May 1, 2017

Meet Sumi Siegel of Sumi’s in Los Feliz

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sumi Siegel.

Established in the spring of 2005, Sumi’s has become a destination for unique jewelry, gifts and more. Owner, Sumi Siegel, has been in retail in some capacity since the 80s. In 1999, she helped her mother Carita start a handbag company called Carita Viola Designs. All the bags are designed and made by Carita in her Helsinki, Finland studio. At Sumi’s, you’ll find an exclusive selection of her mother’s work, from purses to table runners.

“Before opening the store, I was selling my mom’s bags to other stores as well as at art festivals all over California. One day in March of 2005, my husband Max and I were taking a walk in our neighborhood, when we came across a vacant store front for rent. I was already selling my mom’s work, so it just made sense to open a store.” Sumi and Max built and designed the store themselves. The architectural salvage used to create much of the space makes for a visually stimulating atmosphere. The six large jewelry cases in the store make for an impressive selection. “Though my mom’s bags started it all, we’re best known for our jewelry. The range of price and style is really broad. I wanted to have a store that everyone could shop at. So, you’ll find the classic conservative piece as well as the edgy bold piece. The main criteria I use for selecting jewelry for the store is that it be handmade and that the source be the artist themselves. Being special is important too. This philosophy goes for the rest of my merchandise as well.”

In March of 2011, Sumi finally did what her customers suggested she do… start her own jewelry line. Emma Lou by Sumi’s is made by Sumi herself. It’s affordable and pretty. Everything is made to order and if you want something customized, Sumi can do that too.

In the spring of 2014, the store was relocated to Vermont Avenue in Los Feliz.

The new location still follows the same philosophy of selling handmade and small production goods with amazing service. The selection has diversified quite a bit. Lots of ceramics, items for the home, art prints, and more.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have been many struggles along the way. I suppose many would have called it quits, but my love of doing this and an unwillingness to give up has kept me hanging in there.

I had no employees for the first two years of my business. A friend’s daughter helped me during the holidays, but other than that, it was just me. I was open 6 days a week back then, closed on Mondays so that I could have a day off. My husband didn’t see much of me back then…

The recession was a true test of the viability of my business. We opened in 2005 and by 2007 we were seeing impressive growth in sales and our client base. When the recession hit, we felt it in a big way. Sales dropped, customers were scared to spend money, and gold and silver prices went through the roof. All our jewelry designers had to increase their prices because their production costs went up so dramatically. Customers not shopping paired with higher product costs is not a good combination. We really struggled with keeping it going. I wasn’t going to give up my business so I made other sacrifices. As soon as it was clear that the economy was truly tanking, my husband Max and I downsized our living expenses, moving into a small apartment. I also started my jewelry line (which has been a blessing) so that I could fill my jewelry cases more affordably.

My first location, where we were for 9 years, saw so much turnover. The other businesses on my block changed over 4 times! Finally, the restaurant on the corner, which was the anchor of our block, closed its doors. We quickly set out to look for a new location. We would have gone under if we stayed. It was a miracle that we got our new location on Vermont! We had to compete for it. We had no money, but won out over a business that was looking for its tenth location. We put together a passionate presentation about what we were all about along with a rendering (by my architect husband Max) of what we would do with the space. They took a chance on us, they really did.

The new location is great, but it’s had its struggles too. Even though we were 9 when we moved, to the new neighborhood we were brand new again. It took time for people to learn about us and even though we did our best to let our old clients know where we were going, many thought we closed our doors. Since then, we’ve reconnected with many of them and have acquired many new local customers as well.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Sumi’s – what should we know?
We define ourselves as being a store that specializes in handmade and small production goods. Nothing is mass produced. Most things are American made, but we do have goods from elsewhere too. We insist on selling goods that are ethically made, where the artists are properly compensated. Outside of the US, we source goods from Japan, Great Britain, Canada, India, Israel, and of course Finland for my mother’s handbags

Jewelry remains our specialty. The range of price and style is very broad. If you want to get something for under $30 we have it. If you want to buy a unique engagement ring, we have that too.

We are so proud of the loyalty of our customers. We are the “go to” place for gifts for so many wonderful people. They keep coming back, not just for the unique goods we offer, but for the service and experience. We make shopping a pleasurable experience and bend over backwards to accommodate our customers’ needs. We call people when things they want come in. We keep wish lists on file so that their loved ones can more easily get them the gift they want. We guarantee our products. People have come to understand that when they buy something from us, that an exchange or repair is not something they need to worry about. We’ve proudly become a part of people’s lives. We’re there for all of it, when they’re happily single, dating, getting married, having babies, even when they are experiencing heartache and loss. Our customers know that they can drop by just to say hi without feeling pressure to buy. We have customers that have moved away or live out of state, but always put a visit to our store on their itinerary when they come to town. We are so lucky!

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
It’s my insistence on the notion that “pleasure” be present in every aspect of the shopping experience. It starts with what you see. Our curation of goods and the way things are merchandised are taken very seriously. Browsing our store is a pleasure to the eye. It’s meant be enjoyed. It’s meant to inspire. We know that people may not spend money that day, but that they’ll be back because of how they felt while they were here. People who are new to our store are always excited to come back. They openly comment on how good it feels to be here. It’s so important! This feeling must seamlessly move through the entire experience. The browsing, the conversations, the touching of the merchandise, the trying on, the closing of the sale, the gift wrap that is always offered before someone has to ask, and even the payment. Our “thank you” at the end is gracious and heart-felt no matter the size of purchase. The person buying a birthday card gets the same warmth, thanks, and well wishes as the person that just spent a thousand dollars. That’s why our customer base is so diverse. We have something for everybody and everyone feels good about what they can afford and what they ultimately walk out the door with.

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