Biz Profile: Ds Variety

Years ago, Dore Repp-Julian never imagined she would own a business on the Hope Town Square.

Though she was no stranger to Hope, much of her time then was dedicated to working in commercial retail in Columbus and traveling with her mother, Sue Repp, to trade shows and festivals as independent retailers themselves.

The experience of quick set-ups and teardowns over the years certainly gave Julian an eye for detail, a crash course in expert organization and the training and agility to pivot quickly when necessary.

Specializing in a little bit of everything, from collectibles and jewelry to home décor and beyond, Julian and Repp had been on the lookout for a brick-and-mortar location for their business for nearly a decade.

Since 1982, the pair have participated in numerous festivals and gatherings in local and regional areas operating under many names, including Backyard Crafts. From operating booth space at the Exit 76 Antique Mall in Edinburgh to offering their unique items at Fort Vallonia Days in Vallonia, Ind., as well as festivals in Greensburg and Shelbyville, Julian and Repp were accustomed to rapid turnarounds and, literally, going with the flow.

Having a brick-and-mortar space would afford the pair a unique opportunity to offer their wares close to home and reduce the amount of time on the road, Julian says.

Opening a storefront wouldn’t curtail their enthusiasm for going on the road, but it would make things much easier.

“We do both because we feel like if we have the store, it offers space,” Julian says. “Instead of having it in our home, we have area to mark the merchandise and be ready for the shows.”

When 317 Washington Street, located in downtown Hope, hit the market in the spring of 2022, it wasn’t listed for long.

“I found it and talked to mom,” Julian says. “I told her it is right on the Square, is close to home and we wouldn’t have to drive far. She said, ‘Go for it!’. And so, we did.”

The pair signed the lease days later, which allowed time for prep during the lead up to Smoke on the Square in May, Julian says.

Just shy of two months later, D’s Variety officially opened to the public with regular store hours, Julian says.

Immediately, the pair began marketing the store with a large sign they took to festivals and shows promoting D’s Variety, Julian says.

“We’ve noticed since we opened the store, our sales at the shows have improved,” she says. “We use the festivals to bring people in but, yet, the store helps us with the festivals.”

Julian, a mother of two, says when D’s Variety officially opened its doors in July 2022, it was a dream come true.

In many ways, the store and location pay homage to Julian’s familial heritage and past, she says.

Nearly named Dee’s Variety – a different spelling as a nod to Julian’s late grandmother Dee Hitchcock, who owned and operated Dee’s Ceramic on the Hope Town Square in what many remember as the former home of the license branch – Julian says it was her mother who suggested the store simply go by D’s.

Julian recalls growing up helping her grandmother out at the ceramics shop, she says. And that experience certainly helped to not only mold her but offered sound experience and advice for operating her own business all these years later.

And although Hitchcock’s death hit Julian hard, she and Repp both thought it important to dedicate some space in the storefront in remembrance.

Items originally fired and finished by Hitchcock are on display in the store, Julian says. Additionally, across the top of a large cabinet set three beloved items.

“On top of one of our showcases is a Mrs. Claus that my grandmother painted and fired,” Julian says. “The Mr. Claus my mom painted and those were given to my grandfather, Leon Hitchcock, and we have a deer in the middle, which was my dad, John's. It wasn’t handmade, it was storebought. We thought they would be more protected here and we would have all three of them with us at all times.”

It was a regular occurrence for visitors to Dee’s Ceramic to take part in workshops or classes, Julian recalls. Consequently, many of those students had children who they brought with. To curtail the chance of a mishap – after all, ceramics does require the use of sharp tools – small children were placed in a playpen where they could play with one another and, above all, be safe.

That made an impression on Julian, who today takes precautions to keep young visitors safe in her store, as well. Now, she doesn’t have a playpen, but she does make sure to keep sharps out of reach of little hands and items that may attract kiddos are offered at their eye level.

Those who visit D’s Variety will find a little bit of everything, including Rada knives, candles, Marion-Kay Spices and a cornucopia of unique collectibles and knickknacks, home décor, handmade jewelry and even clothing.

Despite her extensive experience with festivals and quick set-ups and teardowns, Julian says making sure everything is marked and organized still proves a bit thorny sometimes.

“Sometimes you think an item is going to fit on one shelf, but you have to revamp it to make room,” she says. “It is a matter of trying to get things where you can see them all with nothing hiding something else, which is a bit of a challenge some days.”

Balancing the storefront, continued traveling for festivals and family life is sometimes another challenge, she says.

However, she makes spending time with her husband, Corey, and helping her son, Kevin, and daughter, Bella, with their school and extracurricular activities, including serving as a leader for her daughter’s Girl Scout Troop of half a dozen young ladies, an absolute priority.

“We all pitch in and are at the meetings,” Julian says. “Kevin and Bella are both in 4-H, too, so I’m always helping them with their projects.”

Thankfully, the best part of being a business owner is the flexibility to make one’s own hours, she says.

And there is also the delight of selling something one thought would never, ever sell, she says. She and Repp experienced that joy when an item, which took up residence on a shelf at their booth space at the Exit 76 Antique Mall for nearly three years, sold shortly after arriving at the storefront in Hope.

“They’d been hunting for the item for years and said they didn’t care about the cost,” Julian recalls.

When Julian thinks back about her grandmother and helping her out as a child, she knows Hitchcock would be proud. Since her passing, Julian has made peace with her absence as best she can and says she knows Hitchcock is with her.

As she looks to the future, Julian is looking forward to expanding not only her offerings at the store and festival involvement, but exploring roles in the community, like possibly Main Street of Hope, she says.

Eagerly looking forward to warmer temperatures and the return of Hope’s regular outdoor offerings, including the monthly Cruise-ins on the Hope Town Square beginning in May, Julian is excited for what the future holds. Already nearly booked for the spring festival season, Julian says Ds Variety is already committed to nearly one dozen shows through the end of 2023.

“I am hoping D’s Variety will continue to thrive because of us being a small community,” Julian says. “And that it will grow each month. It feels great to be a part of the growing Hope business community.”