By Sara DiMantova
The Small Business Spotlight series features small businesses and their owners, to get a feel for what truly makes Southwest Raleigh a great place to live, work, learn, and play: the people.
Today’s post shines a Spotlight on Pam Blondin, founder of Deco Raleigh, a boutique shop in downtown featuring over 60 local artists. Deco aims to provide “fresh and diverse perspectives with affordable prices and an ever-changing selection.” Deco is one of my favorite new-ish spots to shop now in downtown, and I was really excited to chat with Pam, even via email.
swral: Who is / are the brains behind Deco?
I am Pam Blondin, and while I am the founder and owner of Deco Raleigh, my entire family has contributed in immeasurable ways. This is definitely the nature of a small business, especially because it is my first foray into retail. Prior to opening Deco a year ago, I was a non-profit executive for almost 30 years.
swral: What inspired you to open Deco?
My family moved to Raleigh almost 20 years ago. The first time my husband and I came downtown in the early 1990s, we were shocked to see…absolutely nothing. It was such a contrast to our home towns of Washington, DC and Madison, WI, where the streets are alive with things to see and do. We’ve watched and enjoyed a renaissance in downtown—great restaurants, bars, events, and some awesome specialty shops. But every time I went to another town and walked through a great shopping district, I found myself wondering why this was missing from downtown Raleigh. I love Cameron Village, but it’s not the same feel as an organic, “main street” shopping experience. So, after getting my fill of the non-profit world, I decided to do some research and see if I could open the kind of store I had been wishing for.
swral: What made you choose the location in southwest Raleigh / downtown?
There was no question that the store would be downtown… that was really where the idea started. During my 18 months of research, many people tried to talk me into going to Cameron Village or a more established shopping area. But having a non-profit background, the first thing I wrote for my business plan was a mission statement…and that revolved around bringing cool shopping to downtown.
swral: Any future plans for Deco? Expansion?
We just had our one year anniversary, so it’s been all about creating good relationships with our customers, finding great artisans, and building inventory. Once we recover from the whirlwind of the holidays, I plan to sit down and consider options. I’ve had several requests for additional locations, but I’m not sure that’s in the cards… so much of what gives the store it’s personality is the location (which I NEVER plan to leave, if I can help it!!) and the close connection to the community. I could see expanding into additional space in downtown Raleigh one day, but that’s more a concept than a reality at this point. I’ve also had requests for online ordering, but again, that’s not really part of who we are… the store is just as much about the physical space and the shopping experience as it is about the products.
I love Pam’s answer to this question. I love going into Deco and just wandering, especially on First Fridays and other community events. I won’t be the only one happy to find out that Pam plans to stay for the long-run!
swral: What holiday events do you have coming up?
I’m a holiday GEEK, so we celebrate a lot. On weekends, we have treats to eat and drink while shopping. We are doing several holiday shopping days that benefit local non-profits, including our designated charity, the Green Chair Project.
- December 11, 10% of all sales for the day will go to the Beehive Collective, a local giving circle
- December 12, we are partnering with King’s Buy Local Bazaar presented by Cirque de Vol Studios…they are having a local shopping party at Kings Barcade and we’re going to stay open late that night for additional evening LOCAL shopping.
- Last year we started a new tradition of a late night “Last Minute Shopping Party” a few days before Xmas… date and deals will be announced via social media!
Find Deco on 19 West Hargett Street in downtown, next to Nora & Nicky’s Consignment, one block off Fayetteville Street. Follow Pam and Deco-doings on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to hear about sales, special events and visitors, and new artist offerings. Thanks so much to Pam for chatting with us. Congrats for one full year in business, and we can’t wait to see what the future brings!