A Good Conversation: Azalea Home
with Lexi Persi
Founder, Azalea
One step into Azalea in downtown Niantic, and it’s impossible not to be overcome with immense awe and inspiration.
From the perfect merchandising to coastal-meets-west-coast aesthetic and thoughtful array of beautiful offerings, Azalea is easily my favorite store on the Shoreline.
Azalea was established in 2017, named after the colorful flowering plant that adorned the perimeter of owner Lexi Persi’s childhood home (and also happens to be symbolic of remembrance or wishes of home). Lexi carefully curates items from all over the U.S. and the world, with many of the makers and brands being women-run small businesses, fair trade companies, B Corporations, and American-made lines.
Today, we’re excited to introduce Lexi Persi, owner of Azalea, as our latest guest for our “A Good Conversation” Q&A series and share our conversation about her inspiring journey.
“I have always been inspired by interior design and wanted to create a space where you could find all the little things that make a house feel like home.”
Tell us about your entrepreneurial journey. How did you get started? Introduce us to Azalea + the inspiration behind creating it!
I graduated from the University of Connecticut with a double major in Psychology and Human Development and Family Studies. I was at a point where I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do for the rest of my life but I was feeling pulled in the direction of a Master’s Degree in Social Work. I had always had a love for interior design (my bedroom furniture growing up changed positions monthly) and for small shops where you can tell the owner hand picked everything. My boyfriend (now fiancé) was working in a corporate job at Pratt & Whitney and was also feeling the pressure of falling into this role he wasn’t feeling inspired by. I came up with this idea to open a little shop. I did some research and started slowly gathering ideas about the products I wanted to carry and what I wanted the aesthetic to be. I have always been inspired by interior design and wanted to create a space where you could find all the little things that make a house feel like home. Some of my favorite things in my home are the little touches and accents that bring me joy to see everyday and I wanted this to be the inspiration behind the products I was sourcing. Brendan, my fiance, jumped on board and took care of the financial side of things and we opened Azalea in 2017. I took over the business in August of 2018 and have been running it on my own since. It has grown so much over the years and I’ve been able to curate a wide selection of handmade goods that bring a little something special to your home.
What have been some of the biggest roadblocks you’ve faced prior to getting to this point in your career?
I would say that the biggest roadblock in my career has been the COVID pandemic. I was feeling awesome going into my third year of building the business, and boom - COVID flipped everything upside-down. We were all forced to make very hard decisions about how to deal with the situation, and I had even gotten to the point of closing my doors, which was about a week before Connecticut mandated the closures. At that point, I decided to pack up the newly purchased Spring inventory, bring it back to my apartment, and set-up a makeshift shipping station. I took pictures and listed my products on my website, and it helped me weather the storm. My customers were amazing and so supportive in this uncertain time, and helped me to keep my business alive. I was busy shipping items and dropping off packages at people’s homes, and it helped me keep things going!
What’s something you’re most proud of achieving professionally?
We just passed our anniversary of 5 years in business and I am so proud of hitting that mark. The shop has really grown and evolved over the past 5 years. I also feel like I’ve grown so much personally in that time and become a better business woman through this experience.
What’s the most valuable advice you’ve ever received, either professionally or personally?
My neighbor, Denise, at Artisan Framing Gallery has been giving me advice since I opened about business and life in general and there have been so many sayings and “write this down” pieces of advice. But the best piece of advice she has given me is also probably the simplest. “Trust your instinct”. She has always told me to trust myself because it’s easy to stress when you’re the one making all the decisions. I try to remember this advice when I start to overthink and ask myself “Does this feel right?”. It usually leads me to the right answer. For example, I have recently sourced bigger pieces of furniture and vintage rugs and when buying these higher priced items, I had to ask myself if I was bringing the right pieces into the shop and all I could do was trust myself and it has always worked out in the end!
What advice would you give to someone looking to start their entrepreneurial journey?
I would say that fear of taking a big risk is such a normal thing. But if you feel like it could be life changing and whether you’re just starting out like I was or looking for a change of scenery from a corporate job, starting a business can be the best thing. It teaches you so many lessons but it’s also helped me to grow personally, not just professionally.
What are your thoughts on work-life balance?
Owning a business teaches you about boundaries and work-life balance is truly hard to manage. I’ll wake up thinking about a new brand I saw or go to bed thinking about how maybe this shelf would look better in this corner of the shop and my mind is always racing with ideas about the shop. I have learned over time it’s good to acknowledge things, write them down, and save them for later so there’s a separation of work and life.
What’s your favorite thing about your home?
My favorite thing in my home is our vintage Irish Pine dining table. I love pieces that are well loved and there is so much character in every scratch and mark on it. It’s so great to know it had life before it became part of yours and every time we have game nights with friends or company over for a meal it’s such a good feeling to know that I don’t have to worry about keeping it pristine and its character comes from all the use.
What are five things you can’t live without right now?
My Barefoot Dreams blanket – the absolute softest blanket I own. I’m always cold so I use it from the minute I sit down on the couch and until I open my eyes in the morning.
Barr Co. Shea Hand Cream – this hand cream has the cleanest scent and is all natural so it really helps with dryness. Tuileries Escapist Candle – this candle is my forever favorite scent. It has a pretty floral scent, so I start burning it at the beginning of the year and it always feels like spring is on its way.
Dyson Cordless Vacuum cleaner – this cordless lightweight vacuum has made vacuuming such a breeze at home and in the shop. I used to carry around the heavy vacuum cleaner and the cord would always get stuck on everything.
Clear Storage Bins – I’m taking a page from A Good Home here but I have everything in our home organized in clear bins that keep things looking neat and tidy but I can always see what’s inside.
It was hard not to choose my cat, Juneau, but I wasn’t sure if he qualified as a thing!
What inspires you creatively?
I have recently found a lot of inspiration in nature and in the colors and texture of things found in nature. I have always been a fan of wood and light airy colors in interiors. Lately I’ve found myself inspired by stone and the color green. I’ve also been paying close attention to color pairings you see in nature, for example the beige sand against blue water. Having themes and palettes helps me when I am buying for the shop but also when designing and merchandising.
What does a typical day look like for you?
On good days I wake up and do yoga to try to carve out some time for myself. I commute from East Hartford to Niantic so usually my ride starts off with a Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew from Starbucks and then an hour drive to the shop. I open and play some slow music, usually the Morning Coffee Playlist on Spotify and light a candle. If I’m not helping customers or unpacking new products, I am usually researching new lines and goods for the shop. At night, I cook dinner with my fiance and we sit down and watch TV to decompress. We’re currently rewatching Schitt’s Creek!
What’s next for Azalea?
We have grown so much over the past 5 years and have been searching for more room to grow! Some exciting things are in the works and I can’t wait to share what’s coming with everyone!
Our Azalea Favorites
Shop our picks from Azalea’s shop
To learn more about Lexi and her shop, Azalea, visit https://azaleahomect.com and follow @azaleahomect