Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / March 29, 1990, edition 1 / Page 6
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PAGE A6 Winston-Salem Chronicle MARCH 29, Business Briefs BUSINESS PROFILE Greeting card, florist business blossoms at Special Occasions By ROBIN BARKSDALE Community News Editor Ed and Miriam McCarter had always loved to send and collect greeting cards. But little did they ever suspect that that passion eventually would lead them out of the teaching profession and into business for themselves. selling card racks. The McCarters visited the gentleman's home and discovered that he actually had owned his own card shop in Mount Airy but that his poor health had forced him to shut down his operation. "I'm a card person, in fact, we both are," said Mrs. McCarter. "He didn't just have card racks, he had a full stock in his basement," Mrs. McCarter said. '"We bought all the stuff. Then it McCarters in the business. Special Occasions. Mrs. McCarter began attend ing design classes to become more familiar with the floral business. When the co-worker left the busi ness, Mrs. McCarter was prepared to handle the florist end on her own. "With both of us being education-oriented, we wanted to have books and to have all kinds of books. We started with reading materials. Now we get calls from people in California who don’t have these kinds of things available. We try to keep up with whatever books are just coming out and we order them so that our customers can read about them and get them here." — Miriam McCarter Today, Special Occasions is three businesses in one. The store offers a full-line florist and bridal service, a book store stocked with all types of black books and a line of church supplies. "We like sending cards and we couldn't find any black cards any where. We went to the library to look up manufacturers that had black card lines. They started sending us cards and we started moonlighting cards among the people that we were working with. Sometimes we'd come home at the end of the day and we would have sold $100 worth of cards." And the entrepreneurial wheels began to turn for the McCarters, who both were teach ers in the local school system at the time. Through a newspaper ad, they came across a man who was ended up in my basement." The next step for the McCarters, who still were work ing full lime, was to find a build ing from which they could market their supplies. They began in one of the smaller buildings in Jetway Shopping Center. Their customer list grew but many of those clients suggested that the pair offer flowers for sale as well. The only problem, Mrs. McCarter said, was that they knew nothing about being florists. But she offhandedly was mention ing their dilemma with a co-work er and discovered that that same individual was a trained designer. The co-worker joined the The book store in Special Occasions offers books by the more popular Afro-American authors such as Maya Angelou, Gwendolyn Brooks and Langston Hughes. But what makes the shop unique is its offering of black books on nearly every subject imaginable. It also features the hard-to-find books by black authors that usually have to be ordered and also books that now are out of print. Lining the shelves at Special Occasions are such black books as "Della Sigma Theta: In Search of Sisterhood," "Black Folks' Guide to Making Big Money in Ameri ca," "Getting Black Folks to Sell," "Black Life in Corporate America, "Africa News Cookbook,” "Tears for Ashan," "Fire in My Bones" and "Troubling Biblical Waters." Special Occasions also has slocked "I Dream A World," one of the best-selling black books currently on the market. The McCarters' collection of books by. for and about blacks fills the section of their store that Ed and Miriam McCarter have turned their iove of greeting cards and books into a viable ness at Speciai Occasions. once was a building housing a separate business. The collection is a special source of pride for the McCarters. "With both of us being educa tion-oriented, we wanted to have books and to have all kinds of books," said Mrs. McCarter. "We started with reading materials. Now we get calls from people in California who don't have these kinds of things available. We try to keep up with whatever books are just coming out and we order them so that our customers can read about them and get them here." Mrs. McCarter said that her husband is a "born salesman" so that when the two decided to leave the teaching profession to open their own business, she was n't as apprehensive as she might of been. And while she admits that she occasionally misses teaching, she is content to do without the "extras" that came along with the job. "I miss teaching but I don't miss all the tangential kinds of. things that go with it. And you can't teach without the tangential things," she said. "My husband has always been a salesman. Ed is a entrepreneur, he has an entrepreneur's mind. Even when he was teaching, he sold cars, insurance, Amway, He's a born salesman. I'm not as assertive as he is but I guess we have a blend of the business and the humanitar ian. We find it challenging to just stay ahead." Being husband and wife and business partners as well can also be challenging, Mrs. McCarter said. "It's hard sometimes but you. must separate your personi from your work day," she sai "But it's the same wil job. You have to leave you sonal life at home. You don'i it to the office. What we'vt to do, and what we do, ii since we are together so mi each have our separate oi interests. You just can'i together 24 hours every da; out eventually grating oi another's nerves. But I play, or go shopping or travel! plays tennis and does other; he's interested in, so in well." Mrs. McCarter said tlii currently looking into expi their business and are const making their shop more acet to the students at Winston' State University. Hair by Tomi is Minority Business of the Month By C.B. HAUSER Special to the Chronicle Hair by Tomi Inc. was named the Minority Business of the Month at the meeting of the East Area Council of the greater Winston- Salem Chamber of Commerce held last Thursday. The award is sponsored by the F.ast Area Council in conjunction with Stouffer Winston Plaza Hotel and is awarded monthly to an area minority business. To be eligible for the award, the business selected must be in a growth position. Among other criteria, the business must be professional, have a good business attitude and be involved in community activities. Hair by Tomi Inc. is owned and operated by Thomasene Richard and is located in the Northside Shopping Center. It was opened in July 1985 and incorporated in 1988. ■fhe business has grown in five years from a two-chair shop annexed to a home to a five-chair sttloii providing a full range of ser vices and employing a staff of five. Prior to opening her own salon, Mrs. Richard had more than 20 ::i DAVID C. HINTON Certified Public Accountant 1001 S. Marshall St. #58 Winston-Salem, NC 27101 (919) 724-4261 ' Accounting • Computer Consultation • Auditing • Income Tax Planning > Bookkeeping • Income Tax Preparation • Management Advisory Services Thomasene Richard, owner-operator of Hair by Tomi inc., displays a plaque won by her salon as, from left. Sunny Jewel, vice president of membership of the Greater Winston-Salem Chamber of Com merce, James Grace, chair of the East Winston Community Development Corp., and Tom Marello, general manager of the Stouffer Winston Plaza Hotel, look on. hair salons around the world as part of the Air Force and Army years of experience in shops and exchange prnvram. Monthly winners receive a newsletter and dinner for two at the plaque, a photo and articles in the Stouffer. Winners also are eligible Chronicle and the Chamber's for the Business of the Year Award. r A From France Enamelled cast iron coobware Fashion • Quality Longevity Available in your favorite department and gourmet stores IRA: Smart' Investment start the new decade with your eye on the future. Open or contribute to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) at First Federal Savings Bank. We offer guaranteed rates, safety, convenience and a variety of invest ment plans — one that's right for you! And remember, an IRA can hel[ you save on taxes. So get off to a smart start in the 90's with an IRA from First Federal. Call today and speak with one of our Customer Service Representatives. - (919) 723-3604 - for the 901s, O .. and Beyond FIRST FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK List of locations: 230 N. Cherry Street • Stratford Road • Reynolda Road Robin flood Ctr. • Hanes Mall • Parkview Shopping Ctr. Stanleyville • Clemmons • Mocksville FDIC Insured
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