A bit of history...
 Located
in Uptown Forum, a renovated building in Downtown Greenville,
Texas, the Calico Cat has been around for more than 30 years.
It started
in the early 1970's when three friends went to work to teach
macrame, machine embroidery and flower arranging. They soon outgrew
the
converted garage/playroom where they worked, and moved into
a renovated building in Downtown Greenville that had once housed
the town's
department store. At that point, the three partners decided
to open individual stores that reflected their interests and
the needs
of the community. Janeen Cunningham, one of the original "Cats" took
the Calico Cat and it's craft store concept, adding her personal
stamp to the merchandise and atmosphere.
Over
the years, the Calico Cat evolved from a crafty gifts store into
its present state of wildly eclectic fashions and gifts. Along
the way, it has been recognized as one of the most innovative retail
stores in the state of Texas. Twice it has been recognized as the
Downtown Retailer of the year by the Texas Downtown Association.
|
 Janeen
Cunningham has been the owner of the Calico Cat for almost 35 years.
She is avidly committed to historic preservation of downtown business
districts, and has been active on both a local and state level. She
and her husband, Glen, own Uptown Forum and operate it as Greenville's
informal small business incubator.
Janeen's
love of unique clothing and accessories, especially ethnic
or wearable art, has led to a fashion sense that is appreciated
by
her customers,
who come from all over Northeast Texas to shop with her. As
an early retailer of Brighton belts, handbags, accessories
and shoes,
she
has been in the forefront of innovative retailing of Brighton,
and is frequently called upon by the company to share her many
ideas
with others.
"My
favorite thing about the Calico Cat is the atmosphere of 'give
and receive' that we have with
our
regular customers
and staff. I consider all of them dear friends. I love
the fact that the shop is full of laughter all the time. I am
delighted that both
customers and staff tell me they've never been anyplace
that's
so much fun."
When
not at work, Janeen loves to volunteer at New Horizons, an alternative
high school that is part of the Greenville ISD. She also loves entertaining
the families of her daughter, Melissa and son, Scott, playing with
her two grandchildren and traveling. She and husband Glen love to travel, especially on tours that offer a glimpse of the culture of a country. "I want to see more than landmarks - I want to meet people from the country and learn how they live. I love the local markets and trying local cuisine. There's so much to learn when you travel that way."
 Mary
Ramsey has been at the Calico Cat "on and off since
the 1980's." She is responsible for the wonderful displays
and clever touches that make the shop the special place that
it is. "I love expressing my creativity, working with
fun people and creating a great look for our customers." Mary's
sense of fashion started early. She says, "From the
age of four, I wanted my clothes to be wrinkle-free and I'd
cry if my socks didn't match." Off-hours, she enjoys
scrap booking, bridge, cooking, shopping and spending time
with husband, Steve, and the families of their 3 children.
 Glenda
Drake became a Calico Cat staff member in September,
2005, upon moving to Greenville from Tulsa, OK, where she was
a fashion
sales associate
for Saks Fifth Avenue. "I enjoy the freedom that I have to help
our customers look and feel pretty," she says. "The atmosphere
is always upbeat and fun. And the integrity in the management is
above and beyond anything I have witnessed in my years of sales." After
hours, she enjoys reading and spending time with her grandchildren. Recently, Glenda was honored by Brighton as one of the top salespeople in the country. She received a trip to California to tour the Brighton headquarters. "It was a fabulous experience! I knew Brighton was a special company, but this opportunity made me proud to sell their merchandise."
 Dianna
Mays joined the Calico Cat in January of 2005, after retiring
from her job as a hairdresser. As the owner of Headlines Hair
Co., in
Greenville, she was a regular customer at the Calico Cat
for many years. "My husband said that I shopped here 2 days a week, so
I might as well work here 3 to 4 days a week and stay out of his
hair." Dianna says that the best thing about working at the
Calico Cat is seeing all the beautiful new merchandise come in, "It's
like opening Christmas packages!" Dianna has a busy
life away from work with husband, Truett, 4 children, 8 grandchildren,
and
2 Ragdoll cats.
 Betsy
Kingsbury has been part of the Calico Cat team since June 2007... "This
store has great atmosphere due to the beautiful decor, the incredible
inventory and the wonderful women who work and shop here. I've
always enjoyed entertaining and in a sense, that is what we do
here. We have everything ready for our customers so they can just
walk in and enjoy the time that they spend with us." After
hours, Betsy and her husband are competitive team ropers. She also
enjoys golf, weight lifting, watching Thoroughbred racing and entertaining
friends.
 Tiani Warden joined the other Calico Cats in 2010. She was born in Joplin, Missouri, and came to Texas when she was about 4. "I'm one of those people who can truly say I wasn't born in Texas but got here as quickly as I could." She says she loves everything about the work experience at the Calico Cat. "I am so proud to be part of such a special store. The customers, the staff, the merchandise - I think the Calico Cat rivals any place I've ever shopped."
 Suzanne Bailey has been more than a customer of the Calico Cat for many years, often helping with style shows, filling in for vacationing "Cats" or being recruited to assist with special events. After a long career in banking, Suzanne retired to enjoy travel with her husband, Tom. However, she "flunked retirement" and recently took over the back room duties of checking in merchandise. "They used to call me when things I'd like came in. Now I'm the one doing the unpacking - what could be better?"
 Katy Hackney joined the Calico Cat in the fall of 2011. She is a native of the Northeast Texas area. Katy has two elementary school-age children and has make the kids' room her specialty. "I love all the toys, books and activities we have for kids. I know that many of the items would be a hit with my kids, so it's easy to recommend them to our customers."
 Lynda
Miller started working at the Calico Cat "sometime in 2000." She
and her husband retired from Plano, where they had owned a lumber
yard, and moved to Commerce. She works every Thursday and fills in
as necessary ("I AM retired, after all.") Her favorite
thing about working at the Calico Cat is "the friendships I
have developed." Away from work, Lynda enjoys reading
and spending time with her family, which consists of 4
daughters and 8 grandchildren.
 Ana Osornio is a student at Texas A&M-Commerce. She started working at Calico Cat when she was a student at Greenville High School. Ana has responsibility for merchandising Brighton handbags and jewelry."This is my first job in retail and I am loving the experience," she says. "Everyone is so nice and happy to help me learn. And I get to work with the most beautiful handbags and jewelry."
|
