History
In
1980, J.D. Bittel created Gifts & Accents to fill the void of gift and
accent furnishing stores, and to meet the needs of consumers in the area.
July
5, 1980, was the day Gifts & Accents first opened.
On that day, Gifts & Accents consisted of 2,400 square feet,
and was located on the lower level of Metcalf South Mall in the northeast
corner. Gifts
& Accents employed only three people, including J.D.
Over the years, Gifts & Accents expanded to meet customer
demand to 3,600 square feet, then to 4,800 square feet, and then to 6,000
square feet while still occupying the northeast corner of the mall.
In
1991, J.D. created Kids at Heart, a toy store for all ages.
Kids at Heart consisted of 3,600 square feet and was also located
on the lower level, just around the corner from Gifts & Accents.
As
the popularity of Gifts & Accents grew, the store was forced to do the
same. J.D.
opened a third store, More Gifts & Accents, during the Christmas
seasons to meet the growing demand.
In the fall of 1992, More Gifts & Accents was located on the
middle level of the mall occupying a 7,500 square foot area.
In the spring of 1993, More Gifts & Accents moved down the
middle level, next to Hallmark, occupying a 2,700 square foot area.
In
November 1997, Gifts & Accents expanded again.
Gifts & Accents took over the 22,000 square feet where Osco
Drug had previously been.
This required a move to a new location on the lower level of the
mall, and is where Gifts & Accents is at present day.
The move consisted of Kids at Heart and Gifts & Accents merging
together to create a superstore, and with the added space, More Gifts
& Accents was no longer needed.
Gifts & Accents now employs approximately 40 to 45 people on
a regular basis.
Today,
Gifts & Accents is one of the largest collectible superstores in the
nation, and is still growing.
The
key for the continued success and growth of Gifts & Accents over the
years is superior customer service.
Combining superior customer service with a bigger and better
selection of merchandise is the strategy that will allow Gifts &
Accents to continue to dominate the competition for years to come.