Today we’d like to introduce you to Martha Wise.
Hi Martha, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I moved my business to Aiken from West Columbia, 8 years ago from the suggestion of a marketing rep/friend that I knew.
I am different from the other boutiques in town in that I carry numerous lines that are exclusive to us in this area. Our customers do not like to “see themselves” when out and about so we also limit how much of any styles that we carry. I also carry my own line of “embellished clothing” and hats that I do.
Although I sell to all ages of women, my demographic is 40 and above. I carry sizes XS to XXL in casual wear and cocktail and formal wear. You can also find comfortable and stylish footwear, hats, gifts and jewelry.
You will also find some artisan made jewelry as well as artisan made Christmas items.
I am also a ticket outlet for some of the fundraisers in town.
I founded the “Fashion for Compassion” gala, 2 years ago, that is a fashion show with styles from downtown merchants to raise money and awareness for the Equine Rescue of Aiken.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I started out on a side street for 2 years that didn’t get a lot of traffic and it was a struggle to get business to walk thru the door.
The I moved to Laurens St., which is our “Main Street” in Aiken and that was much easier. No sooner than I was doing quite well, COVID hit. That definitely has been a challenge, then a hurricane hit Aiken this past October and there was a lot of destruction here and all around us. That has effected spending as so many people had to have repairs done as well as tree removal, etc.
As of the end of February, we seem to finally be getting back on track.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I love to take vintage clothing pieces, that have “good bones” and embellish or alter them to sell in my shop. I will also take a plain hat and embellish it as well as handbags. I have finally developed a bit of a following with this and people will sometimes look at one of my customer and say “Martha did that didn’t see”?
I have done some custom work with this in the past as people bring their own hats or jacket in for me to work on.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
My “Happy Place” is my studio putting together new ideas and working on different mediums. Whether it is a Christmas wreath, an Old World Santa that I am “revamping” or working on a hat or jacket.
Pricing:
- We have medium price items up to some high end items.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.whiteroseeclectics.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whiteroseeclectics/
- Facebook: Whiteroseeclectics
