Susie At Home is gearing up for the holidays. Although this year has seen much upheaval and uncertainty, the store plans on getting into the Thanksgiving and Yuletide spirit, as always, with some wonderful products to help make happy and joyous memories in your home with families and friends.
“We love the holidays,” says Susan Stefani, who owns the store together with her daughter Susie and mother Angie. “For Thanksgiving, we have beautiful dishes, wonderful serving pieces, fragrant seasonal candles such as Pumpkin Spice, and velvet pumpkins galore.”
For Christmas, the store will be a winter wonderland filled with holiday decorations and the sounds of holiday music. While enjoying the quaint but elegant atmosphere, shoppers will be able to find unique decorations and gifts such as hand-painted Santas, Frasier Fir candles, special children’s books, and products by Juliska Country Estate. Susan says Angie is also often on hand doing her beautiful gift wrapping.
Since it opened five years ago, Susie At Home has grown tremendously. Originally located in the Fisher Mall, the store can now be found in the Village of Grosse Pointe. A bigger space was needed, and its current 3000 square feet is a treasure chest full of unique and beautiful items.
“My daughter, Susie, graduated from Michigan State with a degree in business and she decided that after she graduated, this is what she had a passion to do,” says Susan.
Since most people are staying at home as much as possible these days, it’s more important than ever for it to be a calm and restorative place.
“We always have the heart of the home in mind,” says Susan. “When entering a home, you want to hit all the senses. Smell, taste, sight, touch and sound is what makes a house a home.”
Although most of the merchandise is focused on the home, there are also cashmere clothing, jewelry, and baby items. It has the wide variety of a department store set in a charming, boutique setting.
“The atmosphere of the store is very warm and cozy,” says Susan. “We usually play Italian and French music. We want people to feel comfortable and not pressured. We want them to come in, enjoy looking around, and have a place to escape to for a little while. People need that, especially today.”
The owners believe that every customer and each gift is special, so any item that leaves their store has to look lovely and bring joy.
Susan, along with her daughter and mother, choose the merchandise together so it appeals to multiple generations. They try to bring in different looks to satisfy various tastes. Besides having things that appeal to all ages, they also offer items at every price point.
“We believe in treating people right and being happy to see them,” says Susan. “We have made so many friends and many wonderful connections; it’s just a pleasure everyday to serve the people in this community. We love what we do.”
Proof of this is the fact that Susie At Home has many repeat customers, and customers who have been referred to them. To ensure that they continue to keep their customers happy, they’re always searching for new and different products. Some customers, say Susan, will come in once a month and ask what’s new.
The women usually attend shows in Florida, Georgia, New York, California, and Las Vegas. Susan says they go all over to find just the right merchandise for their customers.
“We try to focus on European lines and things made in the United States,” she says. “For example, we carry Matouk Linens and Garnier Thiebaut tablecloths and tea towels. We also have Gien china from France and Richard Vietri dishes from Italy. Shoppers will also find items by Michael Aram, who makes artistic metal vessels and other objects. And a few months ago, we added Mackenzie-Childs products to our inventory.”
Customers also love the crystal products from Simon Pearce, especially the crystal trees, she says. They come in all shapes and sizes, from two inches to 26 inches. They are gorgeous and can sit on an LED light base. All of his items are made in the United States.
One of their biggest sellers is a Vietri bud vase that they always keep in stock. “It’s the perfect size for all your hand-picked fresh flowers or leaves and is just adorable,” says Susan.
The Susie At Home bridal registry is also popular. Susan says it’s because of the personal attention they give each bride and groom. Also, having quite a few lines of merchandise - from linens, pillows, and towels to silverware and dishes - allows them to pull together an entire home collection. Almost everything the couple need to make a beautiful home can be found there.
The registry is also convenient. Since it can be accessed on the Susie At Home website, family and friends from out of town can easily make their choices.
Another popular offering is its Candle Couture program. For those who like to have candles scenting their homes throughout the year, this is a subscription candle club that features limited edition and re-usable glass vessels. These are paired with beautiful scents that capture the spirit of each month throughout the year. These scents can help fill the house with a serenity that is strongly needed these days.
Although most of their customers, says Susan, come from Grosse Pointe, now that the word is spreading, they’re getting people from surrounding areas. Before COVID-19 surfaced, shoppers were also coming in from Canada.
Because shopping online is more popular than ever these days, shoppers can easily browse and purchase merchandise on their website, http://www.susieathome.com/, in what they call their “Webtique.”
“Almost all of the products you will see online are in the store, but if it’s not, we would be happy to order it for you,” says Susan. “However, there are many products in the store that may not be on the Webtique, especially seasonal merchandise and some other unique offerings.”
For shopping in store, Susie At Home takes safety very seriously. The doors and counters are wiped down regularly and all staff wear masks; they ask that customers wear masks as well. There is also a sink available for hand washing, and hand sanitizer can be found throughout the store. And since the store is spacious enough, shoppers don’t have to be too close to one another.
Customers can also schedule an appointment to shop. And, if someone is not comfortable coming into the store, they do offer other choices. There is curb-side pickup, phone shopping, and some limited local delivery.
Susie At Home’s main goal is to help customers make their home a place they want to be and a perfect space to entertain friends and family. Whether spending time in the kitchen, the bedroom, or living room, they should be comfortable in their surroundings.
“We’re very grateful this year to still be able to carry on with our store, and for all of our wonderful customers who have supported us through all these hard times,” says Susan.
“We want people to feel comfortable and not pressured. We want them to come in, enjoy looking around, and have a place to escape to for a little while.”