Meet Your Local Business: Home Accents, Etc

Home Accents, Etc

16161 Main Avenue SE
Prior Lake, MN 55372
(952) 440-5624
Fax: (952) 440-5627

http://www.homeaccentsetc.com

Quaint tends to be an over used word in describing some retail stores but in the case of Home Accents in downtown Prior Lake, it’s hard to come up with a word more accurate when describing Mary Viereck’s lovely Home Accents, etc.

It’s located at 16161 Main Ave SE.  Mary opened the store in November of 1999.  Her passion for Home Accents, Etc began while she was teaching middle school in Apple Valley.  The original store began in her home but the pace of the business and its subsequent demands made a move to a larger space necessary.  The early success led her to the downtown location.  It’s perfect for her as she and her husband have been Prior Lake residents for 26 years. 

Her activism in the community is admirable and ongoing.  She is actively engaged and helped launch the Laker Educational Foundation in Prior Lake where today she sits on its advisory board.  The Laker Educational Foundation (L.E.F.) connects the resources of generous parents, staff, alumni, residents and community businesses, with educators and students of all ages to enrich opportunities and foster excellence within the ISD719 school area.  Since 2005, L.E.F. has awarded over $279,000 to prepare our students and community for success in the 21st Century.  Mary is a perfect example of where community activism and entrepreneurship come together.

The concept for Home Accents, Etc when it first opened was home décor but is has since grown to encompass some very stylish women’s clothing.    Mary tells us that the teacher in her is always open to new ideas for in-store items.  It’s what insures innovation.  Mary goes to great lengths to guarantee that by carefully hand selecting all the clothes for the store.  She innovates with customers by seeing that her staff are always familiar with tastes and preferences from a variety of customer ages and backgrounds.  “I love the energy that some our staff members bring to the store”, she said.  “It keeps all of us on our toes, always sharp.”

Thinking “Bigger is Better?” Many people have the theory of “more is always better.”   Trying to be Everything to Everyone: This ties a lot into the first question, as many of us think it’s important that small, unique stores are not trying to please a large crowd in every category of home accents.  Mary has wisely chosen to focus more on a smaller category of merchandise that people in Prior Lake are prone to take interest in and purchase.   Home Accents, Etc is one of the most original, unique stores in Scott County.