Photos
The business today – at 222 Fourth Avenue West – is a well-known destination and has the good fortune of being in a location that is visible to those visiting Percival Landing or driving down the Fourth Avenue bridge toward downtown.
Co-owner Bill Richardson said economic recessions always affect the business because it relies on disposable income, but the location, a broad range of prices and items, stable employees and owning the building has helped them remain in business.
Bill and his wife, Richenda Richardson, both 62, opened the business in Olympia after they graduated from college – the end of their childhood as they put it – and their first location was on Capitol Way.
The Richardsons launched the art gallery because they, too, were artists at the time, but they also noticed a resurgence in American arts and crafts during the early 1970s that they could put on display.
They spent five years on Capitol Way and then moved to their current location in 1976. A banker turned them down for a loan to purchase their current building, but by working with partners they were able to buy the building anyway, a move that has helped keep their costs low, Bill Richardson said.
Childhood’s End has a 2,500-square-foot gallery that’s filled with glass art, paintings, sculpture, pottery, jewelry and other art. Artists on display in its exhibition room are rotated every four to six weeks. They own about 70 percent of the art on display while 30 percent is sold on consignment. Prices range from $8 to $16,000. Richenda Richardson said another thing that has helped the gallery over the years is to operate in a “happy, unpretentious environment with no high pressure sales.”
“We let the art sell itself,” Bill Richardson said.
Although the business has withstood several recessions since the 1970s, sales fell in fall 2008 and have yet to recover to previous levels. Business has been flat or grown slowly since then, he said. One step the Richardsons took when business slowed was to work more hours. They also have a four-person staff.
Not every downtown Olympia art gallery has fared as well.
State of the Arts gallery co-owner Deb Moody said the pace of business fell so far — down 20 percent every year since 2007 — that she finally resorted to a “save our gallery” sale in June. Business has improved since then, but the holiday season still remains a key time for her and other retailers, she said. For her gallery, holiday sales represent about 30 percent to 40 percent of her annual income.
“Imagine one check that has to last you until May,” Moody said.
Still, business has improved to the point that State of the Arts gallery will make it through the holidays and on into next year, she said. “I’m feeling that confident at this point,” Moody said.
Rolf Boone: 360-754-5403 rboone@theolympian.com www.theolympian.com/bizblog
