2020 got you down?
Check out SallyMack for lighthearted gifts and beautiful art to bring some “happy” into your life. Or, send someone you know a care package. For more information, check out SallyMack’s Instagram page, @sallymackisback. To purchase through Instagram, direct message Stollmack for shipping details. SallyMack is located at 762-A Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd and is open Monday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 4 p.m.
As a UNC alumna and self-proclaimed “Carolina girl,” Sally Stollmack, owner of SallyMack, is one of the most passionate small business owners on Franklin Street.
SallyMack, a boutique on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, doesn’t sell your typical college-town apparel, but instead there’s a myriad of fun and trendy items, or as Stollmack phrases it, “everything from classy to sassy.”
When you walk in the store, you’re immediately greeted by bright colors and inviting fragrances from the “very unusual collection of items” SallyMack sells. Whether it be her all-natural soy candles or handmade jewelry, Stollmack prides herself on the singularity and exclusivity of her items, which she collects from trade shows across the country as well as from independent artists.
SallyMack is not new to the Chapel Hill small business scene, but like many other small businesses in the area, it was affected by the novel coronavirus.
“Everything has changed because of COVID,” Stollmack said.
Thankfully, SallyMack was able to reopen in early May. Stollmack considers customer safety a top priority, encouraging masks and spraying hand sanitizer before entering and leaving.
“I certainly go out of my way to make sure everything is sanitized and clean, and that customers feel like they can look at things without having to touch them,” she said.
While only 10 to 15 percent of Stollmack’s customer base are students, parents of students and UNC faculty account for the remainder of her sales. Due to the campus-wide closure, fewer sporting events and a postponed graduation, however, those crucial in-person sales have dropped.
“I used to rely very heavily on home football game weekends and soccer games because those parents have been shopping with me from day one,” Stollmack said.
To make up for those losses, SallyMack has moved a large portion of its sales online, primarily through Instagram. While Instagram was originally a solution to satisfy those who don’t feel comfortable shopping in the store, Stollmack said she will definitely continue to post on Instagram to sell her products. Customers can also hear about new sales and products through weekly emails.
Just a quick scroll through her Instagram page and it’s obvious why so many are drawn to SallyMack. From pumpkin spice scented candles to local handmade art, there’s enough variety to satisfy any shopper.
If you’re looking to send a gift to someone you love during this pandemic era, Stollmack recommends sending care packages.
“Everybody’s going through their own thing with COVID, so people are really wanting to send packages to put a little happy in someone’s life,” Stollmack said. “Sometimes people give me a budget and say ‘just pick it out’ or I’ll do Facetime shopping with them. I love doing it.”
The care packages are customizable, but her most popular packages include candles, stationery, soap and luxury hand sanitizer to name a few. Stollmack goes out of her way to make sure the care package is special and meaningful, whether it is a custom package or one that Stollmack creates herself.
Although the effects of COVID have definitely impacted the way SallyMack does business, Stollmack says she wants it to be “a place you can maybe walk in and forget about everything outside the world and outside of the store, whether you’re there for five minutes or an hour.”
When you come out of SallyMack, you not only leave with your purchase, but you also come out smiling.
