Women in Business: Neighbors & Smith
Leanne Walls
Owner
Live in Color Boutique
www.liveincolorboutique.com
717-695-6391
Why did you start your business?
Opening a furniture and décor boutique never really occurred to me. In fact, I found my passion before I realized I could turn it into a business. I began painting when I picked up a set of end tables that were sitting by the curb and decided I wanted to try using chalk paint. Selling those freshly painted end tables, immediately, just sparked a fire. I have always loved crafting, and now I was adding painting to my repertoire! Soon a lot of friends were requesting my pieces, and I realized there was a huge need for a cute little boutique that provided the community with great artistic talent and gorgeous refinished furniture, décor, and gifts—all at very affordable prices.
What makes your business unique?
Live in Color is very unique, because we not only combine the skills of refinishing furniture, but we showcase the talents of other local artisans. You’ll find handmade pottery, grapevine and floral wreaths, American Girl doll clothing, handmade quilts, spoon jewelry, silk arrangements, wooden crafts, dog bandanas and collars, dog coats, bird baths, succulents, and wall signs. We are a destination for surprisingly special gift ideas and a treasure trove of handcrafted décor. We also carry baby gifts and candles from well-known designers. Tucked beneath Little Black Dress and next to Underneath It All, we help you turn every day into a special occasion.
What the most fun or gratifying part of what you do?
Making new friends and bringing smiles to our shoppers are gratifying to our entire team. It truly is heartwarming to see the delight on a shopper’s face when she is picking up a custom piece. Many of our customers bring a piece of furniture from their home or an heirloom they inherited, and we transform it into a beautiful furniture piece again. I love to see clients’ faces light up when we give great-grandma’s furniture new life!
Kim Miller
Owner
Underneath It All
https://underneathitall.net/
717-761-7474
Why did you want to start your own business?
While raising three daughters as a single mom, I wanted to do something that provided me flexibility to be very involved in their lives while still providing an income. I had the opportunity to purchase Underneath It All back in 2005, and it allowed me to do just that, while also making a big difference in the lives of other women.
What makes your business unique?
Underneath It All caters to women (and men too) of all shapes and sizes. Whether you need undergarments that are practical or lingerie that is incredibly sexy, we’ll find what you need. We specialize in bra fittings and take the time to truly find the undergarments that fit correctly and are comfortable for every customer. Breasts are uneven and are different shapes, and we know that not one body is like any other. Unlike your big box stores that carry a small variety of sizes, we carry over 220 sizes of bras (everyday, strapless, longlines, sports, nursing, bralettes, etc.) and carry lingerie and shapewear from sizes petite small through 6x.
What’s the most fun or gratifying part of what you do?
Having someone walk in our store who needs a bra fitting and finding them something that fits and is comfortable—the look on their face when they see and feel the change we’ve made, it’s beyond rewarding. In some cases, we even have customers who look like they’ve lost weight just by wearing the right size bra! It’s also so special helping our brides, bridesmaids, mothers of the bride/groom find what they need for under their special gowns, or for the honeymoon—or helping that new mom with her nursing bras, or just helping someone find that special something to wear for their partner or spouse. We are involved in so many loving moments!
Lisa DeCavalcante
Owner
Little Black Dress
https://littleblackdresscamphill.com/
717-525-7488
Why did you start your own business?
I usually refer to myself as an “accidental entrepreneur.” Owning my own business was not something I aspired to, but as my eldest daughter went off to college, I realized that I needed to get back into the workforce full time so I could afford to give the same opportunity to my youngest, age 7 at the time. I had worked in retail at a boutique in Camp Hill for the previous nine years so that was my most current profession. I didn’t want to work evenings and weekends at a mall store so my family encouraged me to use my experience and open my own shop. The intent was to build a business and sell it in 10 years’ time, but heading into year six, I’m in for the long haul.
What makes your business unique?
When I opened Little Black Dress, I wanted to address a niche I felt the area lacked. We have beautiful stores addressing the high end of the market, we have some middle-of-the-road department stores but we had nowhere locally to get casual, affordable, on trend clothes combined with great, personal service. That is the point of the name Little Black Dress—we give you the “LBD’s” of your wardrobe; things you go to time and time again that always strike the right note.
What’s the most fun or gratifying part of what you do?
Hands down, the best part of owning Little Black Dress is the relationships I’ve built along the way. I have an unbelievable staff—two who have been with me since before opening. I have been luckily enough to develop a loyal and supportive clientele, some of whom I now count among my friends. I love helping customers present the best version of themselves and express themselves in a very personal way. The best compliment we can receive is when a customer thanks us for the honest suggestions we make in helping them find exactly what they need and what flatters their shape the most.
Michele Koch & Mechelle Webster
Owners
One Good Woman
www.oncegoodwoman.com
717-975-8101
Why did you want to start your own business?
We had wanted to purchase a business together in order to create an opportunity to learn and grow as entrepreneurs and have more control over our schedules. We had worked together for 10 years prior to purchasing One Good Woman in February 2016. As customers, we fell in love with the charm and uniqueness of One Good Woman and jumped at the chance to purchase it when the previous owner, Holly O’Connor, was ready to retire. We wanted the store to continue to flourish so that we could build on her legacy.
What makes your business unique?
The history of our business and the variety of products are what make our business unique. One Good Woman was started in 1996 to deliver fresh-roasted coffee to local businesses. It has grown to what it is now by constantly adapting to emerging trends and our customers’ shopping styles. We have one of the largest selections of fresh-roasted coffee and loose-leaf teas in the area, in addition to food and gift items. In our new location at 1801 Market St., we have added a café so that our customers can purchase a cup of coffee or tea before they buy the coffee or tea in bulk to enjoy at home.
What’s the most fun or gratifying part of what you do?
Staying on top of retail trends and finding new and unique gift items for the store is very gratifying. A large part of our business is creating custom gift baskets for individuals and businesses. Customers come to One Good Woman to find one-of-a-kind gifts for special people and special occasions. It’s fun to help people find their new favorite coffees and teas while they explore the constantly changing products we have to offer. We are proud to be a part of Camp Hill’s family of women-owned businesses and hope that we can inspire other women to follow in these footsteps!
