Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Casey & Sloane Simmons. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Casey & Sloane, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
Our parents gave us the greatest gift, the belief and skills that we could do anything, create anything, and be our own bosses in any industry we wanted.
Our parents were small business owners. Our father’s parents were farmers, which is its own small business. And, they had additional small businesses on the side. A mowing business, and a handmade arts business. Our mother’s family were from farms and small businesses too. We were born with small business in our blood.
Both of our parents had separately successful small businesses in two very different industries. So, we grew up learning q diverse set of skills for running small businesses. And, like ALL small family businesses, everyone in the family works there when needed.
It is important to note, that “small” when it refers to business, does NOT mean “small amounts of revenues”, all of these family businesses were successful and often recognized as leaders in their industries.
We have been successfully working together for 37 years as entrepreneurs. We never attended a business school or a small business incubator. Our education is all “real world” experience and coupled with mentorship from other entrepreneurs.
We have been more than lucky to have witnesses first hand some of the best and most highly respected business owners ever.
Casey & Sloane, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
The STUFF Sisters – Casey Simmons and Sloane Simmons – are the creative force behind a store named STUFF. This small business has grown since they first propped the door open. But, if you ask the sisters how they feel about getting bigger over the years, they answer, “We don’t think about bigger, we focus on ‘people not product’. Being better every year is our goal.”
Since A STORE NAMED STUFF began in the late 1990s, it has grown into one of the most well-known and respected businesses in the handmade gallery industry. The store now offers work from over 300 artistic sources. The sisters initially insisted on not being called a “gallery”. At that time the term “art gallery” didn’t fit. Yes, they represented fine artists and fine crafters from the region and beyond. But they weren’t “stuffy” – pun intended. They aimed to be accessible, approachable, open every day, energetic, friendly, open-minded, hip, current, and fashionable, and they wanted to create a space of everyone. Now, the term “gallery” conjures many ideas. They have finally adopted their rightful place as a gallery.
One of the most notable parts of this small but well-loved family business is their commitment to the community. They have an expansive program that supports local charities, schools, and not-for-profit organizations. Sloane Simmons and Casey Simmons both serve on community organization boards of directors and have committed time, expertise, and money to over a hundred charities.
They have grown to be an award-winning business – proud to have been nominated for eight consecutive years as being one of the top galleries and stores in America that feature Fine American Craft and honored as one of Kansas City’s Top 25 Small Businesses. Their awards include ethics in business awards and other notable recognitions.
Today, Kansas City – like most cities in the United States – is filled with the new generation of art galleries. a store named STUFF has most definitely evolved, too. But the sisters’ roots, their mission, and their vision have remained the same – to make art accessible to anyone and everyone, every day.
So…is A STORE NAMED STUFF an “art gallery?” Damned skippy it is! It is a store, an experience, a family of artists, a team of great staff, a local boutique, a destination shop, a hangout, and a place online to find the stuff that makes your home, life, and gift giving memorable.
Open 5 days a week in Kansas City. Open 365 days a year online. This is the stuff that dreams are made of.
We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.
We are sisters. Casey was born 5 years after Sloane and they have been creating together every since.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Authenticity! Take time to build a written vision and mission statement. Stick to it! Put ALL your decisions through the same litmus test; does this reflect our vision and our mission and if so, how?
Never lie to a customer or an employee. Always be kind to the people around you. Give your employees their breaks before your own. Look people in the eye. If you make a promise, keep it!
Be unapologetically authentic.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.astorenamedstuff.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/astorenamedstuff/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/astorenamedSTUFF
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ASTORENAMEDSTUFF
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/a-store-named-stuff-kansas-city