For the Global Good

A Black-owned boutique in Atlanta seeks to empower artisans

 

 

The idea set the stage for what was to become her boutique, SustainAble Home Goods. Today, this shop is in a 1,000-square-foot space in Atlanta’s Ponce City Market, a retail and food hall located in a historic building. The store carries home goods, jewelry, clothing, art, decorative accessories, packaged foods, personal care products, and other goods, each chosen with careful consideration regarding its source, sustainability, and producer.

 

 

Putting Down Roots

 

 

Then COVID happened, and everything shut down.

 

“We had to pivot,” says Tucciarone. “I had two employees, and I said, we have to get everything online.” They photographed their stock, put it online, and started filling orders.

 

In June of 2020, another national event rocked their business: the Black Lives Matter movement. “All of the sudden, Black-owned brands were thrust into the spotlight, and we were one of them,” says Tucciarone. “We had hit another pivot point.”

 

Her tiny team of three was working at an exhausting pace, filling and shipping orders and trying to keep up with growth, but Tucciarone was nervous that the rate of sales would not sustain itself.

 

“As a Black business owner during that time, and even now, I had to really ask myself: is this real? Is this a moment, or a movement?”

 

But Tucciarone chose to believe that she and her staff could wow new customers with their product selection and customer service, turning them into lifelong customers. She hired more people and, in August 2020, moved yet again, this time into the permanent spot the store occupies today.

 

Products with a Purpose

 

 

She’s also piled her four kids — ages 5 to 12 — into the car for road trips to New Mexico and Arizona, where they visited with Native makers, including potters, silversmiths, and other artisans in the quest to support the craft community there.

 

Tucciarone always feels like she is able to better tell the story of a piece and who made it when she’s face-to-face with her customer, but having a robust website has helped the company grow its reach and find a market for pieces beyond just its Atlanta-area customers. “Having that online exposure has really changed how we can explore our business,” she notes. “You can carry a wider spectrum of pieces because you know you’ll find the right person for them.” Instagram has also been a boon; she found that highlighting products made by Black artisans was a meaningful way to observe Black History Month.

 

In addition to the social responsibility focus on her store, the sustainability that is built right into the name, continues to be at the core. Orders are shipped using recycled boxes and compostable paper, while recycled and recyclable bags and packaging are also used inside the store. It’s one of the few stores in Atlanta with a refill station for dish soap, detergent, and other cleansers.

 

Tucciarone will continue to cater her store to the conscious consumer and encourage shoppers to be intentional with the brands and businesses they patronize.

 

“People want brands that stand for something, and that have a strong story,” she notes. “They want to support Black-owned businesses, ethical products, and sustainability.”

 

Built to Last

 

 

And she’s got big plans for SustainAble. Pointing out that there are few, if any, Black-owned national retail chains, she wants to be among the first. She also wants to collaborate with hotels to bring meaningful products and pieces into their spaces. And, above all, she wants to continue to empower artisans around the world to be able to sustain themselves with their handiwork.

 

 

 

For More Information:

 

SustainAble Home Goods and Accessories

https://yoursustainablehome.com/

770.727.6794

 

Tag:Atlanta MarketBlog Post

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