Chatting with curious shoppers at her Santa Ana eco-boutique, Delilah Snell finds herself spending hours answering questions about the uncommon goods she carries: $47-a-gallon soy-based wall paints, biodegradable cutlery and native California seeds, among other items.
Most first-time visitors to the Road Less Traveled don't buy a thing.
"But they come back," said Snell, 32, who opened her North Main Street shop three years ago with $12,000 saved from a waitress job.
"It's more work than a usual store, but 95% of customers are regulars -- they believe they belong here," she said.
Sharing her knowledge and passion for sustainable living is a major part of her work at the shop, which posted flat sales of about $150,000 last year as the recession ate into her business.
Her store calendar is packed with workshops on topics such as green interiors, vegan baking and beekeeping. Each Sunday she hosts Conscious Cinema, featuring free screenings of social documentaries. And because she wants to show the importance of eating locally produced food, her store is a pickup spot for members of a community-supported agriculture program.
Snell has a history of community building. Six years ago, she set up a nonprofit organization that brought three farmers markets to the area. Previously, at her community college, she was involved with a lawsuit that changed the rules for student demonstrations in the local district.
"From that I realized that if you want to make a difference in the world, you've got to start with where you live," said Snell, a former president of the Downtown Santa Ana Business Council. Snell has spoken to community groups and schools about green living and recently launched a twice-a-year crafts show to support local artisans. The event attracted 2,000 visitors in November.
Her efforts feed her love of teaching, attract people to her store and uncover potential new suppliers.
Snell, who believes she is tapping into the do-it-yourself and sustainable-living trends, has more ideas for workshops and products than she has time to develop. At the same time, the prospect of stagnant or slowing sales over a prolonged recession has her worried, despite a 10% bump in revenue last month compared with year-earlier levels.
The Santa Ana native has put tentative plans to open a second store on hold. She said she was ready to consider bringing on a partner or investors to provide funds and collaboration to supercharge growth.
