The Greentree Home Interview
Our Small Business Ecosystem
Generating Joy and Beauty: An Interview with The Punctilious Mr. P’s Place Card Co. and Dwell Home Supply.
The Text:
Greentree Home: The Punctilious Mr. P’s Place Card Co. and Dwell Home Supply! Thank you for talking with us. We are so excited to highlight your stories from within our larger ecosystem of small retail businesses. To begin with, can you share a bit about what inspired you to start your unique shops? And how were you able to grow a passion into a sustainable business?
Andrea: My love for design and appreciation for beautiful things developed early on (my mom was an interior designer). I ended up taking a different career path, and then when I turned 50 almost three years ago, I feel like I had an awakening. I started dreaming up the idea of opening a shop and was determined it wasn’t too late for a career change. Over the years, I had dabbled in retail. I genuinely enjoyed the experience of helping customers and valued the experience of shopping in person. This is how Dwell Home Supply came to be! We went online a little over two years ago, did pop-ups and eventually opened our storefront on Main Street in Davidson, NC a year and a half ago. We are building the business slowly. It’s a small operation – mainly me right now!
Karen: Seven years ago, I was staring into the face of turning 50 and took a chance on living and working guided by my true north. A compass of my own shaped by my own experience (not one passed to me by society or family) – this pointed to joy. The audacity to change the world for the better, one dinner party at a time, with the place card as the key that unlocks a circle of belonging. Isn’t that absolutely crazy? Our dear friends thought we lost our minds. But now, many years later, the phone calls we receive, the emails and the in-person expressions of joy from our clients let us know we are on the right road.
Greentree Home: Can you share more about the heart and vision behind Mr. P’s and Dwell Home Supply?
Karen & Martin: One night, we were clearing plates after guests had gone home. Martin expressed a distaste for seeing the blank backs of place cards. He thought there should be a beautiful image that set the tone of the tablescape. Karen had been toying with the idea of the Joy Economy as an intersection between purpose and commerce, and here it was: the place card as a welcome gesture! It centered on the best time of the day, when we gather with friends over a good meal. Everything is animated when guests gather to “celebrate, cherish and connect” (the three C’s of Mr. P's).
Andrea: When I first came up with the concept of Dwell Home Supply, it was important to source merchandise from artisans and other small businesses. I have always had an appreciation and love for artisan made things. Whether it’s pottery, candles, glassware or wooden goods, I feel you just can’t beat the beauty, character and quality of items crafted by hand. I’m drawn to muted, rich earth tones and textures – so I knew I needed to stay true to my own personal style in creating a space that felt put together and intentional, authentic and welcoming.
Greentree Home: Clearly joy and beauty are central to your missions at both Mr. P's and Dwell Home Supply. Can you say more about how these values play out on the scale of your business?
Andrea: I believe in approaching everything in life, including my business, with intention. It is important to me to source products that have a story. I feel a shopping experience is so much richer when you can learn where and how things are made, and by whom. I also think there is nothing more beautiful than genuineness and kindness. I always have a candle burning in the shop, music playing and the door open. I’ve been told by many customers they love the aesthetic of the shop, and how it makes them “feel.” I don’t think I could receive a better compliment than that.
Karen & Martin: Starting a business is like making your dreams come true. We both come from a generational ethos of “no pain, no gain.” The fashion mantra was about “exclusion.” To challenge these ideas and base a business on “good times” and “inclusion” took courage. When we conceived of the Joy Economy, we took a chance on a new kind of business success metric: joy. We measure our success by the ripple effect of the “joy reaction” – we as creatives ignite a spark in our clients, who then share that enthusiasm with the people at their table, who perhaps enact further kindnesses because they feel so good. What is worth doing is worth doing for joy.
Greentree Home: We have heard candles mentioned a couple times – how would you describe the role candles play in your craft of curating?
Karen & Martin: At Mr. P's, mood is everything. Our black dining room is lit by real burning candles, mixed with single lumen bulbs that flicker like candles. In this light, people look gorgeous and modern cares melt away. You see their mood and not their flaws. Candlelight casts a magical spell that stops time. We love the Jane Austen usage of “incandescent” to describe euphoria. Within this cocoon of light, we make space for intimacy, trust and mystery. The conversations flow from this cradle and people reveal themselves and connect.
Andrea: I have always LOVED candles. I had never seen anything like Greentree Home candles before, and I knew I needed them in my store. Fun fact: Greentree Home was the very first inquiry I sent when I started my business, and one of my first signed vendors. I use tapers on every shelf, coffee table and tablescape. I believe in real candlelight, real plants or flowers and lots of books.
Greentree Home: Of all the Greentree Home designs and colors, do you have any personal favorites?
Andrea: My two favorite styles are the Columns and Rope Tapers, though I truly think the candles are all so beautiful and get excited when new styles come out. I love the detail in the Rope Tapers and the boldness of the Columns. I would have to say it is a toss up between terra cotta and antique for my favorite color. I love the warmth of the terra cotta, and antique is so gorgeous and unique.
Karen & Martin: Our favorite thing is the color palette! There is a kinship of color that we adore in the beautiful palette of greentree Home's hand poured beeswax candles. Our value proposition in presenting Greentree Home candles to our audience is minimizing the anxiety of choice and saving time from the many stores they’d have to visit. They trust our eye, commitment to quality and selection of suppliers. We’re really grateful that Greentree Home is a kindred spirit.
Greentree Home: We are grateful for you all too! As small business owners who give so much joy to your communities, what are some creative ways that you inject joy into your own everyday lives?
Karen & Martin: We have many years under our belt as a couple, and we are trying this new thing where we begin each conversation with a compliment. It makes us laugh before we launch into serious topics of discussion.
Andrea: As a mom and business owner, life can get busy. I try to find ways to feel grounded and bring peace to my day. As silly as it sounds, I love the ritual of opening my shop in the morning. I may have dealt with grumpy teens and checking things off my to do list earlier that morning but when I am there and I turn on my Spotify playlist, light the candle, flip the sign to say OPEN…I feel present and know I am where I need to be.
Thank you to Karen, Martin and Andrea for being part of our small business ecosystem and so generously sharing your stories with us!
Dwell Home Supply is a curated collection of quality homeware with a focus on supporting artisans and small businesses. Learn more here: Dwell Home Supply Web site. Visit Dwell Home Supply at 432 South Main Street in Davidson, North Carolina.
The Punctilious Mr. P’s Place Card Co. is a one stop shop for a beautiful table from people who practice their business with beautiful values. Learn more here: The Punctilious Mr. P’s Place Card Co. web site.
BUSY BEE TIP
Greentree Home: Martin, Karen and Andrea – you each have gathered a bounty of wisdom during your years of experience. We would love to hear your advice for those who aspire to grow their own small business.
Andrea: Be patient, be persistent, and stay true to yourself. Know that you will make mistakes and that it is harder than it looks, but there are definitely rewards for pursuing something you feel passionate about. I have never felt more alive than I do now, and I know it’s because I am doing what I love.
Karen & Martin: Our real world is moving faster in the digital age. Keep up the best you can with technological changes. Be a lifelong learner. “Let the voice of your creativity be louder than the voice of your anxiety.”
Entrepreneurship is a vulnerable space – no matter how talented, smart, wise and strong you are. It tests your resolve, stamina and faith. So long as your scale tips positive, you can keeping moving forward. While people may take a job they dislike, they never start a business they dislike. Small businesses are the heart of the joy economy.