By: Deborah Johnson Wood
In 2002, Susan Walborn put a $50 deposit on a tiny 370-square-foot shop on Cherry St. with the hope of creating a card and gift Mecca next to the popular Cherie Inn restaurant. She then pooled a tax refund she didn’t know she had coming (the IRS found the error), a bit of money she earned from writing a school curriculum (she’s a former teacher), and borrowed another $2,000, enough for her and a partner to launch Yours Truly.
Two weeks ago, Yours Truly moved to a 600-square-foot shop at 959 Cherry St. SE—the space vacated by Walborn’s other store, YT Galleria, which moved across the street.
“I grew up in a lumber town in Quebec, I’m a naturalized U.S. Citizen, and new nothing about the world of art," Susan recounts, "But my husband bought me these beautiful U.S.-made art cards and I’d save every one of them. I fell in love with artwork that was affordable on a card. Many of the cards we sell are like that.”
Walborn is now in partnership with her husband, John, and they work to find unique greeting cards: 3-D fold out cards that portray detailed miniature vignettes, cards with feathers and ribbons, “naughty” cards for adult gift-giving, and beautiful art cards.
The shop offers handmade cards by local artists like Karen Chojnachi of Blue Monkey Studios, and handmade jewelry of leather and semiprecious stones by Siri Slagboom. Unique jewelry, handmade purses and bags, and a host of collectibles are also available.
“Several shop owners in the district shop for inventory together so there’s no crossover,” Walborn says. “Our shoppers don’t want to see the same things in store after store. They’re very savvy and discriminating and we have a great deal of respect for them.”
Source: Susan Walborn, Yours Truly; Ellie Frey, CWD Real Estate Investments
Photo by Brian Kelly
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Deborah Johnson Wood is the development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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