| Independent Minded |
| Written by Betty Roccograndi | ||||||
 The roots of female-owned businesses in America go back 240 years. That’s right. 240 years. In 1767, Anne Catherine Hoof Green took over her late husband’s printing and newspaper business, making her the first American woman to own and run a print shop (FactMonster.com). And even before Green’s acquisition of the family business, women were celebrated as professional artists for years.There are a great deal of women in our very own neighborhoods who enjoy the same feelings of satisfaction, drive, and fulfillment that Green once felt. These women are not only a driving force in our local economy, they steer their families to even greater success. They’re multi-taskers, juggling the responsibilities of home, work, and in some cases, two jobs. What they have to offer the public runs the gamut from tempting hand-dipped chocolate treats to deals on designer clothes, from advice on protecting personal property to expertise on designing homes. It is absolutely crystal clear that these ladies love what they do, so much so that several of them are even planning to expand their businesses. Karen Brown recently did. She and her two daughters dominate a part of Main Street in Luzerne with four consignment shops: My Sister’s Closet, My Teen’s Closet, Baby and Beyond, and their newest endeavor, Cinderella and Her Fella, an outlet for discounted prom dresses and other formal wear. Because Brown is very selective about what hangs on her racks, her customers get practically brand-new, brand-name clothes such as Talbots and Chico’s at a fraction of the cost. It doesn’t hurt that “there are some major shopaholics out there,” she said, referring to some of the women who buy new wardrobes every season and consign their barely worn suits, sweaters, and skirts to her shop. What makes her business even more special is that she works with her daughters. Brittany runs My Teen’s Closet while Nicole takes care of Baby and Beyond. “This is the best thing I’ve ever done,” Brown said. A short distance away in Forty Fort is a virtual oasis from the fast-paced lives most of us experience. The warm and inviting ambiance of Sugar’s Tearoom & Gift Shoppe is as soothing as thevariety of teas and freshly baked scones that are served inside. It’s a place where you’ll find seven-year-old children dressing up in costumes and making crafts to content 90-year-olds sipping apple spice tea. Cheryl Roman’s business not only takes her back to her childhood, where tea parties were cherished events, it also allows her to indulge her passions for baking, entertaining, and decorating. Her creative talents are evident inside as well as outdoors. Sugar’s, 1250 Wyoming Ave., is encircled with colorful hanging flower baskets and seasonal wreaths. Greeting visitors inside is a dazzling display case of trinkets and other gifts. There are two floors of tea rooms where soups, sandwiches, and desserts are served with just about any variety of tea one can imagine. The mother of daughters Bianca and Hannah agrees that operating her business is a lot of hard work, but she’s quick to add, “I thrive on hard work.” Early next year, she plans to expand her business to include children’s etiquette classes, for which she’s certified to teach. Forty Fort is also home to businesses run by Kathi Hamilton, Terry Alberico-Rarig , Patricia Kupstas, and Ann Marie Mancini. Kathi Hamilton has a master’s degree in nutrition, but for the past 27 years she’s worked for Allstate, handling thousands of policies. “I just keep forgetting to leave,” she joked during a recent visit to her office at 998 Wyoming Ave. “My clients are my extended family.” These same clients were supportive when Kathi lost her husband four years ago, and they always ask about her 12-year-old son, Robert. Equally concerned about them, Kathi urges her clients to update their policies at least every two years and to not scrimp on liability coverage, considering the very litigious age in which we live. Always on the go, the Back Mountain resident said she wouldn’t have it any other way. She thrives on being busy and plans on working until she’s 75. Kathi believes that women in business bring a very special quality to their jobs. “We truly care,” she said. Her neighbor, Terry Alberico-Rarig, has two jobs. She’s a registered nurse, which she refers to as her intellectual career, and is the owner of Peppermint Place, her creative one. The Swoyersville resident took two years off from nursing five years ago to open Peppermint Place, 954 Wyoming Ave., the site of the former Cavanaugh’s candy store. Sure it’s a little hard managing two careers, she said, but she has no plans on giving up either one. “There’s not much time for fun, but this is my fun,” she said, referring to her candy and gift store where she sells hand-dipped chocolate everything - cookies, candy, popcorn, pretzels, chips, marshmallows and Swedish fish, which swim off the shelves as fast as she puts them there. She also specializes in decorative gift baskets and platters and takes pleasure in featuring locally made items like candles and afghans in her store. A 10- to 12-hour work day is something she’s used to, and like some of the other women in this article, she plans to expand her business onto her second floor and add a clothing line. Pat Kupstas and Ann Marie Mancini were co-workers at Touch of Eyelet Floral & Gift Shop before buying the business and eventually moving to a larger location at 1188 Wyoming Ave. Their store is a panorama of seasonal gifts, centerpieces, and floral arrangements. With more space now, their Victorian-style home provides an elegant setting for their new line of home decor furnishings, lamps, and unique gifts. Because they intentionally don’t over buy, that glistening snowman you may have had your eye on could be gone before Black Friday, the traditional mad shopping rush to Christmas. “You snooze, you lose,” is their motto, Pat said. This Christmas, Touch of Eyelet will be adorned in traditional reds, greens and whites - a break from past seasons of glittering golds and silvers. Because they go all out for Christmas, it was a surprise to hear that Fall is their busiest season. “You can’t find a turkey or a pilgrim to save your life,” said Pat. But that’s not the case in their store. Farther down the avenue into Exeter is where you’ll find a 72-year-old restaurant and a furniture store with a centennial history. You’d never guess that Grico’s owner Pat Greenfield has no formal training in food. The restaurateur, caterer, and former food columnist always liked to cook but never did so for large groups. Now, on her busiest days, she prepares 150 “ made to order” meals at her restaurant, located at 1074 Wyoming Ave. She also has a second eatery at 311 Market Street in Kingston. In addition, she caters parties almost every weekend, sometimes six or seven. And as if that’s not enough, she hosts cooking demonstrations for small groups at $75 a person. “I cook, you eat,” she said. The price includes watching her whip up everything from appetizers to desserts. They’re so popular, she said, “they have taken on a life of their own.” Then there’s her newest endeavor “For Women Who Wine.” “It’s just an evening of wine, women, and maybe some song!,” she said. Stanley Grico opened the restaurant in 1935. Twenty years ago and fully aware that many restaurants go under, Pat bought it from the Del Priore family. “I’m really stubborn,” she said. “There’s no way I was going to fail.” As they say, the rest is history. Ronne Kurlancheek is following in the footsteps of father Ben and grandfather Jacob, who opened the family’s first furniture store on Main Street in Duryea 102 years ago. After years of working with family members, including her brother, Paul, she is now her own boss at Kurlancheek Home Furnishings, 1950 Wyoming Ave., Exeter. “I can make it my own now,” she said. Apparently she has done just that. Her business is half furniture, half interior design, and she makes house calls. Not one to be cowed by the big furniture chains, the businesswoman said, “We don’t act or look like them at all. We needed to be different.” She’s been in the business for 26 years, taking a break only to go back to school to study computer graphic design. Opportunity also knocked a few years back when a former customer of hers, Lou Domiano, asked her to build up his small furniture store in Exeter. She bought it two years ago and realized her dream of making her own mark. Another local woman who is carrying on her family’s business is Kristin Billek. The owner of Trucksville Pharmacy never had any doubt that she would return to the Back Mountain after graduating from Wyoming Valley West and getting her degree from St. John’s University in New York. Kristin’s destiny was pretty much set: she would work side by side with her father, Neil. He passed away, though, two months before she graduated, but not before reassuring her that she was ready to fill his shoes. Trucksville Pharmacy, located at 13 Carverton Road, has been in the family for more than 50 years. Billek has run the business for the past 11 years. Her sister, Sarah, also works there. The oldest of four children, Billek also teaches pharmaceutical classes at Wilkes University. What she likes best about her pharmacy are the personal relationships she has with her customers and being able to provide services that distinguish an independent pharmacy like hers from the big chains. “I know what everybody had for dinner last night, and I know what kind of curtains they’re hanging up today,” she said, laughing. As if on cue, a customer picking up a prescription one recent Saturday morning asked her, “What would we do without you?” Bookmark with:
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