Q&A With Heather Duncan, Owner of Blue Windows

Tell me about yourself. What are your interests and how and when did you become the owner of Blue Windows?

-I majored in music in college and grew up here in Long Beach. I remember I just wanted a part-time job before going to graduate school. I ended up working here full-time and became the manager. And in 2004, I bought the store from the previous owner. I’ve owned it for about 7 years. It was definitely not something I conceived. It was something I fell in love with when I started managing it. And I fell in love with the customers and had the opportunity to buy the store, so I did.

Were you ever involved in crafts or anything artsy?

-No. That’s the interesting thing about it. I guess being a singer-- I definitely had an artistic side. But I never really tapped into that creative side. My sister was sort of the creative one. But when I started working here, I realized I sort of had some of that.

What inspired you to suddenly shift your career and own Blue Windows?

-It was a huge shock. I never expected that the previous owner would offer me the store. So when she did, I tried to figure out a way to do it. So this opportunity and store was something I never expected or planned. I don’t regret not going to grad school, but I just think life took me in this direction. And certainly for the first couple of years, I thought to myself: “What am I doing, working at a little store? I could be doing more.” But I loved what I was doing. And I loved working for the previous owner and that was enough for me at that time in my life.

What does your shop specialize in and what sets you apart from other stores?

-I would humbly say and hope customer service. Because I feel like we have such great loyal customers. And because we have so many different things, it’s hard to say what we specialize in. We have a kitchen section, clothing, and kids section, and jewelry. I’ve even heard someone describe this store as a “lifestyle store”.

Can you talk about some of your unique jewelry products and also a little bit about the charities that you raise money for?

-I would say definitely my number one jewelry product line is Jeanine Payer. She’s the one that does hand engraving poetry on her jewelry. It’s a little bit pricey, but we’ve sold it for over 12 years. It’s an amazing gift for yourself or others. She’s based in San Francisco. I do have some local Long Beach designers. I have a woman in Long Beach who makes vintage lockets.

Can you talk about the 31 Bits Trunk Show you recently had?

-The show featured handmade beads and jewelry made from paper from women in Uganda. The company started with 6 women working for them. And now they have over 60. It’s a great opportunity for them. The company is located in Uganda. It was a fun trunk show to put together. We got to be really creative with paper on our end as well.

What are the stories behind some of the designers that create unique items in your store?

- I just recently put out an opportunity for my employees. I have such a creative team right now. I told them that it would be cool for customers to see some of the items handmade by the employees. So three of them started their own company and they are doing really well now. They are making tags and cards and now it’s a big part of the store. It’s a cool thing to see. I’d say that’s kind of unique in the store.

Can you talk a little bit about Precious Lamb and the other charities you have donated to?

-The end of 2009 was really hard. The economy was just so hard. And I just felt sick of thinking about money and had this overwhelming idea of when you think you still don’t have something to give, you do. So last year, I did 1 charity a month. I did 12 charities total. And it was very cool. I would blog about each charity, change the window every month to promote the charity. Now I decided to do it quarterly. My first charity was Hearts Without Boundaries. I’m doing all local charities. Because since my store is in this community, I wanted people to know they are supporting their community charities. The second one is Precious Lamb which is a preschool which helps moms transition to finding jobs and it gives the kids a place to go. Every quarter, 10% of our profits go to those specific charities. July/August/September will be Children Today.

What’s the most rewarding thing about owning your own store?

- I think in the beginning, it was about me figuring it out and it was about the rewarding thing about owning my own business. I felt it was a little bit more about me and feeling successful. And now, it’s transitioned to where in the last couple of years, because my store has struggled –now it’s about how fortunate I am to have a store in this community and what I can do great for my community. That’s why I started thinking about doing the different organizations around the area. It’s become more about the responsibility about the business and rather about me. It’s always going to change. What I appreciate and what I feel like has been the defining moment.