THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 15, 1994 TAG: 9412130119
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SCOTT McCASKEY, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines
Most people probably think of a tapestry as a picturesque, richly woven wall-hanging.
But at Village Tapestrys in Waterside, the fabric comes in other forms.
Teddy bears are the business' specialty. Handmade, scented with dried herbs and trimmed in velvet, lace and antique buttons, these are not your average bears.
``My grandmother taught me to make my first bear when I was a teenager,'' said Laura Chandler Adams, who co-owns the business with her sister, Elizabeth Chandler. ``She showed me techniques and patterns that aren't in use anymore.''
The pair started the small enterprise in mid-November. Snug in a pushcart on Waterside's second floor, the furry creatures make for a colorful holiday display. Each animal is an elaborate patchwork of tapestry, brocade, damask and other fine weaves. Though they share space with sachets, stockings, scented pillows and a couple of rabbits (there are no traditional tapestries), the bears get the attention. Every figure bears its own name and the village it comes from. In keeping with the season, there is a Christmas Village collection.
``Our bears are all one-of-a-kind, handmade originals,'' said Laura, who sews many on-site. ``This is something no one else is doing, except maybe Ralph Lauren, but all his bears are the same.''
One thing that Village Bears do have in common is a Victorian look and lack of eyes, a design that once earned them the name ``parlour bears.''
``I was told that it was a Victorian tradition to make bears without any eyes so they couldn't spy on you in the parlor,'' Laura explained.
The prices of the bears range from $25 to $75. Other items run generally from about $15 to $20.
Despite the sisters' efforts, the market has been a little bare. Though thinking the downtown site would be an ideal place to catch the eyes of shoppers looking for a holiday gift, their expectations haven't been realized.
``Business had only been so-so - it hasn't been what we'd hoped for,'' Elizabeth said. ``We were expecting more Christmas traffic, and we thought we were close enough to Ghent to capitalize on a taste for Victorian style.''
Although Laura, 31, has been making bears as gifts for most of her adult life, the tapestry trade is new to the sisters, who are from Memphis, Tenn. Laura moved to Virginia Beach in 1993 after marrying Kempsville native Mark Adams. She never thought of going into the tapestry business until getting laid off from her job as a visual design manager at Haynes Furniture Company in August.
``I decided to do something on my own,'' she said. ``People have always loved my bears, so I went into home production and called my sister.''
Elizabeth, 27, left her job with Chanel cosmetics in Nashville late last summer and was ready for a change of address. She arrived in Hampton Roads in October, bringing a background in retail sales and a bachelor's degree in merchandising from the University of Tennessee. Elizabeth provides some creative input but is primarily involved with running the business end of the enterprise.
``I kind of reeled Elizabeth in,'' Laura said. ``She's a quick study, and I needed her expertise in business and marketing.''
After building a small inventory in Laura and Mark's home in Pungo, the sisters applied for a vending site at Lynnhaven Mall in October, but the complex was full. They opted for Waterside a week before Thanksgiving.
While business has picked up in recent days, Laura and Elizabeth probably will move after their lease runs out Dec. 23. They plan to remain in the area, hoping for a Lynnhaven Mall site by Valentine's Day. In the interim, the pair will operate out of their home in Pungo. But they are not discouraged.
``This is a lesson - it's not going to stop us.'' Laura said. ``We believe in our product, and we're more determined than ever to succeed.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by SCOTT McCASKEY
Elizabeth Chandler, left, and Laura Chandler Adams own Village
Tapestrys
by CNB