How a Furniture Store Pivot in 2008 Turned Into a 20-Year Business

Michelle didn't plan on pivoting. She planned on selling furniture. Then 2008 happened. One day the store was busy and booming. The next day? People got their pink slips and stopped buying sofas. When you're trying to hold onto your home, the last thing you want to do is decorate it. So Michelle did what survivors do. She pivoted. Fast. Gifts. Because no matter what's happening in the economy, people still need to celebrate each other. You cut corners for yourself. You don't cut corners on the people you love. That decision? It's carrying Sweet Grass Boutique into year 20. In this episode, Michelle breaks down: Why she says 2008 hit harder than COVID for small retail How she buys inventory the same way she designed homes — personal, curated, never trendy Why she only orders threes and fours of anything (if you see it, grab it) How Sweet Grass competes with Amazon without breaking a sweat Why the in-person, touch-it-feel-it-smell-it experience is about to make a massive comeback What crossstitching, crocheting, and bold colors tell us about where retail is heading And the gift wrapping thing. Don't get her started. Michelle believes a gift someone actually picked out, wrapped, and handed to you beats anything that shows up in a brown box on your doorstep. Every single time. That's not just a philosophy. That's the whole business model. Oh, and her home at Christmas? Full of boxes headed to the store. Zero decorations. You'd be disappointed. Twenty years in retail is rare. Twenty years in retail that started right before the worst financial crisis in a generation? That's something else entirely. Connect with Michelle & Sweet Grass Boutique: Website: sweetgrassboutique.net Instagram: @sweetgrasshome Location: Mooresville Town Square, 146 Mooresville Commons Way Ste H (near Lowe's Foods — skip the 150, take Brawley School Road) Hours: Mon–Fri 10–7, Sat 10–6, Sun 11–4 Connect with Ryan Webber: Website: webbermarketing.com Instagram: @ryanwebbermarketing We Are Lake Norman is produced by Webber Marketing. New episodes weekly.