Mary Carol Garrity
Interviewed By: Sheridan Sechter

Mary Carol Garrity opened Nell Hill’s, named for her grandmother, in her hometown of Atchison in 1981. Since then, she opened G. Diebolt’s, a bedroom furniture and linens boutique named for her father, George Diebolt in 1998 and Garrity’s Encore, a fine antiques store named for husband, Dan Garrity.

Mary Carol Garrity opened a retail store called Nell Hill’s in the small town of Atchison, Kan., twenty-five years ago. Back then, the only person who thought she would be successful was her father. Nell Hill’s is now almost a household name and Garrity has built an empire around her passion for people and retail including three stores and a fourth under construction, her own line of paint and a recently formed home accessories line. Did we mention that she just completed her fourth book, “Nell Hill’s Entertaining in Style”? Though her preference is to be on the sales floor of one of her stores helping her customers, we did get her to sit down for a few minutes to share her story with us.

How did you get started in business?
I started Nell Hill’s twenty-five years ago. At the time, I was living in Wichita and one day I was talking to Dad (George Diebolt) who suggested that I come home to Atchison and open a store. I did everything wrong at first. I had no business plan, and I basically starved for two to three years. Our big break came nineteen years ago when the Junior League did their first Holiday Mart. At that time, we had just started carrying linens and tabletop items. The shoppers who were introduced to us at that time were excited about our pricing and selection.

What is your guiding philosophy?
I believe that you have to be flexible and that perseverance is so important. And, I think that you have to continually reinvent.

Do you have a mentor?
My parents have been my mentors. I literally grew up in retail, learning a lot from my mother and father along the way. From my Dad, who is no longer with us, I received the enthusiasm for the business and the love of people. And, from my Mom I learned to work the markets.

What has been your biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge has been keeping up with growth and to keep things fresh. Most days are like a party at work because I really love what I do, and I love our customers. And, 10 percent of the time Ð well, that’s why they call it work.

What has been the most surprising thing about being in business?
People who aren’t in business don’t understand how much work it is. They have a very romantic notion of business not unlike the romantic ideas that some people have about marriage and having children. But, once you’re in it, the realities can be very different than the image.

What are the main reasons for your success?
They are enthusiasm, passion and dedication.

What makes you proud?
When I started Nell Hill’s twenty-five years ago, only my Dad thought I’d be successful. I feel good that I was able to be successful in my hometown.

Tell me about your new book, “Nell Hill’s Entertaining in Style: Inspiring Parties and Seasonal Celebrations.”
This is my fourth book, and I’m very proud of it. I worked with local publishing company, Andrews McMeel and the same team including Jean Lowe and Micki Chestnutt that produced the other three.

What are your latest projects?
We have developed a new line of paint with Davis Paints. Also, we worked with Gerson Imports in Olathe to create a line of tabletop items and china.

In addition, we recently decided to build a second location of Nell Hill’s in Briarcliff Village near downtown Kansas City and just north of the river. This will be a first. We’ve never built a store before; the other three stores are housed in historic buildings in downtown Atchison. There will be two floors of retail space Ð about 8,500 square feet each - along with a basement level for stock.

Customers will find a variety of price points along with a greater furniture selection and lifestyle vignettes than the Atchison locations.

Building a new store is something I never would have done without my husband’s influence. Dan retired from his law practice six years ago to work with me in our business full-time. I’d prefer to be on the sales floor helping customers; I don’t even have an office. Dan is the one who oversees the numbers and encourages me to grow the business. My responsibility and enthusiasm is tied up in constantly reinventing and coming up with fresh ideas.