Owner/President: Penny Sutter Company: Perfume Pizazz Address: 18810-C E. 39th Street Independence, MO 64057 Phone: (816) 795-7901 E-mail: Type of Business: Retail sales Year Founded: 1989
Perfume Pizazz is a retail business selling fragrances for both men and women with four locations: 11575 W. 95th St., just north of Oak Park Mall in Overland Park; 7261 N.W. 86th Place in North Kansas City at Zona Rosa; 18810-C E. 39th in Independence; and Springfield, Mo. We have more than 600 perfumes and colognes that we sell at a discount. We decided when we started the company that we would sell at a discount rather than offer gifts with purchase, because a person can only use so many umbrellas and other gifts. We found a niche because no one at the time was selling fragrances at a discount, although now discount stores carry them. Customers tell us they like that they can go to one counter for men's and women's fragrances and for fragrances from different makers.
Personal Wealth My wealth is derived from the satisfaction of being independent and able to express my creativity in my stores. I love selling to people and would spend all my time doing that if it weren't for the backroom work that I must do. I love the satisfaction of helping people find just the right fragrance for them, or for a gift. It can bring tears to their eyes when they find a fragrance that evokes an emotional memory and is a fragrance they haven't been able to find for years. We carry many fragrances that the department stores no longer carry.
Community and Social Wealth Through my four stores in Kansas City and one in Springfield, Mo., I have provided many jobs for people who want to work in retail. It is difficult to keep good dependable people, so I have implemented a 401(k) and health insurance to keep the good people I find. A few of my employees have been with us for 10 years or more.
Perfume Pizazz has participated in a program with the Independence School District to provide an opportunity for students to learn about retail by working in our store. We also donate numerous gift cards and gift sets to fundraisers for women's organizations.
Professional History I owned a salon for 10 years. After I sold it, I talked with someone in Kansas City who wanted to start a store that would sell professional beauty products to the public. At first it didn't seem like a very good idea, but then I realized a lot of women couldn't afford to go to a salon. They were buying products in the drug store so they could use them at home. It seemed like the beauty store concept would allow them to buy good products and allow us to teach them how to use those products. So, I was general manager for six beauty supply stores and when the owner sold the chain, he suggested we partner to open a perfume store. I had been interested in fragrances since I was a child, so in 1989 we opened our first perfume store.
Financing My partner provided all of the funding while I did the work to develop the stores and run them. We financed each new store from profits, so we didn't have to borrow. When my partner wanted to retire in 2000, I decided to buy the stores with my son-in-law, Troy Smith, who had been the operations manager. We purchased the stores with a Small Business Administration loan. It was the first time I took on major debt.
Support Systems My support has come mostly from my family. When I was working long hours, my children were strong supporters of the business. My daughter, Shana, and Troy Smith worked in the Springfield store while attending college there. After they moved back to Kansas City, I hired Troy to be the operations manager. He is now my partner. My son, Chris Siebenmorgen, is currently our operations manager.
Significant Accomplishment and Challenges The satisfaction of a happy customer is my greatest accomplishment. Fragrance can be so emotional because of the memories it brings back. Customers sometimes tell heartfelt stories about particular fragrances that have special meaning for them.
The high turnover of retail employees is my greatest challenge. Keeping good, dependable people who can match my level of passion for the business is very challenging. Also, when you are in retail for many years, you know that shopping patterns change. Shopping areas change, as well. If you are in a stagnant location, you have to know when it is time to move, and you must have the finances to make the move happen. When Zona Rosa opened three years ago, we moved a store from Antioch Center to the new development. It was difficult for the first few years while the center was establishing itself. Moving was the right thing to do, but it took time for that area to take off.
Changes in the Market When we first opened the stores, we carried 200 fragrances and we thought we were pretty amazing. Now, every year, they release several thousand fragrances throughout the world. It seems that every celebrity, singer and professional athlete comes out with one. We have to decide which ones to carry. If a fragrance gets a big promotion, people may ask for it. They don't necessarily want to buy it, but they want to come in and smell it. Our challenge is whether to wait and see what will be popular, or go ahead and order a fragrance and hope it takes off
