(*A philocalist is someone who finds and appreciates beauty in all things.)
By Rachel Dutil • Photos by Jessica McCafferty
A shop that soothes the soul. That description aptly defines A Beautiful Mess gift shop on Margaret Street in Plattsburgh. Upbeat music welcomes patrons to the small, tastefully decorated downtown shop. The wide variety of beautiful things and the positive energy of the space gives it an inviting feel.
Carolyn Tetreault always wanted to be an entrepreneur. She ran her own Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm from 1994 until her 2022 retirement. Her next venture was the purchase and renovation of the Chazy train station, turning it into a coffee and gift shop. She later sold the property and opted to rent in the higher traffic downtown Plattsburgh location.
“I love this space,” Tetreault exclaimed. “When I was a kid, it was the main floor of Merkel’s Department Store. Its original brick walls, wood floors and tin ceilings are still here for you to admire. One of the biggest advantages of our space is its large Margaret Street-facing windows,” she offered. Her daughter, Nicolette Terry, has been part of the business from the start. Mother and daughter come up with ideas and build window displays around themes. They’ve done a summer camping theme, holiday music theme and currently feature a fall foliage theme. “Nicolette has a knack for taking concepts and then designing the space,” Tetreault noted. “They are really popular with customers.” In addition, Terry does most of the merchandising in the store. “Her artistic vision shapes the décor. She arranges things in ways that are very eye catching,” her proud mother/business partner emphasized.
Carefully Selected Products
As a woman-owned business, Tetreault takes pride in carrying products from other women-owned businesses. She has been offering products from Farmhouse Fresh since she opened the shop. “They produce skincare and perfume products that use farm-sourced ingredients. People just love them.” Hers is the only gift shop locally that carries the line. She also carries Poppy and Pout, a popular women-owned lip gloss line.
Also to be found at A Beautiful Mess are a variety of books, candles, perfumes, bath and body products, word signs, unique baby gifts, hats, mugs, and nonalcoholic drink mixes. “We don’t handle a lot of men’s stuff. That’s a tricky area,” she admitted. Tetreault and Terry are usually in agreement about the types of products they’d want to carry. “We really try to avoid anything made in China,” she emphasized.
The focus for A Beautiful Mess is to remain unique. “We have products that no one else has,” she offered, “things that are not carried at Target, Walmart or other large retailers.”
Stocking the Shelves
In the early days of the gift shop, Tetreault and her daughter traveled to New York City to attend gift shows with thousands of vendors. They were able to test products, see what caught their attention and place their orders. They were regular attendees at the shows until the pandemic hit. Now they source products through online wholesalers and sometimes by browsing gift shops in other regions. If they find a product they like, they purchase it and then contact the company. Sometimes customers suggest products. You can also find offerings from local artisans in the store, but when it comes to consignments, Tetreault avoids them. “They can get complicated,” she explained.
Persevering
Asked about the effect of the pandemic, Tetreault described it as “Devastating.” Her store struggled during the shutdown. She downsized her rented space to save money and she utilized social media to communicate with customers. “We made it accessible for people to shop even though they couldn’t come in,” she recalled. “They could call or message us and place an order and pay via Venmo or PayPal and we would leave their order in the front foyer of the shop or Nicolette would deliver to people’s doorstep. It got us through that lockdown period.”
In 2023, the city’s downtown construction impacted business as well. Sales dropped about 18%. Fortunately, Tetreault said business has rebounded to where it was coming out of the pandemic. Future plans? She hoping to brighten the shop in the coming year with some fresh paint and bring back special events.
Downtown Together
Tetreault enjoys being a part of downtown Plattsburgh and would love to see more businesses locate in the area. As a CPA, she did audits for municipalities who received grants and loans to help new businesses get up and running. “For someone to do this type of business, you need a lot of cash or have the ability to borrow,” she said. While she was fortunate to be able to self-fund her business, she recognizes that start-up can be daunting, “but there’s space for people to come in.”
Getting Ready
Tetreault is already planning for Small Business Saturday (November 30), the kickoff to the busy holiday shopping season. Make sure to mark your calendar so you won’t miss the exciting reveal of their beautiful holiday window displays, have an opportunity to browse their distinctive merchandise and meet the Mess’s special staff. “We have such a supportive group that works together here,” Tetreault said proudly. “Everyone is friendly, outgoing and enjoys interacting with customers.” Pat Reyell-Macmannis, a long-time employee and high school friend of Tetreault’s, excels at customer service and the joy and pride she takes in her work comes through in her interactions with customers. “We get a lot of praise from new people who come in and then come back and bring their friends. We have so many regular customers we know by name, and we know what they are looking for.”
A Beautiful Mess
74 Margaret Street
Plattsburgh, NY 12901
518 802-7684
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