Posted on Sunday, 6th December 2009 by admin
CORPUS CHRISTI Deb Wilson: Owner, A Mano
Address: 1726 State Highway 361, Tower Center, Suite K, Port Aransas, TX 78373
Phone: 361-749-1828
Web site: www.amano-mexico.com
Company description: Retail store offering imports from colonial Mexico, including folk art, Talavera ceramics, glassware, pottery, jewelry, textiles and home décor.
Hometown: Monroe, Wis.
Years in business: Five
Tenure in position: Five years
Education: Graduated from Monroe High School in 1968. In 1973, I earned an undergraduate degree at University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, Wis. I completed graduate work at University of Wisconsin, Lacrosse, Wis., in 1988.
First job: At 13, I detasseled corn for the DeKalb Corn Co. in northern Illinois. It was hard work, but we found ways to make it fun. I did that for two summers and then went to work for the local recreation department.
Career break: I retired and moved to the Coastal Bend after spending more than 25 years working in higher education. I sat for a year and then went back to work in academic advising at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. While I was there, I took two groups of students to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, for service projects. At the time, my husband and I were building a vacation home there. I retired again in 2003.
Business turning point: When it was time to decorate the house in Mexico, I took trips into the mountains looking for local art and furniture. I already had worked with native peoples in Wisconsin and loved handmade arts and crafts. I kept bringing carloads of folk art and crafts home, until I started selling some at local craft fairs here in the Coastal Bend. People would ask, “Where’s your store?” It went so well, my husband supported me opening a store at the first location on Tarpon Street in “old town” Port Aransas. We were there for 4 1/2 years, when we saw this location and knew it would be better — more visibility and more space. The American Bank in Port Aransas gave me the financial support I needed and we moved early this year. I wanted to be handicapped-accessible and needed dressing rooms. We have doubled our merchandise and sales are up 30 percent since the move.
Business philosophy: Listen to your customers. I had a vision for the store, but when customers responded to certain items like textiles and Talavera ceramics, I made them a major part of my inventory. I try to find unique things and make the store a fun place. I have a great staff that allows me to travel to Central America and find the merchandise.
How is the current economy affecting your business? We are keeping our prices as low as possible. You realize that you may take a hit, but at a certain price point, even during a recession, customers will come and buy.
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Tags: Deb Wilson, Wilson
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