Fall 2024 - 49

RETAILER PROFILE
Left: MiCA 12/v's sister stationery store, Paper Wings,
moved next door to the gift boutique, with an open
archway inside connecting the two storefronts for
easy shopping. Right: Carolyn and Mike Deininger
founded Mica 12/v together in 2003. All photos
courtesy of MiCA + Paper Wings.
founders opened a sister store, Paper Wings, dedicated
to all things stationery.
" The paper products were selling so well at MiCA, it
seemed to justify trying it out as its own concept. As we
were selling, It was hard to keep up with the stationery
products and not having enough space in MiCA for
everything that we wanted to try, " Carolyn said.
" [Paper Wings] is stationery, it's cards, it's notebooks,
it's journals, it's fountain pens, pencils, all of those kinds
of items. "
Carolyn believes this demand is driven in part by the
collective growing desire for real, tangible connections
in the age of all things digital - and that has only grown
in the five years since Paper Wings has existed.
" There's a trend toward wanting to get away from
computers and phone screens and have more personal
connections with people, which really started at COVID
for us, where people are sending letters and cards, so
that's why we opened a stationery store, " she said.
" That's where we're at right now. We are finding that
there's more of a trend toward buying things that are
consumable or very practical in that way. "
Paper Wings was originally situated a few buildings
down from MiCA, but this summer the Deiningers
moved the stationery store into the location right next to
MiCA. The double storefront has two separate entrances,
one for each store. Inside, however, the Deiningers have
opened up the space between the shops and created
a two-in-one shopping experience for customers - a
move that complements both stores while maintaining
their unique identities.
EMBRACING Q4
As the calendar year winds down and the busiest
season for retailers ramps up, Carolyn looks forward
to what the final months of 2024 will bring for MiCA.
One of her favorite parts of the job is merchandising,
and she said customers look forward to seeing how she
transforms MiCA every year for the holidays.
" It's so enjoyable because it's all the things I love.
The fact that it is our point of view and our curation
of things that we love makes it really fun to put things
together, " she said. " We generally display the store
by color story as much as category. I have a visual arts
background - I went to art school. So for me, it's like
making little three-dimensional works of art. "
During the holiday season, MiCA offers giftwrap
services that resonate with shoppers. Taking it
a step further, the team provides free local delivery
so customers can support Cincinnati businesses with
the convenience of their purchase being delivered -
beautifully wrapped - at their doorstep. Carolyn said
she enjoys taking these extra steps because it all adds to
the customer experience, which is her ultimate priority
and joy.
" The challenge and the benefits of owning a retail store,
meeting all these wonderful people - our customers for
all these years, the people who make things - it just
could not be more rewarding, and it's why we're still
doing this, " she said. " The challenges and the benefits
of getting to work for yourself has been a wonderful
journey as well. I can't believe it's been 21 years. It has
just meant everything. "
GIFTSHOPMAG.COM 49
http://www.GIFTSHOPMAG.COM
Fall 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Fall 2024
