Special Occasions closing
Business has been around for 37 years
After 37 years on the corner of Mill and Main Street in downtown Porterville, Special Occasions is closing its doors.
With their departure, mother and daughter owners Carrie Brinkley and Jennifer Shannon take with them years of fond memories, and leave behind a legacy of providing unique gifts, jewelry and outstanding customer service for the community.
“I’m going to miss them because they’re a good asset for downtown,” said Pam Hughes, owner of Country Pleasures two doors down on Main Street. “Our businesses complement each other nicely and I’m going to dread them leaving.”
Downtown shoppers have come to rely on the store over the years for their unique selection of merchandise — something Brinkley and Shannon have always given significant consideration.
“Our merchandise has always been items we liked and that no one else in Porterville had. You have to set yourself apart from everyone else to succeed,” said Brinkley. “You can’t just order the same merchandise over and over again.” Where other merchants have resisted the inevitable changes that come with the passage of time, Special Occasions has adapted — from the early days of catalogs and merchandise sales representatives to using social media as an effective customer service tool — and they have thrived as a result.
“You have to change with the times, or you’re not going to be in business very long. It has changed so much from when I started 37 years ago,” said Brinkley. “Now it’s Instagram and Facebook, texting customers, sending them pictures of items all day long and constant correspondence. That’s how you communicate with your customers today.”
“We have adapted to the customer’s needs instead of having them adapt to ours,” added Shannon.
Since it opened it 1981, Special Occasions has been a family-run enterprise. Brinkley partnered with her mother Jennie Lunstad in the early years, and Shannon took her grandmother’s place when she retired.
“We are very family oriented, even with our customers. They have become family to us as well,” said Brinkley.
“We’ve seen kids in this store as infants, then saw them graduating from high school, then getting married, and they’ve seen me grow up the same way,” added Shannon, who was 6 when her mother opened the store.
That closeness with the community has made closing the store a bittersweet experience for Shannon.
“I get teary-eyed about it because we know all about their lives and they know all about our lives. That’s what it means to be part of a community, and that’s what has allowed us to stay. Our customers are not just customers. They are our Special Occasions family.”
When Brinkley recently expressed her interest in retiring, Shannon had a difficult decision to make — close the family business or go on alone.
“Ever since I graduated from college and came back here instead of pursuing something else, I always said when my mom was done, I was done,” said Shannon. “It was a hard decision to make when I think of the work and sacrifice my mother and grandmother made for me to have this opportunity. It was a real internal struggle, but I know now 120 percent I made the right choice.”
Special Occasions will be closing by May 31 or sooner, depending on how fast they sell their remaining inventory. But if products continue to fly off shelves and out of display cases like they have in the four weeks since they announced the closing, they could be closed by Mother’s Day or even sooner.
“The merchandise is moving faster than we ever imagined. That has been a surprise and very humbling for us. We did not expect the volume of customer support we’ve gotten so far. We have one third of our inventory we started with before [announcing our closing],” said Shannon.
As the merchandise dwindles day after day, long-time customers have expressed their sadness to see them go as they make their last trips into the store.
“We’ve had customers come in crying and asking us where they’re going to shop now. It’s been very emotional,” said Brinkley
While they will miss their family of customers, both Brinkley and Shannon are excited about the future. After the store closes, Shannon is going to take some time to explore options and contemplate her next move, while Brinkley is going to savor retirement, spending more time around her ranch in Tipton and with her grandchildren. She is also interested in volunteering some of her time at local schools.
When asked what advice they would give to prospective Main Street merchants, Brinkley was quick and succinct with her response.
“Listen to your customers. As an owner, be in your store daily. Customers want to see you. Keep your store spotless inside and out, and walk that extra mile with your customer. Customer service is number one,” she said.