Findlay residents Pam Hamlin and her daughter, Kristina Pritchard, have grown their small handmade
jewelry hobby into two storefront businesses. Their newest is TRENDS! on Main, at 153 N. Main St. in
Bowling Green, a boutique guaranteed to help clients turn an ordinary outfit into something fashionably
trendy.
Their first retail store in Findlay opened 15 months ago and expanded so much, "we decided to open a
shop in Bowling Green," said Hamlin. The two were drawn to Bowling Green because of its diverse
population, plus the friendly persuasion from three relatives who graduated from Bowling Green State
University and urged considering the city as an option.
Hamlin, an elementary principal, has found it challenging to keep up with the demand of their jewelry
sales and doing her job. "We’d started traveling to Atlanta, New York City, Chicago, L.A. and
started bringing things back wholesale, and made some great connections with people around the United
State to bring trends to our store," she said.
That gave them the motto, "Let TRENDS! Boutique Make Your Wardrobe Unique!"
"If you can find a basic outfit, you can change it with a piece of jewelry. We find things we like
and bring it back to share with others."
TRENDS! on Main offers purses, hats, scarves, jewelry, luggage, makeup cases, sun dresses, dorm
accessories, hair products, gift items, perfumes, sunglasses and cards handmade by a teacher, along with
special order luggage tags and personalized name cards. Hamlin said the store is getting some sorority
merchandise and will have Web monogram capabilities.
"We make things affordable," said Hamlin. "We don’t mark up our products like big stores
do." She has seen some of their merchandise three times higher in price in other stores. One of
their more popular items is "Switch Flops," a flip-flop sandal which can be varied in color to
match every outfit by switching the material on the "Y" portion of the shoe.
The store is spacious enough to offer "Girls’ Night Out" parties for women, teens or young
girls. Parties can include "Make it-Take it," beading a bracelet; "Shopping
Extravaganza"; "Glamour Girls," a free Mary Kay color consultation; "Dancing
Diva," learning the basics of hip hop or jazz; and even bridal showers and children’s birthday
parties.
Another unusual aspect of the store is "Journey Jeans," where customers can bring in old jeans,
and if they fit the store’s specifications of name brand, receive $5 to spend in the store. The used
jeans will be sold in the store for $9.99.
The store has been a true family affair. Hamlin owns it and Pritchard manages it. Hamlin’s husband,
Timothy, handles the accounting and makes blown glass pendants which are sold in the store. Their son
Blake, 9, provides security. "Nothing’ll get by him," noted Hamlin.
Because Pritchard is a theater major at the University of Findlay, the store is co-managed by Peggy
Thompson of Findlay. Five of the store’s eight employees are BGSU students.
The store, which offers gift wrapping, is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and closed
Sundays. The number is (419) 352-4149. Its e-mail is [email protected]. Clients can shop on-line at
www.ilovetrends.com.