Fern's Garden Q&A

Is Fern’s Garden open for business?

We are more than thrilled to be open again after 90 days SHUT. I tell my customers that I missed them most of all.  I did find out that it is not good to take the fern out of the garden.

What are the hottest items in store now?

Many of our makers have pivoted to making face masks, since there is obviously a demand for them now. It was very natural for me to try some of their beautiful work, and believe it or not these masks have become our best sellers from the day we reopened. Our masks are all American made and Fair Traded, of course,  I never would have guessed how much there is to know about masks – so it is my pleasure to share my knowledge of the styles, breathability, comfort and more. We even have Velcro masks for folks who wear hearing aids, and mask lanyards which really make life with a mask much easier.

How do you compete with Amazon?

There is one thing that Amazon and online retailers cannot provide: the experience of being surrounded by all the wonderful and inspiring work of the artists we support. The minute folks walk in our door they can feel the vibe of all the hand made unique items. We have heard it over and over again over our 20 years. Some say, "I just came in to feel better." Others say, "I just came in to get inspired." To me, this is the highest compliment I could get.

How has your business changed since the Covid pandemic arrived?

Well, a huge portion of our customers are women “of a certain age” like me, and we are being very careful about going out. Understandably, our sales are at about 50% of what we did last year and that hurts. On the other hand it is always gratifying to see our customers coming in and telling us they just want to support us.

Where do you source your unique gift inventory?

My favorite source to find product is the American Handmade Show in Philadelphia. I also visit the juried sections of the New York Now show among others. We are always being approached by local artists and it is my great pleasure to carry the ones whose work matches the storesvibe. 

You’re proud to feature American artisans. Why? 

I think my passion for American made product stems from my own experience as a maker. My brother Jacob and I started ourwind chime company, Jacob’s Musical Chimes, about 40 years ago in our father’s garage. We were well known in the gift world; then, like many other makers, we faced the serious headwinds caused by the knockoffs and imports. We still make our chimes, and our best customers are stores just like Fern’s Garden that want to support American makers and keep our country strong.

In a dream world, what would your life’s work focus upon?

You might say my special interest has always been mentoring young artists. I am a member of the Education Committee of the organization CRAFT (craftonline.org) which was founded to support American artisans and retailers. I am always open to helping artisans solve the problems of bringing their products to market. I have mentored many over the years who are now doing quite well – I call them my “young pups.” I would love to spend 100% of my time as a mentor. Nothing could make me happier. 

In what way do you ensure that your products are made ethically?

We are about 80% American Made, so for those products we can rely on strict American labor laws to enforce ethical practices. Most of our imported products are made by members of the Fair Trade Federation which has a labor code and enforcement to ensure that ethical practices are followed. Some of my favorite vendors are not officially Fair Traded, but they regularly travel to their maker communities in places like India and Nepal where they inspect working conditions and make economic contributions to those communities in the form of schools and infrastructure. We support some really fine and caring folks.

How do you support the Fair Trade Federation with your purchasing?

When I see that Fair Trade Federation logo in a supplier’s booth or web site, I pay extra attention because I know they are complying with the strict practices enforced by this amazing organization. I especially like to support non-profit Fair Traders. It’s a small but important way to change the world for the better. 

How would you describe yourself in 3 words?

Motivated, Upbeat, Passionate.

Have your ever missed an opportunity and regret it to this day?

Because I have always been in charge of my own business ventures, I truly have no regrets.  For example, when the factories opened up in China, I turned down the opportunity to have our chimes made offshore at a fraction of what we were paying in the USA. I would have been a wealthy woman if I had done it – our largest competitor did just that and is now the wealthy CEO of a large company. I chose to continue making our chimes here in the US and to this day have some of the same employees still working with me.  No regrets.

If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would that be and why?

I would love to have dinner with the climate change activist Greta Thunberg. We need her passion, focus and motivation to guide us into a safe future for my beautiful grand girls. The future belongs to the young, and she in particular is a young person I am in awe of. Thank you, Greta.

Fern’s Garden is located at 5308-B East 2nd Street, Long Beach www.fernsgarden.com