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

Alright, Liz thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

My business did not have a traditional start. When I went to look at the storefront I eventually opened my store in, I wasn’t going for me. I was with my partner who was looking for himself. He thought it would be a great location for coffee shop. Plus there was an apartment available upstairs that was perfect for our little family of three. And it was block away from the elementary school our daughter would be attending in the fall. It felt like an opportunity that we shouldn’t pass up.
But he was already running a restaurant that wasn’t even a year old. I was afraid if he opened a second location, I would end up running it, and I did not want that. It took us a week to come up with a ‘temporary plan’.

I had been working doing home repair and all the diy proejcts I could get my hands on. Every time I learned how to use a new tool at work, I thought about what kind of project I could do with it. I made small cabinets, painted furniture from tag sales, reupholstered little chairs, rewired lamps. We had been running out of room for these projects and I had been looking for a way to sell them. Plus working on the porch and in the shed wasn’t that great. I had been dreaming of a real studio space, and this seemed like it might just work. It’s retail location gave me a place to sell, and the space in back gave me room to work. We figured we could give it a year, and if it didn’t work out, then my partner could open up a coffee shop.

I spent almost no money, and did almost no planning. I painted the interior, moved my tools from the shed, brought up the projects from the basement and made an open sign. Every sale felt like a miracle in the beginning. I couldn’t really believe it. After a few months the store was doing well enough that I stopped doing home repair. I remember struggling to talk about it- it felt like bragging. How was this my job?! Of course I should mention that my expectations for ‘success’ were VERY low. This is the pro/con of our terrible childcare system. My work life was so hampered by having a young child. My partner and I were doing that impossible juggle of pick up and drop offs and sick days with almost no child care. If I could work downstairs after she was asleep, or on weekends, and I could cover the rent and take a little home, I felt like I was killing it!

In the beginning, it was mostly my work. But before long I was also selling the work of other talented artists. The shop has evolved a lot in the last 15 years to feature fine crafts from other artists, one of a kind vintage finds, textiles, art; homewears of all kind. But there is also a workshop with tools and salvaged parts for future projects. I love *everything* about furnishing a home with vintage and handmade items. It means your home is personal, it has heart. It also feels so good- for me anyway- to look around and be reminded of the artist you supported, the trip you took, the history that is embedded. Plus, I feel fantastic about keeping things out of the landfill/ keeping the trees in the forest. Buying vintage does that so well!

Any time someone comes in and tells me they are inspired I am so proud. This store is really a collection of things I’d choose for my own home, and I feel so grateful to have it.

Liz, 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?

I love design & I love to create. I think there is something so special about making a home. Choosing which items to keep from your past, which items to invest in. There are many ways to make a space beautiful, but it also has to work with your lifestyle; fill your heart. It’s a puzzle with no right answer, always shifting, and I think that is so fun! My store is an expression of that. It’s full of all the amazing treasures I would fill my own home with if I never ran out of room. Vintage, handmade, refurbished, refined, odd.

I think my store helps people look at their own space, their own treasures, with fresh eyes. Sometimes that means you want to let it all go and start fresh, and sometimes that means you want to pick up just one special thing to accent what you already have.

Personally, my ideas about beauty are always changing. What worked and made my heart sing last year might not bring me the same joy today. I love that. It’s like a physical representation of growth and change. But, there is something awful about the commercial churn of redecorating. It’s terrible for the planet to buy things that are not made to last. Buying vintage & handmade solves that! Make the changes without making the garbage!

I’m fortunate that my ethics and my style are in synch. I happen to love old things, and I love transforming things. I did this before I had a store, and now I get to do it on larger scale. I am so lucky!

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Brick and Mortar in a great town. I live in a sweet little New England collage town with a vibrant downtown. My store is not large, but I have great visibility and enough room create a distinct sense of style. I am well supported by the local community, the surrounding towns, and tourists from all over. Once you know the store, you can shop on-line and after 15+ years I have a deep bench of returning customers.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

We mainly keep in touch with our customers through social media and an email newsletter. But I think some of our strongest brand loyalty comes from in-person events: artist receptions, book launches, panel discussions, straight up parties! It’s a lot of work, and it can be hard to see the payoff in the short term, but I think that community engagement has long ripples. It’s a constant struggle for me because we are a small operation and it can be hard to make time for anything outside of regular business. But when I look back, those events and connections are some of my favorite memories! Hosting more events is at the top of my list of 2024 goals.

Contact Info:

• Website: sticksandbricksshop.com
• Instagram: @sticks.and.bricks
• Facebook: sticks and bricks
• Yelp: Sticks and Bricks

Image Credits
Bree Kerr Jo Chapman