Get to know Beautiful Wishes’Terri Merry
by Linda Herman

Beautiful Wishes... Isn't that just what you want to convey when you give that special someone (or some-ones) a gift from the heart? This month I met with Terri Merry, the person behind the lovely boutique filled with "Beautiful Wishes" located in the Marketplace at Huntingdon Valley right off County Line Road. And it was clear that her "Beautiful Wishes" is filled with beautiful wishes for all her customers... from her.

Terri came to "Beautiful Wishes" through a rather circuitous route. In fact, she brings a bit of a medical background to her "table top." A Registered Respiratory Therapist, Terri spent time providing home care and end-stage hospice care to the elderly and terminally ill early in her career. She also spent time working at the VA Hospital. Along the way she received a degree in geriatric psychology. It was a need to spend more time with her family that, while it may have brought a change in her career path, it still enabled her to provide a valuable service to people.

Terri is definitely a people person. "I like working with people. I like talking to people and helping them find that just perfect gift expressing their 'beautiful wishes' for the recepient. It's a wonderful feeling for me and my customer when we accomplish that." And that's when we started talking about how her interest in
"people" really started.

"As a youngster, my family owned Becker's Donut Shop in Cleveland, Ohio. At at very young age I was always working in the shop counting change for the customers. And although I was raised in a retail environment, my parents, especially my mother, preferred I pursue a professional career. Regardless, even then I was bit by the 'people bug.' Later when I decided to look for a business that would enable me more family time, my husband and I considered many. Of greatest importance was its location, its potential for growth and the passion I felt for the service/product provided.

We looked at many businesses, among them was Beautiful Wishes. When I walked through its doors
I immediately felt a connection."

We talked about how wonderful it must be to be surrounded by such beautiful "stuff" all the time. "Yes.

I do have a passion for home decor," admitted Terri. "My husband's career has taken us all over the country. We've moved quite frequently. The result is an opportunity to decorate a home not once or two times, but three and four times. Each home has been different and has afforded me the opportunity to create new and exciting environments each time. Beautiful Wishes suits my need for aesthetics. It also enables me the chance to continue helping people in an area about which I feel so passionate."

I commented that I thought with her medical background, that retail like Beautiful Wishes was quite a leap. "I'm a quick study. And again, I love the 'stuff' that I'm working with. Home decor is really not too far afield because it's definitely been an avocation if not an advocation. I had absolutely no hesitation about the industry... we're a full service boutique providing beauty for both the home and person. I'm a big proponent of both!"

I wanted to find out how the economy might affect her business. "First off, I have to buy a bit smarter. There's less leeway for loss. Like my customers, I'm a bit more careful with where I beef-up inventory and where I do or do not experiment. My clientele is pretty conservative to begin with, and with the economy... well, let's say I'm not as prone to bring in something wild and far-out."

And what about her clientele? "For the most part they're looking for the traditional vis à vis bridal and shower gifts. Cream and ivory, the tasteful is still the best bet as a recommendation and as a gift. Pink and blue are definite colors for baby! We do a lot of customization for our customers... again that goes back to the traditional bend... and I think it speaks to how people want to spend their money. They prefer to invest in the tried and true rather than the trendy."

"We spend a lot of time working with our customers. Being able to service with patience is a prerequisite for this business. And if you don't like the sweat and toil of working with people, forget it. My biggest challenge and greatest pleasure is having a happy customer."

We talked about all the possibilities for "gifting," regardless the occasion. "We carry the full range of tabletop accessories, including Nambe, Mariposa and Arabesque. These are all beautiful pieces that turn a plain table into a gracious table. And if you're looking for a birthday gift, perhaps a Bat Mitzvah gift, we carry lovely scarves, leather goods, unique jewelry. We also carry the Big Buddha line, a fashion forward pocketbook line that doesn't 'break the bank.' Its vibrant colors are perfect for summer and have been very popular with those who want to add some punch to their wardrobe."

Is there a perfect hostess gift for the moment? "A personalized cutting board is very special. It shows thought and is still very functional."

A perfect engagement gift? "Most of our brides-to-be make their own registry here. That way they can log on and make changes, review purchases, etc. We get a lot of requests for the Terra Tradition Photo Album. It's a beautiful coffee table adornment and holds 500 casual photos." (You can drink a lot of coffee flipping through its pages.)

So what does Terri do in her off time? Well, she's married to Edward for 20 years. And together they've raised a blended family of six. She was quick to boast about all her children, especially her daughter Amanda, who seems to have caught the retail fashion bug. She heads up shoe buying for the Deb shops nationally. Her other grown children include David, Ryan, Ashley and Jason. Alyse, 16, keeps her parents busy between sports and music. Family is where Terri's heart is... and the homes she has created have all been geared to providing the family a refuge to which they can and do return.

And the "free" time? "Is there such a thing," she chimed. "I'm trying to introduce some exercise time into my schedule. It's a bit of a challenge. Of course, I'm always looking to do something with my home... but I'm running a business, and like all small business people, my business has become my life. Fortunately, with computers, I can work from home if need be, or even while I'm watching a game!"

I have to admit. I had been trying to introduce myself to Terri Merry many, many times. Allen and I always like to say hello to our advertisers if only to thank them for their support. But EVERYTIME I would stop by Beautiful Wishes, she was either busy with a client or taking care of something outside the store. How happy I was when we had an appointment to meet AWAY from the store! Finally!

It was a pleasure meeting Terri. Interestingly, we had a lot in common... shared a familiarity with areas of Delaware County. It was fun... the same kind of fun people have when they visit Beautiful Wishes. So thanks for the "meet" Terri. Now I understand from whom all those beautiful wishes come.

Beautiful Wishes
Marketplace at Huntingdon Valley
2048 County Line Rd
Huntingdon, PA 19006
215-357-1100