: the American Dream is alive and well!

I know for a fact the American Dream is still alive. I saw it with my own eyes in Atlanta, Georgia at Market. I was amazed how many companies and showrooms I visited that the owners were women, husbands and wives, who started with a dream and a vision and one product in their basement or garage – and now, they are successfully selling across the country to business owners like me.

As we visited showroom after showroom I began to collect stories – their stories – not only of why they created their products, but stories of who they are, why they do what they do. Several of the companies have their children involved in the business, through sales or designing – and those children were as young as early teens. And they were impressive!

As Dorian and I marveled at the creativity, the ambition and the charisma of the people we met, I remarked that people who think entrepreneurialism and owning something to share with the world was dead or dying in this country, all you have to do is visit a Gift Market and see these real life success stories in person. She commented – “that includes you” – oh yeah, I almost forgot – now I’m a small business owner. I chucked the safety of a 9-5, well more like a 7-11 job in the corporate world to have something of my own. And I am loving it! And so is my family!

As summer fades into fall and Christmas will be here before we know it, the seasons are changing inside Adela’s too! By the time you read this post we will be starting to display our fall items and Christmas won’t be too far behind. Hopefully you have seen our new shop Fairfield commercial on KTVO – if not, we have it posted on our Facebook page for your enjoyment!

Save the date for these great upcoming events in store and we hope to see you soon.

·         Now while supplies last: 20% off Spring and Summer Florals

·         August 9-13: Pandora Promotion: Free bracelet (up to $65 value) with $100 purchase. Upgrades available.

·         September 15: Porch Sale

·         September 20-22: Kickoff to Fall – Fall Open House with specials and prize drawings

·         Coming Soon: Mariana Necklace of the Month! Try on our displayed necklace each month for a chance to win it.

Another thank you to our wonderful staff here at Adela’s for all their hard work: Grace, Ashley, Audra and Madelyn! They keep the store running and looking awesome for all of you! And I could not have survived market without my mentor and friend Dorian! Thank you for your support and guidance!

Last but certainly not least - thank you to all of you out there reading this and supporting the shop. We love helping you find the newest gift and décor pieces for your homes, your family and your friends. See you soon – at Adela’s, behind the red door, where every gift is wrapped with love!

Forecast: Summer with a 100% chance of parties!

According to this week’s weather forecast and the fact that the swimming pool is opening in a few days tells me that summer is here – finally! Many of us thought it would never get here this year. With summer comes picnics, parties, barbecues, and reunions. During my 20+ years in event planning, I have picked up a few tips for hosting and entertaining that I hope will keep you in the fun zone during your summer gatherings.

Tip #1 –Choose a style and go with it. By style, I mean, are you hosting a potluck? Cocktails and appetizers? Full blown BBQ with all the fixings? Decide how much effort you want to put in and want your guests to put in early on to make sure everyone knows what you need from them. There’s nothing like having a barbeque and 10 guests all show up with Grandma’s famous potato salad….unless you are holding a potato salad contest.

Tip #2 – Let guests know the menu and what you would like them to bring, if anything. I personally like to make all the food so I know I won’t have duplicate dishes (see Grandma’s potato salad reference in tip #1). However, over the years, I’ve grown and am now comfortable asking for help or letting guests know what I need when they ask that famous question….”what can I bring?” Don’t shrug it off and say nothing – let them know if a bottle of wine, bag of chips or bottle of barbeque sauce would make the event even better! Most of us hate showing up empty handed to someone else’s house.

Tip #3 – Relax and enjoy the party! I admit I used to get so wrapped up in cleaning and setting the perfect table that by the time my guests arrived I was tired and a little cranky (you can ask my husband if you don’t believe me, on second thought, don’t ask him). If your party is confined to your backyard, deck or family room, don’t knock yourself out cleaning your entire house top to bottom. Make sure it isn’t a total wreck, but you are hosting a party with friends, not an open house to sell your house.

Tip #4 – Use any party or occasion to bring out your prized serving pieces. How many of us have been saving that set of dishes or platter for a special occasion? Well, right now is a special occasion. Bring out the good stuff for your friends.

Tip #5 – Involve your guests. One of my favorite shows on TV is Breakfast at Tiffani’s – Tiffani being an actress who also has serious cooking and decorating skills. Each episode involves her friends coming to dinner and she has them arrive early so they can help her cook. People enjoy being useful and having a sense of purpose. Most of us want to pitch in and at least stir a sauce, plate a salad or fix a cocktail for another guest. Start the social hour early by inviting a few guests to arrive early and help you prepare.

I’d love to hear your go-to party hosting and planning tips. Feel free to leave them in the comments below! Oh, and did I mention Adela’s has all your favorite serving pieces, barware and décor you need for your next fiesta?

Happy summer and happy entertaining!

Spring gift giving season is upon us. Mother’s Day is fast approaching, followed quickly by graduation and Father’s Day. I always enjoy a homemade gift from my son for Mother’s Day to remind me how creative and thoughtful he is even though he seems to be aging beyond his years at a rapid pace – much faster than I would prefer!

Each person defines their perfect gift in their own way – for some it’s flowers, stationary, collectibles, photos, jewelry, food, wine, etc. I’m secretly hoping to have my car detailed professionally as my Mother’s Day gift. Hint- hint - dear husband!

In these first few weeks at the store, I’ve met so many new customers and friends and heard their gifting stories – from a woman whose group of friends gave another friend a Pandora bracelet with charms representing all of them for her to wear during her chemo treatments – to another woman who purchased two Pandora crown rings to wear with her father’s wedding band as a tribute and remembrance of him.

Many who come into the story have an idea of what they want to convey with a gift and our job is to help focus that feeling toward a particular item. We strive to carry items for every person in your life no matter the occasion or sentiment.

Of course we have many gifts for all the moms and mom-figures in your life. We also have a selection of gifts for the graduates whether they are starting college or starting their first job and entering their first apartment or home. New to the store are mens’ gifts – from man cans (candles) to Iowa and ISU aprons, bags, bath products, frames and more.

Your gift to us is to stop by, take a look, say hello and be inspired. Even if you are just shopping for yourself!

Happy Mother’s Day to all the people moms, pet moms, mom influencers and caretakers out there – I wish you a wonderful day to celebrate you and your families. I’ll be celebrating at the baseball field with a walking taco – at least I don’t have to cook it!

Adela's - Who is this Giftgirl?

Welcome Friends! This idea to start a blog was actually an idea Dorian suggested when we were brainstorming about the store transition. Being someone who enjoys writing and wants to promote this new venture, I thought it would be a perfect task to add to my list! The mission of this blog will be to share products, ideas and tips related to Adela's, but this initial post is more about me and this new business journey I am on.

For those of you who don't know me, I'm Kara McWhirter Waugh and I purchased Adela's earlier this month. I grew up in Fairfield and graduated from Iowa State University and Drake University. My husband, Barry Waugh, grew up in Libertyville and graduated from Simpson College and University of Iowa. From this information you can learn two things - we are naturally at odds during football season and we love education! We have an 8-year old who is going on 18 most days - Kerrick - who is a third grader and involved in multiple sports and activities. He made his onstage debut last summer in the Evelyn Gamrath Summer Theater Program and enjoys baseball, soccer and basketball. After living in Des Moines for almost 18 years, we moved back to Fairfield in 2011. 

The #1 and #2 questions I have been asked are: why buy the store? and have you always wanted to own your own business? Funny you should ask - entering college I wanted to be the next Diane Sawyer or the first female President of the United States. I have spent most of my professional career working in government and later fundraising and event planning for higher education institutions and financial services companies. Late last year, I reached a point in my life and career where I felt stuck and knew I needed to make a change. I was traveling a lot and found myself unfulfilled and missing out on my own life. Not a natural risk taker, this is totally outside my comfort zone, but something I knew I could do. I have felt from the beginning of this adventure that I could continue to make the store successful while also bringing new things and new customers to it.

The idea was initially Barry's - he encouraged me to talk to Dorian when we learned the store was for sale - husbands be careful what you suggest to your wives! After a couple conversations with Dorian, we moved forward with financing and setting up all the business details. The entire process moved very quickly and I jumped in with both feet......and arms....and definitely my heart! 

The most amazing thing about this endeavor is how seamless it has been. Dorian has been a great mentor and has made this dream of mine so much easier and attainable. She has provided advice while encouraging me to make the store my own and forge my own path. I couldn't have asked for a better scenario. Most of the staff has stayed with the store, which has been invaluable to me. They know the customers and have make my learning curve easier to digest! 

Well, enough about me. I hope you will stop by the store to say hello and shop. There are a lot of new spring items and more new items arriving each week. And yes, we will continue to carry Pandora and Mariana jewelry. Please save the dates - May 4 and 5 - for our Grand RE-Opening. 

Until next time - shop well my friends! 

Kara aka Giftgirl