KENSINGTON, Md. — Those who walk into this home décor store in Kensington, Maryland, right across a MARC station, will find its owner directing a furniture painting class, adjusting a display or counseling a customer on the best way to apply a wax finish to a project.
In any case, Bahia Akerele of On the Purple Couch will be smiling, laughing and savoring the many roles that come with being a small-business owner.
“We support the community, not just in the shop,” Akerele said, “We support the charities in the community.” She says small businesses have your back.
Akerele’s taking part in Small Business Saturday, a national effort started by American Express back in 2010. It’s part of an effort to increase patronage of neighborhood businesses. This year, the day takes place in the context of a changing administration and economic uncertainty in the face of that change, which she says other local business owners have felt.
Part of her job, she explains, is to help customers who feel they’ve painted themselves into a corner, such as maybe starting a project that has resulted in an unexpected outcome. When that happens, she tells customers, “Get us on the phone, get on our website — we have lots of information. Come on in to the shop! Several different finishes can be created.”
With a laugh, Akerele says the great thing about the paint she sells — the Annie Sloan chalk paint, which she says doesn’t require sanding or priming — is that most times, you can simply slather on more layers to get the look you want.
But it’s not just about selling a product she finds reliable; it’s about the community connection that can help, in part, shops like hers compete to some degree with the big box stores.
Run into trouble, she’s there to hold your hand. Have a success? She’ll want to hear all about it.
And Akerele ticks off some of the nonprofits she works to support: “A Wider Circle, Habitat for Humanity, Habitat Re-Store, Community Forklift. We’re part of the community.”
The feeling seems mutual as she recalls a story of customer loyalty: She was packing up finished furniture pieces to display at a home show in 2014 during what developed into a massive snowstorm. One of her customers made the trek to Gaithersburg in the snow to find the event had been canceled. The next day, the same show went on and that same customer returned. As Akerele tells it, the woman said, “I had to come and see you. I had to let you know that I was supporting you.”
Akerele shakes her head with a smile as she tells the story. “’Til today, that floors me!”
