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Couple works hard for relaxed atmosphere |
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Moving to the country and opening a home- interior and
gift store was Cheryl Lagodna’s and Robert Mendicino’s dream. The couple realized that dream in 1994 with the opening
of Country Traditions in Armada in northern Macomb County. Two years later
they perfected their dream by moving to a picturesque, century-old farmhouse
in nearby Ray Township. Their charming establishment looks ideal for a
porch swing and a glass of cold lemonade in the summer. The fireplace
and nearby rocking chair need only a cup of hot tea and a newspaper to
complement a comfortable winter afternoon. Looking at the store, one gets a feeling of bygone days
and a friendly laid-back style. Most would be surprised, however, at the
amount of work that goes into creating that sense of calmness and quaint
country charm. Between ordering, displaying and stocking merchandise and
serving customers, Robert and Cheryl each work an average of 14 hours
a day. Devoted and hard-working merchants, the husband-and-wife
team travels across the country several weeks out of the year to trade
shows in search of unique inventory. By the time they head home from a
trip they will have filled their large motor home and 22-foot trailer
with new stock for their shop. The dedicated duo wouldn’t even take a break after
Robert had heart surgery in 2001. “Five days after I had heart surgery, we were out
on the road, stopping at shows and loading up the trailer with new merchandise,”
he said. “With the holidays coming, it was an important trip for
the store.” Cheryl and Robert work tirelessly to provide their customers
with unique items—and it shows. The inside of Country Traditions
looks like grandma’s house from a childhood storybook. A customer
coming into the store is greeted with a smile, along with food and drink
of the season. “Small touches have made this store special, and
that is all my wife’s doing,” said Robert. “Not only does
she do all the ordering and layout for the store, she also creates a lot
of repeat business with her enthusiasm.” As one of only two retail establishments in Ray Township,
the business thrives on out-of-town shoppers. New customers often come
with the apple season, as Country Traditions is nestled among orchards
and pumpkin patches along the rural and scenic Romeo Plank Road. “Labor Day to New Year’s Day is a vital time
of year for us,” said Robert. “That is a busy time for all retailers,
but especially for us because we carry so many seasonal items. If we over-order,
or under-sell, we could have an overabundance of Christmas merchandise
in May, and that would be a real problem.” The barn behind Country Traditions is stocked to the rafters
with thousands of items, but neat as a pin—a picture of meticulous
organization. “When we bought these buildings six years ago, the
barn was my wood-working shop. But now, we need so much space for inventory,
I have to work outside,” Robert said. “We also have four storage units full of stock, but
my wife is the mastermind behind coordinating all of that,” he continued.
“I just build and repair furniture and do what the boss tells me.”
“We usually don’t have Christmas out until the
first week in November, but this year we had Santa out with our Halloween
pumpkins,” said Robert. “Putting Christmas out early is a way
of getting those sales rolling as soon as possible.” Cheryl and Robert said that their new-customer count is
up, but the growth rate is slowing from recent years. Repeat customers,
however, are spending as much or more than they have in years past. “With the items we sell, we are a good test for how
the economy is doing,” Robert said. “Gifts and home decorations
are things that people slow down on buying when money is tight.” Whether times are difficult or prosperous, the owners
of this unique country store have made a tradition of taking excellent
care of their dedicated and growing customer base. Cheryl sees to it that
every person on Country Traditions customer list (now over 5,000 names)
receives a birthday card which includes a discount coupon. “It means a lot to us to take good care of our loyal
customers, but we are going to live and die based on our ability to get
new faces into this store,” said Robert. “When you are selling
life’s pleasantries rather than necessities, you have to take care
of tried-and-true customers and continue growing a new customer base.” While serving their customers with country hospitality,
Cheryl and Robert also serve their community by donating items to many
different local organizations and events. Many times, when a new non-perishable
food item is featured in the store, discontinued items are donated to
the Emmanuel Lutheran church in Macomb Township, area food banks or given
away to customers. “We take a lot of pride in donating items to the
community,” said Robert. “It is a win-win because we are promoting
our store and doing something positive for our neighbors at the same time.
It’s a perk of being a retailer in a small community.” Because Country Traditions is a popular destination for
community members and loyal customers, it’s important to Cheryl and
Robert to keep the store’s look fresh and always carry new and creative
items. “We want people to come into the store and recognize
the Country Traditions style, but also see new and eye-catching merchandise
that will make them shop with excitement in a store they may have been
in many times.” Carrying just three part-time employees, the owners of
Country Traditions know that if they are going to maintain the standard
of excellence they have set for themselves, there’s no rest in sight. “The store is a lot of work but we genuinely enjoy
it,” Robert said. “We work these hours because we want the store
to be just right. Even if customers have never been here before, we want
them to feel like they are coming home.” This article was written by Michigan Retailer staff writer Brendan M. Dwyer |
Robert
had put in 24 years of service with the U.S. Navy, and Cheryl had been
an employee of Church’s Builder Wholesale in Auburn Hills for 17
years. They had paid their dues in the traditional work world, and opening
a shop would be an opportunity for them to work together, both doing what
they loved to do.
Citing
the sluggish economy and a slowdown in travel due to 9/11, Cheryl and
Robert brought out Christmas merchandise earlier than ever this year.