Scrapper’s delight

New scrapbook store opens in town

By JENNIFER HUFFMAN
Register Business Writer

Cousins Debbie Ball and Stacie Patrick have been hard at work for the past few months launching Napa’s newest scrapbook store — Scrapper’s Depot.

But it was Ball’s 5-year-old daughter Macie who really put their efforts into perspective.  

“My daughter said, ‘Mom, you’re being a risk taker,’ recalled Ball. “‘You’re trying something new.’”

Her encouragement, “warmed my heart and made me work even harder to make this happen,” said Ball.  

With a grand opening this past Friday, Ball and Patrick are hoping locals discover their new store, tucked away in a central Napa office park.  

After Napa’s previous scrapbook store closed in April, choices for crafters were slim, said Ball and Patrick.  The two were convinced Napa needed its own dedicated scrapbook source.

“I’m a touchy-feely person,” said Ball.

“I want to see the product, I want to buy something now,” not wait for online deliveries.

While the store offers everything a shopper needs to make traditional album pages, that’s not their only focus, said the cousins.

Scrapbooking has evolved beyond the typical 12-inch by 12-inch pages to include three-dimensional crafts and other photo memory gifts such as embellished boxes, buckets and frames.

Located behind a well-known bright red office building on Soscol Avenue, Scrapper’s Depot may be off the beaten path, but that’s all right with Ball and Patrick.

Their main requirement was ample parking, seeing as groups of women often stay late working on projects. Plus, office park rent is also more affordable than a prime retail location. Hoping to appeal to locals and others as a destination, they chose a spot central to Napa.

At about 1,125 square feet, the store has been designed to include plenty of room for six four-foot tables and comfy rolling chairs for visitors. A special curved table allows for easy product demonstrations. And if all goes as planned, the two hope to eventually expand into an adjacent 900-square-feet of space.

With five children under age 5 between the women, Ball and Patrick can clearly relate to their clientele. A kids play corner at Scrapper’s Depot featuring toys, a TV, and picket fence enclosure is a perfect solution for the busy mom to shop. Aisles will be spaced to allow easy access for strollers.

Naturally, the store sells a variety of supplies, including paper, adhesives, die cuts, stickers, rub-ons, embellishments, tools, acrylic stamps, albums, ink and much more.

“We’re trying to get products you won’t necessarily find at the big box stores,” said Patrick.

“We want to sell new products and trends,” said Patrick. “Our goal is to keep the flow of new product coming,” she said.

This is the first retail business for the two, who have a background in business and the real estate industry.

A conversation with a former scrapbook owner gave the two some other clues to success.

Inventory turnover is key, said Ball. Managing overhead is also important. While the two will work at the store full time, it’s not their primary source of income.

“We can take a risk,” said Patrick.

Being a role model to their own children is also important.

“We can show our kids we’re not afraid to take a risk,” added Ball.   

One unusual offering from Scrapper’s Depot is die cut cartridge rentals. Instead of paying $50 or more to buy a set of die cut cartridges, users can simply rent them for a number of days, or use a die cut machine in the store to cut out letters or images.   

Scrapper’s Depot plans to offer classes for all skill levels “from very basic to very elaborate,” said Ball. A number of local teachers have signed up to lead sessions, for all ages and materials. The store will also feature crop nights, birthday parties and bridal or baby showers.

On the day before their grand opening, Ball and Patrick surveyed their new business. While tools and other construction gear were still scattered around, the store was quickly taking shape. “There have been many late nights this week,” said Ball with a laugh.  

New supplies and more display units were expected momentarily.

“We want to make this a wonderful place for people to have fun,” said Patrick.

“You have to check it out.”

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