Capturing Earth's Moments

Nation's Business, Nov 1, 1998 by Nancy Bearden Henderson

Nancy Bearden Henderson is a free-lance writer in Chattanooga, Tenn.

The framed images lining the gallery's brick walls are, in a word, stunning. Leopards stretch lazily in the branches of acacia trees in Tanzania. Sunlight bathes a golden, forest-flanked castle in Germany The Great Barrier Reef rises from the blue wilderness of Australia.

It's all in Knoxville, Tenn., in a shop started by Scott West, a self-employed writer, and his wife, Bernadette, a flight attendant who had traveled the world as a child when her father was an Army colonel. The Wests were accomplished photographers when they invested their savings to open a tiny gallery in the Old City, a revitalized historic district in Knoxville, in 1993. Supporters of the environment, they called it Earth to Old City, in part because they liked the reference to "Earth."

Scott's sister, Paula West, managed the 400-squarefoot, second-floor shop, which was tucked away from the main traffic flow. Scott kept the photographs coming. Bernadette oversaw long-range planning plus matting and framing, which she did in her cramped bedroom at home.

"We just followed the opportunities that arose, says Scott. "Paula's merchandising degree was the closest we got to knowing how to run a business."

The 20-something trio had only $20,000 in sales the first year. Nonetheless, Bernadette says, "we believed in it even when we weren't doing well."

To keep the business from folding, the Wests made some changes. In late 1994, they moved to a more visible, 3,200square-foot site in an 1888 warehouse filled with other eclectic shops. They expanded their product line to include jewelry, clothing, and international gift items.

In addition, they persuaded Scott's parents, Jim and Vada West, to leave secure jobs and join the family-owned business as equal shareholders. Vada, who had been a manager at the Tennessee Valley Authority, used her keen eye for detail to create attention-getting displays and to market Scott and Bernadette's 30,000 photos. Jim, a former grocery store manager, a woodworking hobbyist, and a self-described perfectionist, did all the framing. The risk paid off: Sales in 1996 reached $310,000.

"Everyone took on a role and worked hard to be good at it," Scott says.

But other hurdles lay ahead. In the spring of 1997, a late-night shooting in Old City prompted police to warn Knoxville residents that Old City was dangerous after dark. The night following the shooting, not one customer--not even a browser--entered the Wests' shop. The district, where jazz clubs, restaurants, and trendy boutiques depend on evening business, suddenly had become a ghost town.

Once again, the Wests knew they had to do something. Paula became president of the Old City Neighborhood Association to promote the area as a family center of shopping, dining, and fun. Scott designed a Secret History walking-tour brochure and distributed it in hotels and other tourist venues. He collected money from neighboring businesses and bought the back-cover ad in the Knoxville visitors guide to tout the district as a vibrant, can't-miss experience. Today, the area is thriving again, and Earth to Old City is widely regarded as a cornerstone of the comeback.

The Wests attribute their success to perseverance, a distinctive product line, patience with customers, friendly competition, and, above all, optimism. They have drawn steady media coverage from marketing efforts such as fashion shows, Beanie Baby swap meets, Earth Day scavenger hunts, and silent auctions for charity.

The family hires outside employees only during Christmas and extended vacations, which they take together despite their long, shared hours in the workplace. And they funnel their profits back into the company. "No one takes more [pay] than they need," says Bernadette.

The Wests vote on every major decision, including merchandise selection. "We don't want to be just a retail shop," Scott says. "We want our business to say that our customers are special. They're kind of like armchair travelers. When they come in the shop, we want them to be transported somewhere else."

Sales are expected to reach $500,000 this year. As further evidence of its success, Earth to Old City was named a 1998 state honoree in the Blue Chip Enterprise Initiative Award program, sponsored by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. (known as MassMutual--The Blue Chip Company), the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and Nation's Business. The program recognizes firms that have met challenges.

On Memorial Day weekend, the Wests opened a second shop, in nearby Gatlinburg, Tenn. Bernadette's sister, Antoinette Trent, joined as a co-owner and helps Paula manage both stores.

Bernadette runs a third venture, an old-fashioned ice-cream parlor two doors from Earth to Old City's Knoxville location. Scott, 32, handles public relations and provides ideas for improving the business.

"We play a lot of games together, and this store is like a big game," he says. "We're all part of this game together." Grinning, his sister adds, "And we all like winning."