Firelight Galleries, Virginia

Rosie Gams and Jack Lambert share a genuine entrepreneurial spirit and an appreciation for local businesses — and their own enterprise, Firelight Galleries, is a shining example of small business success!

Rosie was an experienced business owner with a passion for interior design when she met up with Jack, an expert in the architecture and installation of fireplaces.  The two decided to combine their skills and embark on a new business venture.

They began the planning process in 2003, developing a business plan, selecting a location for their store, and securing financing from the Northeast Entrepreneur Fund and Northern State Bank for their building purchase and start-up expenses.  By the fall of 2003 they were hard at work converting an empty warehouse on Hoover Road in Virginia into a gorgeous showroom of fireplaces, furniture, and lighting accessories. 
 

Firelight Galleries officially opened its doors in November 2003—the day after Thanksgiving—and Rosie and Jack are grateful for the friends who helped them get their business launched.  “Friends are key when you’re doing this, and our friends were invaluable to us,” says Rosie of their business start-up.  “We even had friends here on Thanksgiving night, helping us get ready so we could open the next day.”

The business has experienced great success since its start-up in 2003.  In addition to their main location on Hoover Road in Virginia, a second showroom is now located in the Thunderbird Mall, and they’ve recently opened a gift shop in Tower, co-located with Culbert Realty.  Firelight Galleries has also expanded outside of the region in the form of a strategic partnership with another business in Isanti, MN.  Rosie and Jack work full-time in the business, and they employ three full-time and three part-time staff whose dedication has played a major role in the business' success.  "We are lucky to have such devoted and valuable employees," states Rosie.

Firelight Galleries provides a number of products and services, and the expert staff works often with builders and other entrepreneurs to provide quality fireplace installation and interior design consulting to individuals in the region.   The staff take pride in their service and attention to local customers, and the business has also drawn many customers from outside of the area, be it tourists stopping into one of their stores or visitors to the Firelight Galleries website. 

“Business increased 40% from 2004 to 2005,” says Jack, “and we’re on track for at least that in 2006.” 

“Small towns are great,” says Rosie, a strong proponent of the local business community.  “I want to thank the people of the Iron Range for keeping business local.”

Visit the Firelight Galleries website at www.firelightgalleries.com!