A man walks into a boutique on Ivanhoe and asks the owner if by chance some items posted on Instagram might be available for purchase. He is from out of town, and his wife is a follower of the shop, Swoon Collection, on the popular social media site. Owner Kate Yetman is happy to help him find what he is looking for. Customer service, and getting to know customers personally, is all in a day’s work at Swoon Collection, one of many other small La Jolla businesses that heed the creed. Yetman knows what it takes to make a small business run in a big-business world. As the owner of the 600-square-foot indie fashion venue at 7910 Ivanhoe Ave., she has found that large customer service-based gestures more than make up for lack of size. “What do you think of this?” Yetman asks her regulars as a step in making decisions on what products to carry and what styles customers want to see. She offers clientele a way to be a part of the business and thus bring about its success.
Yetman is no stranger to business ownership, coming from two entrepreneur parents; she knew early on she wanted to be a business owner herself. Starting her first Swoon Collection in Cape Cod, Mass., Yetman eventually decided to quit her corporate job and move to La Jolla. Meanwhile, as the East Coast native collaborates with the greater La Jolla business community, the small businesses on Ivanhoe have banded together to create their own marketing powerhouse. The Shops on Ivanhoe has taken marketing and social media to a new level. Consisting of Swoon Collection, Mary’s English Kitchen, Hi Sweetheart, Bistro Pazzo, Barre 59 and Naturale Beauty Bar, these businesses have become a little family. “Our building is now full,” Hi Sweetheart owner Molly Rossetti said, “and there is an energy and excitement shared by the owners and staff of each business. We have become a little family, patronizing each other’s businesses, chatting about events and marketing, borrowing ladders and extension cords, celebrating birthdays… we do it all.”
And no matter how much Swoon grows, Yetman plans to keep it a small business at heart. “Our main focus,” she explained, “will always be to deliver great customer service,” she explained as she reflected on La Jolla, a community she has grown to love. Having a customer-focused business is indeed one of the many perks of staying small. On Saturday, Nov. 29, shoppers everywhere will celebrate Small Business Saturday, an effort by American Express to promote small business. Coming directly after Black Friday, one of the biggest shopping days of the year, consumers will theoretically head to the small shops (just one day after shopping at the big box stores to wait in lines for hours or stock up on the latest electronics). While Black Friday is known for its crowds and deals, Small Business Saturday, part of American Express’ Shop Small movement, is coming to be known for customer service and appreciation as well as sales and specials. The Shops on Ivanhoe are participating in this year’s Small Business Saturday. With a motto of “Shop Small, Shop Local, Shop Ivanhoe,” these small businesses are bringing the heart of community to the forefront of their marketing efforts.