March 27, 2017

Meet Corrie Mendes of Teak & Lace Kids Party Rentals in Chatsworth

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Corrie Mendes.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Corrie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started working in LA as a talent coordinator on the Academy Awards and moved into the event world 10 years ago. At my last event firm, I helped produce some of the most memorable celebrity events of our time. Our clients would get married, then have baby showers and then I would do their children birthdays. There were no good high end kids party rentals out there so my husband Adam started building items for me to use.

It started with two mini wagon carts we made for Kourtney Kardashians sons birthday. Then he built a line of kids tables for Vanessa and Nick Lachey’s son…it grew from there! I quit my full time planning job in 2015 to focus on Teak & Lace full time. It was time to focus on our family’s future!

My husband and I own the company together. Adam and I design the pieces and he makes everything. We’re a perfect team both bringing different skills to the table! He started as an art director for HGTV, was the on camera candy engineer building massive candy sculptures for the show ‘Candy Queen’ on TLC and then onto one of the most prestigious design firms in LA; Magni Design where he was the production manager for their furniture line.

We have 2 daughters and our older has special needs. She loves to party and is our inspiration for everything. We wanted to create a legacy to secure her future.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
We’ve been very lucky with Teak & Lace! We have a product and work history that nobody else has. We knew it had to be successful we just didn’t have the money or investors to get us off the ground quickly. We did it the only way we knew how…long nights and lots of elbow grease. We are the only people who truly care about our future and family and we had to do it! Our girls are our drive to keep going…even if that means taking on the social media at 4AM.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Teak & Lace Kids Party Rentals story. Tell us more about the business.
Teak & Lace specializes in the rental of kids sized furniture for parties as well as custom specialty rentals like signage, backdrops, dessert table props and props. The love for Adams tables has been growing into adult furniture as well. Our clients were loving the clean shape of our kids’ rustic wood tables and wanted to rent them in adult. Sooooo we made our first adult GRAND collection that matches the kids line. Mommy and me furniture! The custom requests have been coming more and more! Right now Adam is building a Willy Wonka chocolate river. We are so proud of what we’ve started with our own two hands.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I think it’s always a mix hard work, skill, and a little bit of luck. Being in the right place at the right time and being able to run with it and create something people will never forget.

Without all three of those things I don’t believe you can be fully successful. With hard work, strong work ethic and skills that people love…..when given a little luck you get the opportunity to show people what you can do. They will notice the love that goes into it and be clients for life.

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