For more than 25 years, Lulu Burgess has been the kind of independent gift shop where shoppers come in looking for one thing and leave with five more discoveries. Located in the heart of downtown Beaufort, South Carolina, the store is packed with gifts, apparel, books, local finds, humor, and plenty of personality.
But Lulu Burgess is about more than merchandise. Owner Nan Brown Sutton has built a business on personal service, community involvement, trusting her instincts, and making shopping fun. We caught up with Nan to learn how a move home from New York City led to a new career in retail and more than two decades as a downtown Beaufort favorite.
Tell us the story behind your store. Where did the idea come from, and what made you decide to take the leap?
I had been living and working in New York City for 16 years when I decided to come back home because my mother was ill. I had never worked in retail before, but I had always wanted to have a store.
I found a space, and within about three months, I had opened Lulu Burgess. Now we’re in our 26th year!
I remember my mom saying before she passed away that she was so worried about me doing this, and my father felt the same way. Fortunately, my dad got to see me in business for eight years, so that was a good thing.
I guess I made it!
What are the small details behind your store that you believe make a big difference to the customer experience?
My favorite kinds of stores have always been those that are jam-packed with merchandise and take you an hour or more to really go through and see everything.
I compare it to being on a treasure hunt because every time you turn around, you find a new treasure.
We’re also big on customer service at Lulu’s and always strive to make it a special experience when someone comes in. And we’re open seven days a week! We only close four days a year: New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Are there causes, charities or community organizations that are especially close to your heart, and how has your business supported them?
The nonprofit closest to my heart is CAPA here in Beaufort, the Child Abuse Prevention Association. I’ve been on the board for about 12 years.
CAPA operates the Open Arms Children’s Home, which has 16 beds for abused and neglected children and runs 24/7, as well as a very active foster care program.
Through the years, we have done many fundraisers for CAPA. Every year, we also put up an “Angel Tree” with tags containing the wishes of children at the shelter, in foster homes and involved in CAPA programs. Customers and residents can choose a tag and help fulfill that child’s Christmas wishes.
Angel Trees are placed throughout the city and county, and together they help fulfill Christmas wishes for more than 400 children. It’s a wonderful program and something that means a great deal to me.
What have you learned about trusting your instincts, whether in buying, merchandising, marketing or running the business?
Don’t laugh, but I’ve never done an open-to-buy in my life because I could never really figure it out!
Every year, I trust my gut, and it has always been right in terms of inventory levels. I watch our inventory closely, keep a close eye on the bestsellers and continue reordering what’s working.
After all these years, I’ve learned to trust what I see happening in the store and what our customers are telling us through what they buy.
What is your favorite, or best-selling, Road Runners brand and why?
We love Boston International and sell many different items from the line. We especially love the Rosanne Beck South Carolina napkins and other South Carolina products, along with the Carolina Gamecock and Clemson items.
We also love Winton and Waits clothing. The quality is wonderful!
And we love us some Lori Gantt! She’s a local girl to us because we’re in Beaufort and she’s in Ridgeland, only about 30 minutes away.
Is there anything more or special about your store you’d like us to share?
We do a Filmtastic Friday video every week on Facebook and Instagram featuring all the latest arrivals at Lulu’s.
I also do videos when new businesses open in downtown Beaufort to introduce them to the community. I think it’s important that we support each other and help people discover everything our downtown has to offer.
After more than 25 years, Nan’s approach to independent retail still comes down to some refreshingly simple principles: fill the store with things people will love, pay attention to what sells, take care of your customers, trust your instincts and support the community that supports you.
That sense of community may be one of the best lessons from the Lulu Burgess story. Nan isn’t simply promoting her own store. Whether she’s raising money for local children, introducing a new downtown business or showing off the week’s newest arrivals on Filmtastic Friday, she continues to give shoppers another reason to connect with Lulu Burgess and with downtown Beaufort.
Facts About Lulu Burgess
Opened: 2000
Square Footage: 990 sq ft.
Employees: 6
Fun Fact: Every Friday, Nan takes shoppers behind the scenes with Filmtastic Friday, a social media video featuring the latest arrivals at Lulu Burgess. She also uses social media to introduce newly opened downtown Beaufort businesses to the community.
Website: luluburgess.com
Social: Follow along on Instagram and Facebook
Top RR Brands: Boston International and Winton and Waits