Making People Feel at Home

Local mom and new Summit business owner, Ellen Guenther, recently opened the doors and welcomed residents to her new boutique, Loblolly Curated Home and Gift. We were fortunate to interview Ellen as she gets set for the spring season.

Name Ellen Guenther
Phone number 973-679-0110
Website www.Loblollycurated.com
Company name Loblolly Curated Home and Gift
Business address 42 Maple Street, Summit, NJ 07901
Your position Owner/buyer
Hours m-sat- 10:30-5:30 Sunday 12-5
Social Media loblolly_homeandgift

Congratulations on your new boutique in Summit! How has it gone since you opened recently?

Thank you! This journey has been absolutely incredible so far. Besides being a mom to three amazing children, starting Loblolly has been one of the most rewarding things that I have done to date. No regrets!

Tell us briefly about Loblolly Curated Home & Gift.

Loblolly Curated Home and Gift is meant to be a happy place where customers come in and feel instantly at home. We offer so many beautiful items in an array of categories from home decor, tabletop, fashion accessories, and more. We hope to provide a one-stop destination experience where our guests are well-cared for and walk out feeling jubilant with new and exciting finds in tow.

You bring a vast experience in this field. Please tell us a bit about yourself and your own path to success.

Well, yes this is not my first rodeo in retail. In fact, retail is all I’ve known as an adult since joining the Macy’s executive training program right out of college where I worked store line and in the fine jewelry buying office. I took a few years off to raise my babies but retail was always calling me back. I had a store called Magnolia in Stone Harbor, NJ for a few years followed by a 15-year hiatus…. So happy that I finally took the leap back into retail this year with Loblolly! Wish I had done it sooner!

Why was it important to you to open in Summit? How do you like the downtown and community?

Summit is a shopper’s dream! There are many well curated boutiques and national retailers in downtown Summit and I feel humbled and honored to be a part of such a vibrant and supportive community. There are a few new stores in town and we have a little support group going which means the world to me! Also, I could not have built my business and brand so fast without the constant support of Summit Downtown and Summit Design District. It’s been truly incredible to have so many cheering me on, not sure I would have received that kind of support anywhere else.

What can our local residents expect when they walk into your boutique? Do you also sell online?

Well, I hear all the time, “oh, it’s so pretty in here, and it smells so good!” I hope that everyone feels the same when they walk into Loblolly-Joy! Joy in being in a happy place filled with beautiful and unique products, and joy in being surrounded by good people providing outstanding customer service.

While we don’t have an official online POS, we are very active on Instagram and anyone is welcome to DM us for info on products. We ship!

Any cool new things coming for the spring season?

So many new things coming in for the spring! I’m constantly on buying trips with my most recent trip to Dubai where I picked up some amazing things from Middle Eastern and European artists like gorgeous jewelry, wooden clutches, and hand-painted pottery from Turkey.

As a hard-working local mom and business owner, please tell us how others can learn from your commitment and inspiration?

Just do what you love. Believe in yourself, surround yourself with good people and create a support system that you can rely on. Always pursue your dreams. It’s so easy for life to get in the way – it did for me. Take the plunge, you are worth it!

Anything else we missed?

Shop Loblolly Curated Home and Gift to happy up your home or to find that special gift! We offer complimentary in-home and in-store consultations.

Visit us on Instagram

Loblolly_homeandgift

Thank you so much for all of the love Summit!