Barbara Miller is not exaggerating when she says her business – Interior Expressions by Design – has everything to make your house a home.
The inviting shop located at 1100 Long Pond Road (Suite 106) north of Ridge Road, is filled with an amazing selection of furniture, home decor, seasonal items, lighting – including candles – fashion accessories and gifts.
Barb has been at her current location for three years, but that short time belies her decades of experience in the retail industry.
“I managed The Apple Tree Gift Shop in Brockport,” Barb says, noting she has worked in retail for 35 years.
Barb did a little bit of everything for The Apple Tree – buying, displays, selling – and when it closed, she enjoyed being a grandma full time. But the retail world still beckoned.
Her years of experience had put her in touch with vendors and she also continued to be in touch with former customers. With the support of her husband, Barb ventured into her own business with Interior Expressions nine years ago.
“Once a retailer, always a retailer,” she says.
The business was first housed in the craft/antique co-op in Hilton. Barb started with one little booth and the business grew. Moving to her current location was “the next logical step,” she says.
Barb loves her Greece location in a small plaza just off busy Route 104. The plaza has lots of architectural charm and attractive landscaping – the perfect setting for the offerings of her shop.
The first impression when entering the store is one of cozy, country furnishings and decorative accessories. Closer inspection reveals there is something for almost every taste – from primitive to traditional to contemporary. The variety of merchandise is amazing – and captivating – from sofas to earrings and large wooden hutches to funky change purses.
“You have to have a mix to appeal to a lot of different tastes,” Barb says.
She recalls one customer who came in and at first glance, thought the store’s offerings were not to her taste. After browsing, she changed her mind and went home with hundreds of dollars in merchandise.
Barb says new customers visit every day. “The business has grown,” she says. “I’ve been blessed that way. A lot of businesses are struggling, especially in retail.”
She is particularly proud of her faux floral offerings which change to match the seasons and which are different from those found in chain craft stores. Also available are a wide range of seasonal merchandise and garden-related items.
The furniture Barb offers is all made in the USA – some by Amish craftsmen and upholstered pieces by Hallagan Fine Furniture, which has been manufacturing in nearby Newark, NY for more than 110 years.
Hallagan offers hundreds of fabric and frame choices including contemporary.
Barb explains her success is most likely due to making customer service a priority. She welcomes every customer to the store and is always ready to offer friendly advice when it’s needed.
“It’s the rapport you build with the customer, making them feel special,” Barb says. “Every customer I have is special. I’m grateful for every purchase.”
Customers seek her out from as far away as Buffalo, Syracuse, Elmira and Horseheads.
She also makes an effort to give back to the community, particularly during Small Business Saturday when a portion of her sales go to the Mission Share Outreach Center in Greece.
Her store is also getting some national attention via a trade publication. Barb and Interior Expressions by Design are featured in the November 2014 issue of Gifts and Decorative Accessories as one of the publication’s “25 Gifted Retailers 2014.”
“I’m really honored by the recognition,” Barb says.
She also is quick to point out, “If not for my husband Jim, this dream would not be a reality.”
Interior Expressions by Design is open Tuesday – Saturday from 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Thursday evenings until 8. Closing the store on Sunday and Monday gives Barb time with her family (she has grandchildren and great-grandchildren) and also time to re-charge.
“I’m fresh on Tuesday morning for another week,” she says. Fortunately for Barb, whether she’s at her house with family or at her warm and welcoming store, she’s always close to “home.”
Note: A Holiday Open House at Interior Expressions is Friday and Saturday, November 14 and 15. For more information visit www.interiorexpressionsbydesign.com
