Carol Johnson, Southern Indiana Business Report
WASHINGTON – The Christmas season lasts about a month for most of us but for one home decor store in downtown Washington, getting ready for the season of lights is a nine-month effort.
Susan Schmitt owns A Wonderful Life Home Decor and Gifts at 220 E. Main St. The shop offers everyday and seasonal home decor year-round but Schmitt said Christmas has become A Wonderful Life’s biggest and busiest season.
“We spend nine months preparing for Christmas and close for three weeks to prepare and reset the store for Christmas,” Schmitt said.
It’s a lot of work for Schmitt and her many helpers.
“We wouldn’t do it if we didn’t love it,” she said. “I’m fortunate to have great helpers.”
A Wonderful Life kicked off the season with an open house earlier in November and will participate in Discover Downtown Washington’s Small Business Saturday event Nov. 25.
The store has a wide selection of greenery, snowmen, Santas and ornaments. Gifts include jewelry, two lines of scented candles and a baby section. As the store’s reputation has grown, Schmitt said shoppers come from all over the area – Evansville, Bloomington, Indianapolis and Illinois.
“We pride ourselves in customer service,” she said. “That’s the main thing in any retail business.”
Attention to details and finely curated displays give customers an idea of how an item can look in their own home.
The store’s displays, all created in house, are a feast for the eyes. You won’t see a snowman sitting on a simple shelf. Each display is embellished with greenery and other items to complete the look.
The store’s name comes, not from the classic Christmas movie, but from a phrase Schmitt’s dad was fond of saying.
“My dad would always say, ‘It’s a wonderful life.’ It stuck with our family. Our store’s motto is, ‘A Wonderful Life making your home a wonderful place to live,” she said.
Schmitt said she didn’t have a background in retail when she opened the store in 2008, but had always dreamed of having a store reflecting her love of home decor. She said her husband and daughter have always supported the endeavor. The store moved to its current downtown location three years ago.
Small Business Saturday in Washington
A Wonderful Life will participate in Discover Downtown Washington’s Small Business Saturday event on Nov. 25. For every $5 a customer spends with a participating business, they will be entered into a drawing to win items donated by local businesses.
“We’re looking forward to it because it draws attention to supporting local businesses,” she said. “We participated last year and we were shocked at how busy we were.”
Store hours
A Wonderful Life Home Decor & Gifts is open Tuesday-Friday 10-5 p.m. and Saturday 10-3 p.m.