Featuring Shopaholic!
Our neighbor down Main Street is supplying the insulated travel tumblers for our café, and we are delighted to feature this exquisite shop here on our blog. Owner Debbie Gaydos graciously shared her story with us, and you’re in for a treat!
CC: Tell us about how you opened your beautiful shop!
DG: I opened Shopaholic in March of 2014. After my husband passed away, I retired from Ft Rucker and chose to take a very different journey. I took on the daunting task of renovating the space that now houses Shopaholic on Main Street to create a charming and welcoming space for military spouses to showcase and sell their work.
CC: I love the fact that you feature local talent and give creative military folks an outlet. Tell me more about that.
DG: As many of you who are military spouses know, there is an abundance of talent in this community, and the level of creativity of many of these spouses is unparalleled. Since its opening, Shopaholic has provided opportunities for over 40 military spouses and active duty personnel to display and sell their work to the wider Enterprise community. Products range from jewelry to home furnishings and the perfect flight school graduation gifts.
CC: What keeps you on your toes when it comes to running a retail shop?
DG: Well, I get bored easily, so redesigning and finding new products is a big part of what keeps me going. Over the years there have been many changes in personnel and products. Keeping up with trends has been one of the most interesting parts of the job. The most fun part of the store is meeting so many new people from all over the world and building those relationships!
CC: What are you most proud of when it comes to Shopaholic?
DG: Creating an experience for the consumer by offering free tea, coffee, or lemonade while browsing the merchandise. [Ed: It really is a wonderful experience!] I am also proud of how I renovated this space to feature exposed brick, crystal chandeliers, and stained concrete floors. It is simultaneously glamorous and earthy.
CC: Why Enterprise?
DG: Opening a store in Downtown Enterprise was the only place I considered. I love the quaint sidewalks, the high energy feel of the Downtown community, its historic store fronts, and all the welcoming shopkeepers.
We are super excited that Shopaholic is supplying our engraved drink tumblers. Partnering with and promoting other downtown businesses is very high on our priority list, and we are thrilled to have such fantastic neighbors on Main Street. Check out our video feature on Shopaholic below!
