Peace of Mind

Julie White started the Peace of Mind Emporium in Rutland, Vermont, from a vision she had of a gift store that would provide health advice and solace in a serene environment. It would be full of light, plants, quilts, books, chimes, music, and inspirational gifts, with massage services and classes on such subjects as stress management. Staffers would counsel customers and help them find resources.

White had no previous retail experience, but she'd been a professional nurse for 20 years. At that time, there were few places in the area where people could find genuine comfort besides a church, or perhaps a bookstore. The holistic health movement had not yet reached New England.

To prepare for her retail venture, Julie attended a small-business program for women. She graduated with a business plan, but the first three banks she applied to turned her down. Finally, in 1993, the Vermont National Bank, backed by a Small Business Administration loan guarantee, granted her the financing to get started.

White searched for a location to match her mind's eye view of what her store should look like, and found it in a building that held an antique store and an arts and crafts consignment shop. She leased the third space, a 2,500-square-foot layout, and Peace of Mind Emporium opened on July 4, 1994. The store was stocked with $30,000 worth of books, music, aromatherapy products, greeting cards, jewelry, handcrafted items, and non-religious inspirational products.

Within six months, Julie White's dream store was turning a profit. (Her business plan eventually became a model for business courses conducted around the state.) But success produced growing pains: Within a couple of years, Peace of Mind was attracting 2,000 people annually to its classes, and providing 500 massages a year. Classes of 50 people were being held in a space meant for 25. Conditions became so crowded, in fact, that Julie was forced to set up a card table as an impromptu office space. The store also needed new rest rooms, storage space, air conditioning, and exterior amenities.

Then, in 1999, the 8,000-square-foot building that housed Peace of Mind was put up for sale. Julie drew up another business plan and took over the entire building with a 20-year mortgage from her original bank. She also received a loan, for renovations, from the local economic development agency.

Once the previous tenants had moved out, Julie set about creating a single store from the three separate spaces, and she did it while remaining open through the busy fall and holiday season. Yet, rather than going with the contractor who submitted the lowest bid, White chose one that she felt had a commitment to the mission of Peace of Mind. They moved a staircase, installed air-conditioning and heating ducts, and created office space, a reception area, four massage rooms, and an 1,800-square-foot solarium classroom. Meanwhile, White rewarded the workers with weekly cookies and massages. A parking lot, lighting, signage, and gardens were added outside. So good was the relationship between Peace of Mind and its builders that they even volunteered to usher at the store's annual concert to benefit the Rutland County women's shelter.

The retail space was completed in 2000. In 2001, a tea refreshment area was added to the retail section's west wing, which also includes the Peace of Mind "theme quilt," children's gifts, bath and body products, angels, and massage and yoga materials. The east wing contains a meditation alcove, Native American, Zen, and feng shui gifts, audio books, and videos. Areas for sitting, reading, and even napping are located throughout.

After almost ten years in business, Julie White has realized her vision of a gift store and relaxation center where people can turn to for solace. As she notes, "The average gift shop customer spends 20 minutes in a store. Our average length of stay is one-and-a-half hours. Some say they even want to live here."

How many retailers can say that?