It seems only fitting to pay tribute to my life for the past 12 years, my retail store.

After 16 years in the event and catering business I opened my first retail store in November of 1997 in Marina del Rey. The store contained two businesses in one location. A retail store with gifts, greeting cards, and fine stationery and an invitation studio where although we did custom stationery, holiday cards, invitations and announcements for every occasion, we specialized in wedding invitations.

After 10 years in Marina del Rey we moved the store to Plaza El Segundo in the city of El Segundo. It was a beautiful store. We called the shopping center home until the end of May this year. This difficult economy has personally affected so many people and our retail store was no exception. Although our invitation business is booming, our current economy could no longer support our 1600 sq ft retail store. On May 31st I closed that chapter of my life and closed my “retail” store. On June 1^st we re-opened Wrapsody Invitations at our new store front location in downtown El Segundo. We love our new home. Downtown El Segundo although a very quaint small town, is becoming known as a hot, hip little area with great restaurants and small businesses. As a resident of El Segundo for the past 17 years, I am excited that I found the perfect location for Wrapsody’s new home in a town I love.

Closing the store was a happy yet emotional time. It had been 12 years of both ups and downs of which both there were many. With all of the joys and stress that owning your own business can bring I must say there was so much joy. I loved what I did. The biggest reason was because I love working with the public. I was very fortunate, these past 12 years I have had the best customers any store owner could possibly ask for. My customers became my friends.

Now that the closing of our retail store is behind me, I look forward to the future. I could not be where I am today if I had not been where I had been. The retail store helped me build my invitation business over the past 12 years. I am excited about the new studio, all of the new brides I am meeting, and our old customers that are continuing to bring us business or just come by to say hi and visit.

I would like to thank all of my customers over the past 12 years for bringing so much joy to my life, their constant support and their business. Now I look forward to my future in our new invitation studio and doing what I love the most, working with brides and grooms on their wedding invitations and being lucky to be involved in one of the most important days of their lives.

Until next time . . .