The result is a rebranding of her business now known as The Style Merchant.
The business recently re-opened after a three-week closure during which time the last of the redesign and construction took place.
While Smith’s customers got to see the end result when the business reopened on, Nov. 24, Smith herself was treated to a grand reveal just a few days before that, after being shunned from her business for three weeks so the end result would be a surprise to her as well.
Banning her from the premises was Mandy Rennehan – whose Freshco business had stepped in to do the work, using local contractors and also some of their own.
Rennehan has undertaken several redevelopment projects in Yarmouth – the old Yarmouth jail and a rowhouse property in Yarmouth south being among them.
“When the last three weeks came I looked at Krista and said, ‘You’re not allowed in here. This is my three weeks. I do this and you get a grand reveal.’ She told me, ‘I trust you.’”
And Smith wasn’t disappointed.
The business has been repurposed both in its design and also in many of the materials used inside. For instance, some of the bricks from the south end rowhouse property will be incorporated into the new design of the salon and day spa business. The entire redesign and rebranding project is not yet finished. Part of The Merchant Style business complex includes a redsign of the companion business Klic Fashions, which has temporarily set up shop on Main Street until it's new and improved space is ready for it on Hawthorn Street.
According to its website, Design Line opened in 1995 with a mission to create an environment that was trendy, yet relaxing, and offered clients an experience.
Rebranded as The Style Merchant, they’ll get even more of an experience than before.
Both Rennehan and Smith hope the rebranding encourages other businesses to “think big” as well.
“I want people to see the city come to Yarmouth. I want them to see the trendy. I want them to see what style looks like in an historic setting,” says Rennehan.
In addition to repurposing local materials and incorporating them into the design, other materials have been brought in from other parts of the world.
“One part of the business is what I would call a New York-Paris design. Another part is what I would call a Yarmouth industrial design,” Rennehan says. “It’s a harmony of the old and new.”
Smith is happy with her decision to go big.
“I had been starting to feel that everything was stagnant and boring and I thought what do I really want to do for the next 20 years?” she says. “This is going to be our 20th anniversary reopening and I thought, do I really want this? Do I want to do a career change? Do I want to sell? Or do I want to rebrand it all and refresh and start over?”
After taking some time to determine if she was still passionate about the industry, she determined she was.
She hopes her passion – and Rennehan’s – is infectious.
“I hope it catches on like wildfire, I hope other people are inspired to do something, even if it’s just in a small way, to refresh their business,” she says. “I’d also like to see other people take notice and say, ‘Hey, there’s something happening down there. I want to do something too.’”
She also believes the work to her business adds to, and compliments, the recent work the town undertook to improve the Hawthorn Street streetscape.
The result is a rebranding of her business now known as The Style Merchant.
The business recently re-opened after a three-week closure during which time the last of the redesign and construction took place.
While Smith’s customers got to see the end result when the business reopened on, Nov. 24, Smith herself was treated to a grand reveal just a few days before that, after being shunned from her business for three weeks so the end result would be a surprise to her as well.
Banning her from the premises was Mandy Rennehan – whose Freshco business had stepped in to do the work, using local contractors and also some of their own.
Rennehan has undertaken several redevelopment projects in Yarmouth – the old Yarmouth jail and a rowhouse property in Yarmouth south being among them.
“When the last three weeks came I looked at Krista and said, ‘You’re not allowed in here. This is my three weeks. I do this and you get a grand reveal.’ She told me, ‘I trust you.’”
And Smith wasn’t disappointed.
The business has been repurposed both in its design and also in many of the materials used inside. For instance, some of the bricks from the south end rowhouse property will be incorporated into the new design of the salon and day spa business. The entire redesign and rebranding project is not yet finished. Part of The Merchant Style business complex includes a redsign of the companion business Klic Fashions, which has temporarily set up shop on Main Street until it's new and improved space is ready for it on Hawthorn Street.
According to its website, Design Line opened in 1995 with a mission to create an environment that was trendy, yet relaxing, and offered clients an experience.
Rebranded as The Style Merchant, they’ll get even more of an experience than before.
Both Rennehan and Smith hope the rebranding encourages other businesses to “think big” as well.
“I want people to see the city come to Yarmouth. I want them to see the trendy. I want them to see what style looks like in an historic setting,” says Rennehan.
In addition to repurposing local materials and incorporating them into the design, other materials have been brought in from other parts of the world.
“One part of the business is what I would call a New York-Paris design. Another part is what I would call a Yarmouth industrial design,” Rennehan says. “It’s a harmony of the old and new.”
Smith is happy with her decision to go big.
“I had been starting to feel that everything was stagnant and boring and I thought what do I really want to do for the next 20 years?” she says. “This is going to be our 20th anniversary reopening and I thought, do I really want this? Do I want to do a career change? Do I want to sell? Or do I want to rebrand it all and refresh and start over?”
After taking some time to determine if she was still passionate about the industry, she determined she was.
She hopes her passion – and Rennehan’s – is infectious.
“I hope it catches on like wildfire, I hope other people are inspired to do something, even if it’s just in a small way, to refresh their business,” she says. “I’d also like to see other people take notice and say, ‘Hey, there’s something happening down there. I want to do something too.’”
She also believes the work to her business adds to, and compliments, the recent work the town undertook to improve the Hawthorn Street streetscape.
