Today we’d like to introduce you to Abby Hartridge.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I love helping people and both of my businesses give me the opportunity to interact and provide people with sustainable solutions for better living. It’s been a journey of discovering how to use my talents to be of service to my community. I was living in London 18 years ago and followed my heart to Los Angeles to pursue dreams of acting.
The acting thing didn’t work out, and design became my new love affair! I have worked in retail my whole life, from fashion to furniture and have always loved handcrafted, beautifully designed products. I joined Cisco Home 7 years ago and started off managing our Brentwood store. When our building in Brentwood closed we opened in Santa Monica and now I am the LA Market Manager for our Santa Monica and Melrose stores.
I also have a CBD business with my sister Dr. Caroline Hartridge, DO. We produce physician formulated healthcare solutions including an Epsom bath salt called SOAK, a vegan cacao truffle called EAT, a TOPICAL, and halotherapy salts called BREATHE.
Has it been a smooth road?
I don’t think any road to success or happiness is ever smooth! I think enjoying the challenges and looking up to take in the view are the key to being happy while the road is bumpy. I think one of the biggest struggles for me has been finding balance. I love what I do, but sometimes I put too much on my plate!
Last year we were working on a special project designing and furnishing an apartment building in DTLA, along with managing a Malibu pop up, and launching our Santa Monica market there were a lot of balls in the air! It was a labor of love and I’m so proud of the way it all turned out, but it was a tough couple of months juggling the many needs of the stores and installation of such a large project. It was challenging but the satisfaction of a job well done encourages me to work hard and play harder.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Cisco Home & Dr. Hartridge’s Healthcare Solutions story. Tell us more about the business.
Cisco Home has been making furniture in LA for over 25 years. We are family owned and operated, with our fearless leader Cisco Pinedo at the helm. He and his family have a healthy home and sustainability at the heart of what we do. Cisco’s close ties to family and nature are felt in every design. It’s our belief that health, happiness and one’s home are all closely related – and that our furniture combines these elements in a comfortable and responsible way. Cisco strives to use the finest methods and most responsibly sourced ingredients in the furniture that we produce.
Comfort and safety are carefully balanced with style and structure to define our unique collections. I think the soul of our artisans can be felt in the way we present our stores and in the handcrafted nature of our items. There is a little bit of magic and sparkle in our imperfect beauty, and the stores always feel good when you walk in.
The family theme continues with Dr. Hartridge’s Healthcare Solutions. Our family’s business was started by my sister (she’s the Dr!) and the opportunity to be a part of our own business just felt right after being involved in the Pinedo’s business for the past 7 years. We have carefully designed this line with pure, organic ingredients with proven effectiveness for products that are designed to maintain wellness and treat illness. The pure, mindfully sourced formulas create unique sustainable healthcare solutions from the earth and for your health.
To me, both businesses really resonate with my desire to be a part of our community in a way that helps people have a better quality of life.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I think the home and wellness industries are becoming more integrated. Thoughtful consumerism is really making a difference in the level of information that the customer requests, and how much self-education people are willing to commit to before they make an investment in their home or health. This is changing the way retailers and manufacturers approach our design, our marketing, and our customer experience.
Cisco Home has been working for years to create space in the industry for better practices. We are known for helping to affect changes to the law regarding fire retardants in foam, we use low VOC stains, and we produce lasting, heirloom quality furniture that is healthy for you and your home. I see a big shift in consumers using their buying power to support brands that are in line with their values. The days of “fast fashion” home décor is hopefully being shifted to the desire for well-made timeless pieces.
And Dr. Hartridge’s Healthcare Solution is really on the cusp of major industry changes regarding hemp and cannabis. There are so many amazing health benefits to CBD and the medical and wellness communities are really embracing this plant-based medicine. I think we will continue to see major shifts towards integrating these products into everyday usage as the customer becomes aware of and educated about all of the benefits that cannabis can provide.
Pricing:
- Cisco Home Sofas starting at $2595
- DRHHS SOAK $7
Contact Info:
- Address: 1443 Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica, 90401
8025 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, 90046 - Website: ciscohome.net drhhs.com
- Phone: 310-857-5659 SM | 323-932-1155 Melrose
- Email: [email protected] [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drhartridgeshealthcaresolution/ https://www.instagram.com/myciscohome/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myciscohome/ https://www.facebook.com/DrHartridgesHealthcareSolutions/
Image Credit:
Cari Howe, Lance Terrile, Kelly D Morris
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