We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Anna Budinger a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Anna, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?
The idea of owning a small business has been brewing in me for a really long time, and in many forms. I love the idea of a physical space that can be a representation of my personal style and values. Babs came about after years of freelancing, meeting tons of talented local artists, doing popups and markets and feeling like I could add a special touch to my neighborhood with my eye and curation. For me executing the vision really started with the decision to actually do it. As simple as it sounds, that’s so much a part of it. Realizing that there will be difficulties and a lot of work ahead but feeling confident that you are capable of making it happen. For me finding the right space was the hardest part because the rents are so high in New York and my starting budget was really slim. Then one day, after several months of searching and on the verge of giving up, I took a long walk down a street I never used to walk down. Light was pouring into this small store with a for lease sign and I went up to it and pressed my face up to the glass for a long time imaging all my shelving and decor and just had this feeling like I knew this was going to be my space. The buildout of the space was the best part because part of my freelance work was interior decorating and contracting so I was able to do the whole buildout with my dad and my partner and I’m really proud of the space we created.
Anna, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Anna and I own a home decor and gift store in Astoria, NY called Babs Home and Pantry. My parents called me Babs growing up so I like the idea that this store is a collection of home decor and gifts that mirror my personality. I spent several years freelancing doing the unusual combination of photography, carpentry and interior decorating and through these jobs I starting to develop a passion for putting unique touches on spaces, and the importance of feeling happy in the living spaces we create for ourselves. The freelance gigs always ending up leading me to really talented local makers and creatives that were making unusual items that really spice up a space. Because I love accenting with bold, funky touches, I love the idea that people can come into my store and see something they’ve never seen anywhere else.
Have you ever had to pivot?
After freelancing for five years, the irregularity of the schedule really started to weigh on me. It was difficult to have a really busy month, then a dry month and wonder when work would pick up again. It constantly felt like trying to punch through a brick wall to expand my client base and spread the word, etc. At a certain point I think it just felt like the legwork to get booked was starting to suck the fun out of the work I used to love. The pivot for me was to open a physical space and kind of give myself a full time job, if you will. I was ready to be more focused on growing one thing that I really care about.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
I think an ongoing tendency that I try to unlearn is comparing my own business and its progress and success to other small businesses based on their social media presence. Somedays can feel really lonely and the hills to climb to make Babs successful feel extra high. Realizing that ‘success’ is a spectrum and that there are difficult days in any industry. As long as the positive feelings I have about running a small business continue to outweigh the difficulties, then I’ll continue to feel grateful for what I’ve built.
Contact Info:
- Website: babsastoria.com
- Instagram: @babshomeandpantry