Suzanne Eblen
Owner, The Old Lucketts Store
Meet Suzanne, the owner of our little empire! Suzanne and her husband Pat started The Old Lucketts Store fifteen years ago when they purchased our building, which at the time was a dilapidated run-down wreck. They had a vision, though, and started the renovations even though many said they should just tear it down. It had been a store and post office for over a century, with the oldest part being built just after the Civil War. A huge addition was added around 1900, and the Lucketts family inhabited the top two floors until the 1950's or 60's. It had been vacant for a decade when Sooz and Pat purchased the property. Wisteria branches wound their way all through it and there were layers of trash and debris several feet thick which Sooz and her best bud, Amy, carted all out by hand.
Once the work was finished, Suzanne (who was nine months pregnant at the time!) opened the shop with about 30 dealers. The business has been growing ever since through a combination of hard, hard work and her innate business sense. A reporter once called Suzanne a "supernova", and that's probably my favorite description of her. She has endless energy and enthusiasm, is extremely generous, and is above all hard-working. Her drive comes from her passion for the unusual, the fun, the funky, ... and always wanting to do her best. We love her to bits, and I am so proud to call her my friend <3
