The Preppy Times: PREPPED UP WITH THE THREE CHICKADEES

Summer is a great time for preps. It's not only a time to dress down but a time to really show the individual side of yourself. For me, I like to rely on that old preppy summer staple. No, no not madras, not seersucker, not even linens. No I'm talking about ribbon. That's right ribbon. Give me a ribbon belt with perhaps a nautical theme or a watchband and I'm pretty much a happy camper. I find the good thing about ribbon is that it can go along with ones mood. Monday Blues? Hump day Hopes? or Friday Fun. your ribbons can really display to the world what's going on with you. They can be fun, flirty, childish, laid back, subdue, silly or just about any thing.
If you're looking for some ribbon products for yourself or even as a gift, look no further than the Queens of Ribbon themselves......the Three Chickadees.
I've recently had the pleasure of getting a firsthand account from Melissa behind Three Chickadees.

The Preppy Times: Hello ladies, let me ask the question. Three Chickadees is an unusual
name. Where did it originate?

Three Chickadees: The name was actually a bit random. There are three of us who started the business, so we were looking for something to go with "Three"; the "Chickadee" part just popped into on of our heads and we thought it has a cute and preppy ring to it. It was that simple.

TPT: That's awesome. How did the business start?

TC: We started when we were introduced to the cutest ribbon watches. We thought it would be quite easy to make such a product ourselves and sell them. We didn't originally have a web site, but sold our items at craft fairs. We gradually developed a site, which is a continual work-in-progress, and now we sell exclusively online.

TPT: Tell me now, who are the people behind Three Chickadees that help run it?

TC: There are still only three of us that run Three Chickadees, though we do get plenty of help from our family members. Karen, Lisa and I were all former coworkers who were all very excited about the concept of starting the business. We've been up and running now since 2004 which seems amazing to me. We've gone through so many challenges and changes while the time in retrospect has just flown by.

TPT: Boy I can imagine. What types of products do you sell, and who is your target consumer?

TC: We sell lots of women's and children's accessories, and we also offer gift items as well as clothing for both men and women. The majority of our items are made from either patchwork madras or ribbon and our most popular customer is the preppy one!

TPT: Preppy is always best I always say. So your clientele is mostly women, is that safe to say?

TC: We sell mostly to women, though some men also purchase our watches and watchbands. We added men's belts awhile back and with the new addition of our men's clothing, we are hopeful hat we can add even more men to our client base.

TPT: Well You've got one man. Speaking of products, do you make all of yours by hand. If so what is your inspiration?

TC: While we do make the majority of our products by hand, since expanding into clothing and gifts, we do now have some of our madras products made for us in India.

TPT: Your products are very preppy. Why Preppy?

TC: The watches we started with were quite a preppy item and being from Connecticut, we are surrounded by everything preppy. Since we started with local craft fairs, we knew that preppy items would be a big sell and we just continued adding more products over time. We do also feature some variety in belts and watches for the non-preppy person, but we do find that the preppier items are our best sellers.

TPT: Who are your favorite preppy and/or accessories designers?

TC: My personal favorite is Eliza B., and we also like Lilly Pulitzer and Ralph Lauren.

TPT: You have exceptional and colorful ribbon accessories. How would you personally wear your products?

TC: I personally would say that most of our products look great with a plain white t-shirt!

TPT: If the reader wanted a custom piece, does Three Chickadees accommodate?

TC: We occasionally get requests for watch bands and belts that are either a bit longer or shorter than what we sell on our site and we are always happy to make the adjustment.

TPT: How are your accessories different from what's seen in the mainstream today?

TC: We see many preppy items in our area and while some are similar, I think we have the market cornered on the variety of madras items that we offer - every item we carry comes in a variety of patchwork madras patterns.

TPT: Do you have any promos, discounts or specials?

TC: We do occasionally run discounts and send out the discount codes via our mailing list. To join, just click here: http://threechickadees.com/subscribe.asp. We are also happy to offer a discount to your readers for the month of July. Just enter the code "overton" at checkout to get a 20% discount on all retail orders.

TPT: I'm flattered I must say. Where will Three Chickadees be in five years?

TC: We do have a continually growing client base and it would be nice if we could double it within the next five years, if not triple. We also expect to continually add new products and are always looking for suggestions from our customers!

TPT: What would you like the readers to know about Three Chickadees?

TC: We pride ourselves on good quality and making our customers happy. So if anyone is ever unhappy with a purchase, please let us know!

TPT: Last question, Joanns Fabrics or Michaels?

TC: Joann's of course.

TPT: Thank you Melissa, it's been a pleasure.

To the readers - Do yourself a favor and treat yourself, a friend or a relative with something from Three Chickadees. Click on the link www.threechickadees.com and remember 20% off at checkout for the month of July when you mention the code "overton".

Here is a little sample of what you'll find over at Three Chickadees: