Schools gamble for revenue share
August 16, 2011
Nancy Cherie McCollum
August 18, 2011
There was a day when almost every household had a box of quality stationary on hand at all times. Any invitation or gift received required a hand-written response and personal touch that at least two Houma sisters and their mother contend contemporary text messaging is unable to provide.
At Creative Sisters, Laura Daigneault, Lacie Daigneault Foreman and their mom, often mistaken as the older sister, Penny Daigneault offer designer invitations, quality grade stationary, in-house custom printing and seasonal gifts.
“Don’t forget the Who Dat? shirts,” Laura said on the morning of the Saints’ first preseason match-up for 2011.
Lacie, 23, and Laura, 25, both completed their scientific educations in medical-related fields, but when the prospect arrived to employ their creative side and work for themselves with a business they recognized as needed in their hometown they responded to the invitation of that opportunity.
While Laura leads on the designing and front end of this retail operation, Lacie takes care of business behind the scenes. “We kind of make a good pair and Mom keeps us all together,” Lacie said. “As sisters, we do have our moments.”
Declining to reveal how much money they invested to take over a closing card business, Lacie and Laura credit Penny with helping them not only financially, but physically to open the 1,200 square foot store on Nov. 15, 2010.
Penny also taught her daughters the importance of utilizing quality invitations for important events and occasions, and knowing how to write a proper thank you note on a stationary that lets the recipient know that thought was put into the act and stands behind the words.
“We have invitations of all kinds,” Lacie said. “We have wedding glasses and cake knives. Birthday party and baby shower [supplies].”
While this trio does not work as event planners, they do offer in store consulting as far as appropriate cards and messages are concerned.
“We found there really is a need for this kind of store in Houma because a lot of people feel they have to go to New Orleans,” Penny said.
More than 30 wedding invitation albums available means there is a wide inventory from which to select. In addition to already printed invitations, the Creative Sisters, plus mom, also offer in-house custom printing that offers a personal touch. “We can even order something [if it is not in stock],” Laura said.
With a seasonal approach to their business, Creative Sisters keeps a constantly fresh set of inventory and can offer special gifts, including jewelry and candles, not available in large chain businesses and more personal than high-tech offerings.
“I feel that the Internet is very impersonal,” Penny said. “If you really want to be sincere about something, if somebody took the time to buy you a gift, you should take the time to sit down and personally write them something, not type it on an email or computer.”
Lacie added that, in spite of popular opinion, not everyone has electronic devices upon which to text message, or wants them. “Some people don’t even check their email or the Internet,” she said. “So we still have those customers that are traditional.”
Laura and Lacie said that even shopping on the Internet for wedding invitations or other printed materials does not offer the buyer a first hand idea of how the grade or weight of paper stock feels or looks in real life. “They don’t know the quality of the paper [seeing it on the Internet],” Lacie said. “They might not even get the invitation [they select] because some of those Internet sites, you can’t trust them.”
“We have a lot of customers who will look it up on the Internet,” Penny said, “but they will come in here because they want to see the actual invitation.”
The Creative Sisters offer competitive prices, on the low end approximately $400 for 150 wedding invitations, and can graduate offerings from there. “We get a stereotype that we have pricey invitations, but customers don’t understand there are those cheap invitations that cost 70 cents or 90 cents, but those are just plain,” Laura said.
While larger chain businesses require a long waiting period for formal invitation printing, Lacie and Laura contend they will always stay late to get a job done on time. “We’re dedicated to getting our name out there that we want your business,” Lacie said. “We’re more than happy to stay with brides to make sure they get what they want.”
“It’s like anything else,” Penny said. “If you want the ‘Wow’ factor you are going to pay for it. Down south our weddings are pretty big.”
Customers have said “wow” in response to Creative Sisters. “This is my first time coming in the store and I like it,” said Betty Van Buren. “It is beautiful.”
“You have to find out what works for you,” Penny said. “We are trying different things to see what works for us. It’s been more demanding than we thought, but is has been fun.”
With quality invitations, stationary and gifts at hand the Creative Sisters keep tradition alive in a contemporary world.
Looking over a selection of wedding cards, Creative Sisters’ owners Lacie Daigneault Foreman, left, and Laura Daigneault, right, along with mom Penny Daigneault, offer custom work for their clients. MIKE NIXON
