Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly Kissam and Alexis Kissam.
Alexis and Kimberly have a financial background and left corporate America in the end of 2008 and started with a temporary brick and mortar in Nantucket summer 2009, and then in the fall opened a store in Wellesley.
Kimberly, Alexis – please kick things off for us. Where does this story start?
We had very little knowledge of retail but worked around the clock perfecting our buying skills, and selling skills, and business skills, we basically asked lots of questions. Now we manufacture overseas and work with hundreds of different designers worldwide.
We took a big risk leaving our corporate jobs during the biggest financial recession we had seen so far in our lifetime. However, that offered us a lot of opportunities. Everyone was going out of business and we were starting a business – which gave us major negotiating power with everything.
Alexis and I feel lucky to have this business – we work well together! We bring different skill to the business and we listen to each other’s ideas and suggestions.
Our inspiration was our Grandmother, Isabel Harvey. She was a true style icon. Known for her elegance, grace and adventurous personality, her stories of traveling throughout Australia, Europe, and South America still live with us today. She was a teacher, an avid golfer and a musician whose cultural experiences allowed her to inspire and motivate many. When it came to fashion, she believed that poise, confidence, and a positive spirit were inherent to good style.
Educated at the world-renowned Julliard School in New York City, she embraced the arts and made them the center of her life. Creative and fashion-forward, Isabel Harvey had the ability to transform any outfit into something beautiful. To her, a black dress was a blank canvas. By adorning herself with her signature broach or a crystal pendant, she was able to turn the ordinary into extraordinary.
An incredible wife, mother and friend, Isabel Harvey embraced life. Her creative and compassionate nature made her unique and it shone brighter than any jewel she possessed. Her love of art, fashion and education has been passed on through the generations and we are delighted to be representing her spirit throughout our collection.
Our Grandmother, Isabel Harvey, is the inspiration behind our business. Classical in her taste and creative in her fashion, she taught us that every woman should express her own style through beautiful, fun and unique accessories. Most importantly however, she believed that good character, strength and confidence were the keys to good taste.
With the launch of Isabel Harvey, we have created a line of jewelry that we are deeply proud of. Throughout the line, we have made sure that each piece represents our Grandmother’s graceful demeanor and keen sense of style, as well as our own individual spirit and artistic vision. We are excited to have created a place online where women can find unique and beautiful pieces that represent everything from everyday modern elegance to night-on-the-town bohemian chic.
As experienced stylists and skilled jewelry consultants, our goal is to guide women and help them find special pieces that will enhance their personal style and define their sense of fashion. Our Grandmother not only had great taste- she had an intuition about what worked and what didn’t. We, at Isabel Harvey, refer to this as Style Intuition, an ability to see something, try it on and know that it possess that trend-setting element that sets you apart. This trait, passed on to us, is what sets us apart from other boutiques and shops. With a diverse, ever changing collection of jewelry, there is always something that’s just perfect for everyone.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Smooth road, absolutely not!!! Nothing that is successful and reward comes easy! From day one we rolled up our sleeves and dove in. We had so many bumps in the road it’s hard to elaborate on just one.
Just some example; we had hard negotiations with landlords, cash flow issues, inventory tracking and buying strains (never enough merchandise, way too much merchandise). We also, tried to stay on trend with fashion and bringing in designers that are of good value and good quality. Every bump in the road was a lesson and a chance to do it better. We had shoplifters, employees and personnel issues, designers that went out of business after taking our money, lawyers who didn’t look out for our best interest, landlords that tried to intimidate. The list gong on…
Please tell us about Isabel Harvey.
Isabel Harvey is a very fashionable boutique in Nantucket and Wellesley. We sell chic and stylish earring, bracelets and necklaces as well and a rainbow of Cashmere wraps, and ponchos, hats, gloves, Italian leather handbags. We currently design and manufacture all cashmere in Nepal. We specialize in fashion for your home and stylish accessories. We try and stay hip and fresh. And want people to feel good when they shop at Isabel Harvey.
What sets apart from others is our beautifully curated selection of jewelry and home accessories. We are always at the top of the trends… another reason why Isabel Harvey stands out from other stores is our family feel… because Isabel Harvey is a family run business we tell the sales team to treat everyone that comes into the store as if they are a guest at your house. We want to make sure everyone feels welcomed and special.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
No it hasn’t been an easy path but I think every road block was a lesson that we learned from. And we are still trying to do better, make smarter choices, and always on the look-out for the hottest / coolest merchandise to bring into the store. So I guess to answer the question we are constantly starting over and doing things differently and trying to stay current and fresh and making customer service our number one goal!
Contact Info:
- Address: 41 Central Street
- Website: www.isabelharvey.com
- Phone: 6175152581
- Email: kimberly@isabelharvey.com
- Instagram: isabel_harvey
- Facebook: isabelharveyfan
- Yelp: Isabel Harvey
Wellesley, MA 8/13/11 New shops to check out for fall; Isabel Harvey, Wellesley. Sisters Kimberly and Alexis Kissam are the owners – Kimberly is the one in the turtleneck.
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
