The success of the Artists' Market led to a second event called Books &Authors. "When we were organizing the first Artists' Market, several writers wanted to sell their books," explains Curtin. "It dawned on me that we should organize a separate event to raise money for literacy and to celebrate local published authors." The Books & Authors event, co-sponsored by ICU Eyewear, raised funds for the Beyond Basics educational program. For each of these events, invitations and press releases were sent out by the artists, authors and charities that benefit from the event, resulting in broad media coverage.
     Thanks in part to Leon & Lulu's community-based marketing, its sales have flourished. December2009 sales were up 40 percent; and sales for all of 2009 were up 20 percent- no small feat given the challenging retail climate. States Curtin:" Any small business can afford to be a gracious host and support the local community. The out-of-pocket expense is negligible, and from a personal and business perspective, it's rewarding."
     Leon & Lulu also excels when it comes to visual merchandising and displays. Because of the store's large size, "floor room is not a problem here," states Curtin. "The question is, how do you make the 23 to 30vignettes creative and inspiring for the customer?" Each vignette contains furniture, gifts, accessories- and a plush animal. "Fun gifts get customers to stop and relax in each area," she remarks.

     Another trick is to place an interesting book on a coffee table. "The book I Was A Better Mother Before I Had Kids gets mothers laughing and sitting for a moment," shares Curtin.
     She admits that combining large and small items within each display vignette isn't always easy. The challenge, she says, is to "create balance and interest that enables both items to shine and makes the customer stop to reflect." Often, items are merchandised by color to help bring in disparate elements. "Color is key to display," Curtin states.