Jennifer Wyatthad only intended to put together a baby book for her new son. But by the time she walked out of a San Francisco Bay area scrapbooking shop, she was obsessed.
She decided she needed to open a scrapbooking store. But the dream had to wait about three years until she'd relocated to Mesa and found a space downtown and a partner.In just five years, Mystic Paper has become a destination store for some scrapbook artists, as well as paper, mixed-media and altered-art artists.
Some customers only know the store online. Wyatt and her partner, Kim Johnson, carry an esoteric inventory of hard-to-find papers, small and unusual objects and trinkets, and a potpourri of nearly everything associated with paper arts.
They also offer a regular schedule of classes on all phases of paper arts, scrapbooking and journaling.
"It's not a typical scrapbook store," Wyatt acknowledged.
She and Johnson described a "typical" scrapbook store as bright, organized, sterile, "with cutesy, girlie, sparkly products."
Customers won't find any "soccer paper, princess paper or sock puppets" at Mystic Paper. Offerings tend to lean toward vintage, retro and even Victorian styles. Colors are intense, but rarely eye-popping bright.
"Our philosophy is different," Wyatt said. "We both like antiques and, as a graphic artist, I'm always happiest when I'm creating something."
Wyatt met Johnson during a foray along Mesa's Main Street when she walked into Johnson's antique store and struck up a conversation in an attempt to learn more about renting a storefront along the street.
Johnson and her husband were, in fact, getting ready to move their store into new quarters, and had sufficient space available for Wyatt to rent a corner to begin her scrapbooking business.
"I wanted to be on a street with other stores and businesses," Wyatt said, "a street where people could walk to shop."
By 2004, Johnson and Wyatt were combining forces, reducing the store's emphasis on antiques and expanding the paper inventory.
"Most of our customers are artists, rather than scrapbookers, primarily working in mixed media and altered art forms. We offer classes centered on some newer techniques and different product use," Wyatt said.
While the classes and distinctive product lines have helped draw customers to the store, it's Wyatt and Johnson's consistent marketing efforts that have helped it grow.
One of the first things Wyatt did as she was opening the business was to establish an online presence. And while the store's name came through brainstorming serendipity - "It came out of a loose connection with Mystic Pizza," Wyatt said - it wouldn't have stuck if Wyatt hadn't been able to secure it as a domain name.
Besides their Web site, Wyatt and Johnson provide customers with a regular e-newsletter, as well as store, class, product and business updates posted through blogs.
"Our blog is the best marketing tool we have," Johnson said. "It's how we communicate directly with customers. In fact, one of our best customers lives in Louisiana, has never visited Mesa but buys consistently from us."
Wyatt also rearranges stock throughout the store constantly. "It helps people to see things differently, and spurs purchasing."
That, of course, only happens when potential customers have walked into the store. That's something happening less frequently on Main Street.
"There's so much potential on this street," the two said. But the economy's slowed all traffic along the street, reducing what had been a daily stream of customers to a sporadic trickle.
They're optimistic, though. "Homemade, craft things are a comfort to people," Wyatt said.
Johnson added, "It's still cheaper to make something - and it's good mental therapy, too."
Taken From
AzCentral
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