Business: Country Curtains
Address: 233 S. Main St., Naperville
Phone/website: 630-527-4900, www.countrycurtains.com
Store manager: Ann Solomon, 13 years
Opening date: August 2002. The company itself is 60 years old.
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What does this business sell? “Country Curtains is a ready-made curtain business with gifts and accessories available throughout the store,” manager Ann Solomon said. “In the past several years we’ve added many custom lines as well. We’re not just ready-made, we’ve expanded into custom blinds, woven woods, curtains. We can customize with many fabrics or we can customize our own curtains as well.”
What was the impetus for starting this business? “It started out as a catalog business and just continued to grow.”
Why open in Naperville? “I know (the owners) wanted to be in Naperville. We started out as a catalog business and our catalog drives show us where our customers live. We had a lot of customers here in the Naperville area, so they thought this would be the perfect location. We did have a store out in Arlington Heights at the time, but that has since closed.”
Did the city of Naperville help you in your plans? “They were extremely helpful. I mean, we are so blessed to have parking, our own parking lot out front. That’s just a blessing here in town. They were just so accommodating with everything we needed. We had a grand opening and a ribbon cutting. You know, the town came out to support us. … People from the (Naper) Settlement came out in costume, and were here with us that day.”
When is your busiest time of year? “For us it’s probably August, September and October. It’s people are getting their homes ready for the holidays. But we’ve been very busy this April, too.”
What’s the most popular thing you sell? “The custom program has really taken off. There are a lot of homes now that have much taller or much wider windows, and we can accommodate that now. But the grommet curtains (which have a ring sewn inside the curtain) are very popular right now. … There’s a lot of navy, that’s really introduced itself in again. But people are doing a lot of neutrals, and a lot of gray.”
What is the best thing about running this business? “Oh, the customers are awesome. The customers that come in here are so pleasant to work with. They really desire help, and that’s nice. We get a lot of repeat business. It’s just been great to build relationships with people from the community and with people from other communities that come all the way here as a destination to shop.”
Tell us about your most memorable customer. “A group of friends came in. Their friend had cancer, and so her friends wanted to fix up her bedroom for her. They ordered some curtains for her, and some bedding. And redid her room for her because she was going to be spending so much time in there. That was special.”
What is the biggest misconception about your business? “I think the word ‘country’ in the name. We offer all kinds and varieties of styles and decoration, not just country but also modern, traditional and contemporary. … I think what shocks many people when they walk in is that we have so many accessories and gifts. Really, we cater to everyone. Pillows, lamps and shades, rods and hardware, candles, you know, everything home decor.”
How would you describe your business philosophy? “We have a commitment to customer service. The owner and founder, who passed (away) a few years back, she just was all about making the customer happy and making your home a place to gather. A commitment to the community and to community service. We are involved a lot in downtown activities and charities.”
If you weren’t do this, what would you be doing? “Traveling Europe!” Solomon chuckles. “I loved when I worked in clothing retail, too.”
How has your business changed over the years? “The styles have definitely changed a lot over the years. And I think adding the custom designs has really opened up our business to more customers also.”
Daina Saleh is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.