A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of stopping into Moody Interiors to meet the lovely ladies who own it and take some pictures of their space. They are nestled in right next to Brew Box (yum!) and have a tons of cute items in their shop. If you’re still doing last minute holiday shopping, I definitely recommend stopping in for a peek at their unique stock. Check out their pictures and interview below!!
Tell me a little bit about yourself and your shop.
We are Jess and Kate Moody, twin sisters and now business partners. We opened Moody Interiors in June, a home decor and gift shop specializing in fair trade certified products.
What was the inspiration for opening the shop?
Kate worked for a fair trade retailer for 6 years in Cambridge. She has a background in interior design, retail management and visual merchandising. Jess has a business background with a degree in Small Business Management. Combining our experience, we created our business plan. We saw an opportunity to fill a market in downtown Salem, giving the residents a place to shop locally without the hassle of going to the mall. This has been an idea we have been playing with for several years. It has been nice hearing from the neighbors that they are happy to see us here.
What made you choose the name?
This was actually one of our biggest challenges. We both have pages of our notebooks filled with buzz words and ideas. But in the end, since we are a family owned business we went with our name and we chose interiors because that encapsulates what we are passion about.
What made you choose Salem for the location of your shop?
Since Kate moved here 6 years ago, we’ve watched Salem’s economy develop and grow. It’s been exciting to see all the new shops and restaurants open and we wanted to be a part of that. It was important for us to be in a community that supports the arts and local businesses.
What has the biggest challenge been for you as a business owner in the witch city? What advice would you give to someone considering opening a shop in Salem?
Having the right merchandise in the ever-changing seasons of Salem. We try to cater to the residents year round, but being in a tourist town we change our inventory monthly to cater to people visiting Salem.
My advice to someone considering opening a shop in Salem is to have an open mind when looking at retail spaces, it could bring opportunities and/or inspiration. Use the many resources that are available like Salem Chamber of Commerce, Salem Main Streets, and SCORE. All are free resources and extremely helpful.
What’s one thing you’d want people to know about your business that may not be inherently obvious?
A lot of our products are made from sustainable and recycled materials like magazines, sari fabric, palm leaf and soap stone.
Is running a business in Salem in October as chaotic as it sounds?
This was our first October and yes it was very busy for foot traffic but, it was never chaotic or something we couldn’t handle. It felt more like a busy holiday season.
Do you have any future or upcoming events you’re excited about or want to share?
We are starting to plan a community shopping event for December where we will donate a percentage of our sales to a local organization of our choosing.
Do you have a product or service that is your specialty? Is there something specific you are known for?
Our specialty is our knowledge on the Ten Thousand Village products and the good that comes from supporting this non-profit. We can tell you the story behind each artisan group and product information such as where and how the product is made. Also what resources the artisans benefit from by being involved with fair trade like education, housing and medical aid.
Do you do anything specific or special during certain times of the year? October or non.
Every month we try to have a local featured artist. We’ve had photography, handmade crafts and soy candles.
Moody Interiors is located at 131 Essex St. Salem, MA 01970 and they can be found online at www.moodyinteriors.com. Their phone is (978) 414-5390.
Enjoy!! <3
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