We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Abby Malcolm a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Abby, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?

There are a lot of ways to run a business. I don’t think any of them are wrong; it’s your business and you know what works for you. I choose to treat my business as a home and the people involved in it, whether that be my customers or my artists, as family. I’ve had some people comment that I shouldn’t do business that way, that it isn’t the most effective method, but I don’t think money should be the sole focus of your business. (I mean, it should be a focus but perhaps not the all-encompassing focus. There are other things more important than that.) People, your customers or employees or contractors, should be your focus.
My mom, the founder of our little business, treated everyone who walked through that door like a lifelong friend. She’d talk to you about anything and everything, and let you do the same. The Art Room gained a reputation as a place you could go to find handmade items and as a place you could go if you needed to talk. Fortunately for me, I inherited this beautiful gift from my mom. This nature of ours has made our business a home for people and it’s well-loved for that reason.

All of this is to set up the ways that my customers and artists have made me cry at their kindness over the years. There’s a lot of ways and it’s been impossible to narrow down. How could I? These are the people who left sunflowers outside of the business when Mom died because they knew those were her favorite. These are the people who came in when I reopened the business alone to hug me and thank me for staying open. These are the people who celebrated my college graduation and bought a diploma frame for me because they were so proud. Constant random acts of kindness come from my customers and the artists who help make this place what it is. I consider myself blessed on a daily basis for having all of these people in my life. But if we’re talking about the biggest act of kindness then we need to talk about how these people kept my business alive during a global pandemic.

The Art Room is located in Wakefield, Virginia. According to the 2019 census, Wakefield has a population of 1,175 people. This is a small, rural Southern town. The people within it are very close-knit; it comes with the territory. I have a lot of incredible customers from all over but it was my local community that kept me going during the height of COVID. A lot of our local businesses fell during the pandemic. They closed and then found that there was no way they could reopen. I had a lot of faith that I would make it…but ultimately it was just faith. While I maintain that art is a necessary part of life, you can live without it. Groceries are way more important. And, yet, I found that just enough of my customers stopped in and spent just enough money for me to pay my bills. Note that these people couldn’t afford that. They had their hours cut or were let go from their jobs. They had other things they needed to worry about more but they made sure to come in. When I caved and started asking people why, the only response I got was “We want you to make it through this.”

My customers weren’t the only ones who helped me make it through COVID. My artists were incredible, too. They were fine with me holding off on writing big checks because they knew the business needed the money more, at the time. They checked in, asked what they could do to help, and helped to promote our new website. And when business had picked up, grants had come in, and I could pay everyone, a whole group of them ripped up their checks. They told me to keep the money, they just wanted the business to be here.

I cried a lot during the height of the pandemic; I’m sure most small business owners did. The stress, the fear, the worry of “What do I do if my business fails?” all wears you down. But in talking with the other local business owners I realized I was the only one who was also crying out of joy, out of love. The Art Room was my mom’s retirement plan, her last big goal, and her dream. When she passed away, it felt like the closest piece I had left of her and I couldn’t bear the thought of letting the business close. My first year at the helm alone was 2020…and I made it. I love what I do and keeping this place open was the best decision I could have made. So much blood, sweat, and tears have gone into this place. It’s the dream of two generations combined. Every time someone comes in here and falls in love with the place, it fills me with so much happiness. Knowing how much my customers and artists care about this place, knowing that they couldn’t stand the thought of it not being here…there aren’t words to describe how much it means to me.

This is a different type of kindness. It’s not boiled down to a single act or even a single instance. COVID was the perfect example of something that I’ve seen for years. When someone cares so deeply about your dream that they will do whatever they can to help you with it, that’s a bone-deep kindness that you will spend the rest of your life trying to repay. The Art Room celebrates our 5-year anniversary in a little over a month from writing this. I’m trying to do everything I can to show these wonderful people how much they mean to me. In my experience, people are truly kind and they are the driving force behind your business. If you remember that and show them how much you appreciate it, no matter what happens you will make it through anything.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

My name is Abby Malcolm and I’m the owner of The Art Room, a store dedicated to supporting local artists and craftsmen. We’re located in rural Southeastern Virginia, a place without many resources and a small art scene. My store is stocked with 100% handmade items from over 80 local artists. My only criteria is that things have to be handmade so I’ve ended up with a wide variety of merchandise. And, with everything being handmade, I receive new inventory on a weekly basis. Every time you come in or check the website, there’s something new to see. We do paint parties and I’m working on getting multiple new classes up and running. I have new services in the works, too. We’re growing each month and trying out different things, so keep an eye out.

I grew up surrounded by the arts. My mom, the store’s founder, was a lifelong artist and an art teacher for 11 years. I grew up painting with her and she instilled a deep love of creativity within me at a young age. Her goal was to have a working studio and an avenue to sell her own work. I’ve had fun building on her original plan and creating something larger than either one of us had expected. I spend each day surrounded by people’s creativity and get to encourage others to try new things and find new hobbies. If I’m not painting myself, then I’m helping to promote other people’s creations. I’m incredibly proud of this little artistic haven that we’ve built and have loved watching it grow.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

In May 2017, my mom and I founded The Art Room, a working studio and retail store for everything handmade. It was the most fun either of us had ever had and it was incredible to work together. My mom was always my best friend. In August 2019, my mom unexpectedly passed away. She had spent the day painting and then didn’t wake up the next morning. I was 21 and hadn’t even finished my undergraduate degree. I was left to decide if I was going to take over the business or close it and move on. It was an easy decision. We were so close and this store seemed like the only tangible connection I had left to her. I couldn’t bear the thought of closing it and moving on. So I reopened the business, alone, in October 2019. The holiday season was incredible and I was feeling rather confident that I could do this. My first year running this business alone was 2020…what a year. There had been a long list of personal setbacks before the global pandemic even hit and after, well, it wasn’t a great time to have to rely on your business as your sole income. I refused to give in, to let go. At one point, my business checking account had $20 in it…and a $21 check was set to come out of it. Failure wasn’t an option for me. Sometimes it happens and that’s okay; you regroup and move on. I kept this business for my mom but that’s no longer the reason I do this. This is my dream too. I love what I do so much and the fact that I get to go to work and enjoy it is a gift. And nothing, not even a devastating global pandemic, was going to slow me down. Since I took over, the store has tripled in size. We have a website and new services. I have whole new business plans to expand and change what I have. My business checking account has a comma again. Not only have we survived but we’re actually making it. I’m succeeding despite numerous severe health issues, personal losses, and huge financial setbacks. Next month, I’m celebrating 5 years of being in business. In September, I turn 25. Everything I’ve done has been on my own with the love and support of my chosen family. Do you know, in another 5 years, I’ll be 30 and my business will be 10? It feels achievable in a way that it never has before. The universe will always throw challenges at you and it will knock you down. What’s important is that you get back up. Never lose sight of your goals and what you want. If that’s all you see, you will find a way to reach where you want to go. Don’t give up.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I’m very independent and I learned at an early age that if you can do it, you should. I grew up as an only child in, what was essentially, a one parent household, without much money, and located in the middle of nowhere. You don’t ask for help, because there probably isn’t anyone around to help you, so buckle up and take care of it. As a result, I’m not very good at asking for help…or at delegating tasks…or utilizing help when it’s offered…you get the picture. Realizing that I can’t do everything myself has not been easy. The first step was realizing that just because I can do something doesn’t mean I should. Yes, I can build that new display piece for the store but it’s going to take time and energy that I don’t have so I could just buy it and have it done. Or, yes, I can work until after midnight each night to get things done or I could have someone work in the shop one day so I can work on other things. I’m getting better about it but it was a struggle to realize that. I had learned to be independent and self-sufficient to the point of not accepting when people really did just want to work with me and help. Ultimately, it is your business and there are things that you won’t be able to get help with. But businesses are kinda like kids; it takes a village. You need help or you’ll end up losing your entire mind, instead of just a healthy part of it. So say yes when someone offers to help and, as soon as you are able to, hire someone, at least part time. You can work on other things or, maybe possibly, take a day off…probably not but, still, accept the help that comes to you. It might be difficult for you, too, but it benefits you so much in the long run.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.theartroomshop.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theartroomllc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheArtRoominWakefield/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-art-room-wakefield