Inside the Santa Ynez Valley Magazine Spring 2003 Edition

Inspired By Solvang
by Leslee Goodman

---

If Inspiration Point had been a failure for Anna and Dean Zucker, Dean could have always blamed it on his in-laws.

My wife's sister got us into the retail business, he says. She had three stores in Solvang and told us how easy it was. I was working construction at the time, but it was the year of El Nino and I was spending too much time sitting on the couch. That wasn't getting the bills paid, so we thought what the heck.

We got a loan for $6,000 and bought our first store. That's when we found out that retail is a lot of work.

In 1998, Anna explains, it was hard for everybody. No one had any customers. But we figured, if we could survive our first year of business during El Nino, we could survive anything.

Survive they have. Prospered even.

Although Inspiration Point originally was on the west end of Solvang, in 2000 they moved the shop to the center of town, occupying the building that was the original Solvang firehouse.

The 1,100-square-foot store is overflowing with gift items and decorative accessories everything from porcelain dolls to replicas of American lighthouses; tapestries to charm bracelets; Fairy Diva prints to angels. The store has been hugely successful.

Quilts and tapestries are popular items, Dean says. We re also known for our carousel horses, and are the only business in town to carry Holly Yashi jewelry as art.

Although Inspiration Point caters to tourists, it draws a lot of repeat business not only from tourists but locals too, because of our select inventory and low prices, Dean says. Locals often can be found at Inspiration Point seeking out their charm bracelets and $1 greeting cards.

In 2000, the Zuckers undertook a second retail venture the Corner Closet, a shop catering to women, carrying sizes ranging from small to 3X. They bought this shop, at the corner of Atterdag and Copenhagen, from Anna s sister, Karolyn O'Brien.

The styles are comfortable, casual everyday wear, Anna says. Everything I wear comes from there. In addition to items such as sweaters, dresses, jackets, pants, pant sets, and Capri sets, Corner Closet offers hats, purses, luggage, and jewelry including both pierced and clip-on earrings. The shop does a brisk trade to locals, as well as tourists.

2003 found the Zuckers opening their third retail establishment in Solvang, The Aunt Trail, at 451 Second Street, across from the Theaterfest. A gift store, specializing in unique handmade quilts ( like nowhere else in town, Anna says), shabby chic furniture, birdhouses, picture frames, mirrors, and other decorative accessories, the Zuckers also purchased this shop from Anna s sister, Karolyn O' Brien, by way of Karolyn s daughter, Charlotte Miserlis, who owned it for two years.

Owning three businesses together would be enough to drive most couples to distraction or divorce but the Zuckers thrive on their adopted lifestyle.

Business is in my blood, Anna says. I grew up in my family s office supply and furniture business in Lompoc and I've always been involved in retail.

Although being in business together as a couple has its challenges, the Zuckers have found they enjoy tackling those challenges together.

We love being in business together, Anna admits. It makes us closer, not farther apart. Dean can always make me laugh and I guess he likes me, too.

The couple met in 1995, introduced by mutual friends. It was a blind date, really, Anna says, and we just hit it off.

Both grew up in Lompoc and share similar interests their daughter Karolyn, travel, riding motorcycles, taking walks although with three stores between them, they scarcely have time for outside interests these days. Especially now that they ve bought their first house together in Solvang.

We love being in Solvang, Anna says. It s a proven market for business, a wonderful quaint town with great residents, a steady tourist trade, has an excellent elementary school, and overall is a wonderful community.

All this from those meddling in-laws.