Editor's Note: Every week the Source spotlights a different island business with an @Work feature. These stories are kept permanently in our Business sections.
Sep 23, 2007 — The Traveller's Tree and Interiors by Stitches, a part of the Gallow's Bay community for some time, recently combined their efforts, offering their customers a wealth of services, from interior design to last-minute gift shopping.
Fans of Traveller's liken their shopping experience to a treasure hunt.
"We have an eclectic collection from all over the world," says retail manager Sally Hopkins.
Repeat Stitches customers are known to leave the full redecoration of their homes in the hands of its employees.
"(Stitches) is the closest to a design center as you're gonna find on St. Croix," says designer Betsy Summerhayes.
Traveller's and Stitches have been a combined effort unofficially since 2004, according to Summerhayes. Customers frequently enter through one door and meander into the other store on their "hunts."
"We like to give personalized service," Hopkins says. Both stores are equipped with many ingredients to outfit the home. The stores go as far as contacting customers at home when items that may fit their needs are in stock, Hopkins says.
"I like establishing those relationships, helping customers find what they need, even after they have left the store," she says.
Traveller's offers a wide variety of products, including bedding, sinks, purses, furniture, candles, body lotions, home cleaning supplies, rugs, art and jewelry. Stitches provides services such as interior design, window treatments, heavy-duty item repairs, awnings, cushion covering, upholstery and installation.
Behind both stores is a garden center whose main focus is rare and unusual plants.
The nursery is Char Depew's territory, and has been for more than six years. Her plants are set apart from the rest because they are "alive and healthy," she says, and Depew's crew grows most of the plants in the nursery off site.
"They can find plants here that they can't find anywhere else on the island," Depew says.
Plants growing in the garden include Orchids from Hawaii — not Puerto Rico — air plants, 10 varieties of hibiscus and orange ginger Thomas — which, according to Depew, are hard to find. In keeping with the stores' personalized services, the garden center's staff provides the essentials for a flower garden, from pots to pro mix.
The Traveller's Tree, Stiches and the garden center are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Stitches is closed on Saturday, but Traveller's is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information contact The Traveller's Tree at 719-7176 or Interiors by Stitches at 773-8333.
Back Talk Share your reaction to this news with other Source readers. Please include headline, your name and city and state/country or island where you reside.
