THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEKEND.
LISA: I'M IN HAMPDEN, WITH THE OWNER OF IN WATERMELON SUGAR.
LESLIE STEVENSON.
YOU HAVE A GREAT SHOP HERE.
>> THANK YOU.
LISA: HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE NAME, IN WATERMELON SUGAR?
>> I OPENED 22 YEARS AGO WHEN WE HAD FUNKY NAMES, LIKE FAT ELVIS.
WATERMELON SUGAR IS A TITLE OF A BOOK THAT MY FRIEND WAS A FAN
OF.
THAT'S WHERE WE GOT THE TITLE.
IT SOUNDED COLORFUL AND FUN.
LISA: THIS IS A COLORFUL PLACE.
YOU GUYS HAVE SO MAN THINGS.
I MEAN THE BATH PRODUCTS.
A NICE SPADAY.
>> WE TRY TO HAVE SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY.
HAMPDEN IS AN ECLECTIC NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE HAVE A LOT OF SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS, COLLEGES.
A DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE COME TO HAMPDEN.
I TRY TO DO A LITTLE FOR EVERYBODY.
LISA: YOU GET THINGS FROM ALL OVER?
>> YES.
LISA: A LOT OF CALIFORNIA, A LOT OF OREGON?
>> YES.
EAST COAST, WEST COAST.
WHATEVER PIQUES MY INTEREST AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT.
EVERYTHING IS NATURAL AND ORGANIC.
WE TRY TO KEEP TO PRODUCTS THAT ARE GOOD PRODUCTS.
LISA: I NOTICE YOU HAD JEWELRY BY A LOCAL ARTIST.
>> WE DO, JEN AT YUMMY AND COMPANY.
SHE'S DOWN AT T POTTERS GUILD.
SHE DOES SMALL POTTERY PIECES, A LOT OF JEWELRY.
I HAVE A SMALL COLLECTION OF HER STUFF, BUT SHE DOES A LOT OF
LARGER POTS.
YOU CAN SEE HER STUFF THERE AND ALSO IN REMINGTON.
LISA: WHAT'S NEAT ABOUT THIS IS IF YOU CAN'T FIND A GIFT IN
HERE, THEN SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH YOU.
BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO YOU HAVE THE CARDS, YOU HAVE PENS, YOU HAVE
HANDBAGS.
YOU HAVE EVERYTHING I COULD IMAGINE.
YOU HAVE DIFFERENT SECTIONS HERE.
>> WE TRY.
I TRY TO ORGANIZE IT FOR THE CUSTOMER.
I DO A LITTLE IT ABOUT THE KITCHEN, TRY TO HAVE A KITCHEN
SECTION FOR EVERY DAY.
A LOT OF COOK BOOKS, CHILDREN'S BOOKS, STATIONARY, PILLOWS,
BAGS, CANDLES.
LISA: YOU HAVE A SECTION FOR KIDS AND TOYS.
>> WE HAVE A LOT OF FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN.
HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING FOR THEM AS WELL.
WE STARTED WITH A DOG SECTION WHEN I FIRST OPENED BEFORE I HAD
CHILDREN AND REALIZED MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE ADDED A CHILDREN'S
SECTION.
LUCKILY, WE HAVE A PET STORE DOWN THE STREET SO WE'RE COVERED
THERE.
LISA: WRAPPING PAPER.
CANDLES.
I LOVE THE MAPS THAT ARE WRAPPING PAPER.
P>> THAT'S A COMPANY OUT OF SAN FRANCISCO CALLED CAVALLINI.
THEY INTENDED IT TO BE WRAPPING PAPER.
EVERYBODY WOULD FRAME IT AND HANG IT ON THE WALL.
THEY'VE COME OUT WITH LOTS OF MAPS AND DIFFERENT PIECES THAT
PEOPLE CAN HANG.
LOTS OF COLLEGE KIDS LIKE THEM FOR DORMS.
LISA: WHAT'S ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE THINGS IN THE STORE
>> I'M GOING TO SAY SEASON-WISE, THOUGH HAMPDEN IS KNOWN FOR
CHRISTMAS.
I GO ALL OUT ON CHRISTMAS AND I LOVE CHRISTMAS, I LOVE SUMMER
AND SPRING.PSO WHEN ALL THE COLL TURKISH TOWELS AND BEACH BAGS
THE FUN, SUMMARY, MEXICAN PRODUCTS START TO COME IN,
THAT'S MY FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR.
LISA: SO MUCH IS HERE, LIKE I SAID IF YOU CAN'T FIND ANYTHING
IN HERE, SOMETHING'S WRONG.
YOU GUYS ARE A SMALL COMMUNITY OF BUSINESSES SO WE WANT PEOPLE
TO COME OUT AND SUPPORT THE HAMPDEN BUSINESSES.
>> WE'RE LUCKY.
THE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE.
THEY SUPPORT THE SHOPS, RESTAURANTS.
WE'VE FARED BETTER THAN OTHER SMALLER STORES THAT DON'T HAVE A
GREAT ASSOCIATION OR NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE WE DO.
SO WE'VE BEEN VERY LUCKY.
LISA: YOU'VE HAD TO ADJUST WITH COVID.
>> WE DID.
WE ADJUSTED TO -- I'M THE WORST ONE AT THIS, SO I'M NOT GOOD AT
ONLINE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE ADJUSTED BETTER THAN I HAVE.
WE DID A LOT OF INSTAGRAM, ORDERS AND DELIVERIES WHEN WE
WEREN'T ABLE TO ALLOW CUSTOMERS TO COME IN.
THEN AGAIN TOO, I HAVE SOME VERY LOYAL CUSTOMERS, A LOT OF LOYAL
CUSTOMERS THAT ALREADY KNOW MY PRODUCTS SO THEY CALL EVERY DAY
AND ASK ME TO DELIVER THINGS, AND, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY MORE
THAN HAPPY TO DO THAT.
I'M VERY LUCKY.
LISA: YOU HAVE TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE STORE.
>> AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE ALLOW SIX CUSTOMERS IN RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE BEEN THAT WAY FOR A LONG TIME, EVEN THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS.
LISA: CONTINUED GOOD LUCK.
>> I APPRECIATE IT.
I APPRECIATE YOU COMING IN.
LISA: THANKS FOR HAVING US.
>> A NICE SURPRISE.
LISA: I'M LISA ROBINSON.
THAT'S YOUR SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT FOR THIS SUNDAY.
AND CHECK OUT HAMPDEN, ALL THE BUSINESSES,