Lucinda’s VALERIE REIMERS

Whimsical Wares And Curated Delights

With its welcoming hues and whimsical wares, Lucinda’s invites customers to linger and laugh as they move through displays of cards, books, home décor, apparel and accessories. The extensive and evolving assortment of curated delights appeals to customers seeking something sweet, sassy, or even sensible for themselves or someone else.

“I believe more is more,” said Valerie Reimers, who owns the shop with her husband, Ryan. “Things should be functional but also fun and colorful. In my home, the walls are filled with art. If you look in my clothes closet, it’s all patterns.”

One of her favorite parts of owning her business is having customers run into one another while shopping and overhearing their conversations as they marvel over items.

“I just love it when we’re on the list for people wanting to show Wichita to visiting friends and family,” she said. “We provide a magical reprieve for a few minutes in a fun atmosphere where they can just get lost for a little while as they hunt for treasures and admire the creativity of the people who make our merchandise.”

In business more than 22 years, Reimers’ retail training began as a 20-year-old Wichita State University student. She sometimes worked in a space within a building called The Farm and Art Market, now the Museum of World Treasures, where her sister, Lupe Sanchez, and her aunt sold Southwest décor and Mexican collectibles.

Sister Ownership

When Sanchez’s aunt decided to step down that year, Reimers quit school and invested her college fund in the business to become a co-owner.

The sisters decided to change up their new brand to reflect their different personalities and perspectives.

Lucinda’s, a combination of Reimers’ middle name and Lupe’s first name, took off, keeping established customers and drawing new ones with additional offerings like jewelry, one of Reimers’ passions.

When The Farm & Art Market building closed and the siblings had to find a storefront, they scored Old Town space next to Warren Theatres in 2003, becoming one of the square’s first tenants.

“We were so bummed when we got kicked out of our original space, but it really worked out well for us,” she said.

Describing her sister as a minimalist and herself as a maximalist, Reimers said the partnership flourished but ultimately ended amicably in 2007.

When the tenant next door to Lucinda’s moved out, Reimers was eager to expand but Sanchez wanted to try a new concept in West Wichita, eventually moving that business back into Old Town Square across from Lucinda’s.

Expansion

“Right after I bought Lupe’s share of Lucinda’s, Ryan and I got married,” Reimers said. “Just three weeks after that we started tearing down walls to expand Lucinda’s and we also bought our first home. Ryan and I tend to do things in clusters, but that was a lot at once.”

The additional room allowed Reimers to carry more clothing, gift items, shoes and accessories.

“We played with a lot of things around clothing and what works for us is statement pieces, things you might wear every day or for a special event but that are a little more funky and maybe out of your previous comfort zone,” she said.

Local Vendors

Reimers supports local vendors like Nectar Republic, a maker of bath and body products, and Bungalow 26.

“Kelsey’s Splendid Alchemy Inhaling Salts is one of the top items in the store,” she said. “I love it when a local maker stands out in the sea of merchandise from all over the world.”

One of Reimers’ favorite artisans is Archival Jewelry made by Channing Taylor, a Wichita metalsmith who deconstructs vintage jewelry and repurposes it for a modern twist.

“I’ve loved her work since she started making it in high school,” Reimers said. “One of my favorite pieces is a necklace made with a Lucite napkin ring.”

Personality With Everyday Objects

Although Reimers, a mother of two children, still enjoys going to markets, she doesn’t go as often as she used to, preferring instead to research artisans on Instagram or explore independent businesses when she travels.

“I like finding things that people aren’t going to see everywhere,” she said. “I have a couple of vendors from the United Kingdom now that I really like. I enjoy products that add a bit of personality to everyday objects, whether it’s something you wear or display in your home.”

Support System

Reimers’ husband eventually joined the business and now handles bookkeeping, payroll and development of Lucinda’s own products.

“Ryan started working in the store a little at first and then a little more and then it became the two of us working long hours together,” she said.

Reimers works with Visit Wichita to promote the business and expands her industry knowledge by taking online seminars. She has also developed a long-term relationship with Jill D. Miller, a business consultant and owner of Creative Solutions, who helped Reimers create a plan for her first maternity leave 10 years ago.

“My pregnancy forced me to start delegating, something I tended to not want to do,” Reimers said. “I have a wonderful team and I realized through the process that I don’t need to do it all, that other people are even better at some things than I am, which frees me up to do what I do best.”

Reimers attributes her business success to her sister and her mother.

“Without them, this opportunity wouldn’t have happened,” she said. “Everything fell together in a really lovely way, and it’s due to them that I’m where I am now. My mom went to markets with us and helped us come up with the store’s name. Until the pandemic, she still worked in the store.”

Reimers’ business advice for others considering an entrepreneurial leap is to “play to your strengths, delegate your weaknesses when you can and, of course, consider location, location, location. It’s really just about living and learning and failing and trying again. I’m still doing that 22 years later because it’s an ever-changing industry and there’s always some new aspect to consider.”