Downtown Beaufort Featured Merchant: Lulu Burgess

“I was born and raised in Beaufort, but moved away and lived in New York City for 16 years. It was fabulous. I went to get into acting and did that for several years, and then, by accident, I got into the catering business. With that, I ended up working at the UN for 11 years managing all the private parties at the UN for the exclusive caterer who had the contract there. It was fascinating—I met people like Margaret Thatcher, Yasser Arafat, Nixon was there and all the presidents. It was incredible.

Then my mother got cancer. I had been traveling home to see her, but towards the end, I decided I wanted to spend what time she had left with her, so I moved back.

When I left New York in 2000, one of the things I always wanted to do was have a store. I had never done retail before, but I was a student of retail and I love good merchandising. I love stores that are laid out well. So, I decided to open a store, and here I am, 25 years later.

Here at Lulu Burgess, I fit a lot of things in a small amount of space because I love stores that feel like a treasure hunt! I love a store that takes you an hour to get through, where there’s something different every 12 inches. Then when you turn the corner, there’s something more.  I’m sure some people feel like maybe it’s claustrophobic, but I don’t. I love the feeling here. I have friends who say that it takes you at least two trips around the store because you missed stuff the first trip and need to go back.

Retail is about people and I think that’s where independent retailers can outpace the internet. It’s easy to go to Amazon or anywhere on the internet and go to the big box stores, but you are not going to get that one-on-one smiling face, asking about your family or your grandchildren. We care about our customers, and that is the key. Customer service is what it’s all about.

I spent 16 years in New York City. It’s a fabulous place and I learned a lot because I’m a curious person. I saw everything and did everything. But you can’t beat the South and the quality of life here, how nice the people are, and the climate. When I left New York and came back here I remember that I could take a deep breath.

It’s so good to be here and I’m glad I made it 25 years—I’m not ready to quit yet!”

––Nan Burgess Brown Sutton, Lulu Burgess