With Susanne Beck
“You’re welcome to play here!” Dressing it up at December Thieves
This is the second installation of “Behind the Counter,” an ongoing series” celebrating Beacon Hill salespeople and the places they work. If you have any suggestions for future pieces, please contact Susanne at [email protected].
Full leather harnesses are not exactly standard fare in the shops of Beacon Hill. But then again, there is very little about the selection of clothes, jewelry, and small house goods available at December Thieves (122 Charles) that might be called standard. High quality, yes. Stylish, absolutely. Even timeless. But mainstream?
Long-time store manager Jemesii Delande laughs when asked if her own sense of style reflects those found in the store. “In a way. I am all about drama,” she exclaims, adding that it’s been that way since she was a baby. She describes some of the sketches her artist mother, Linnea Olson, made of her when she was in diapers, including one in which she “was in layered garments with a little bolo tie (we were in Colorado so more of a southwestern vibe)!” Today, her look includes twenty-four tattoos – “I have one of a bat all the way across my back” – and lots of black and white. “Right now, I am wearing billowy black pants,” she says.
Jemesii is the first to admit that shoppers might be a bit taken aback by her own style and possibly even more so when peeking in December Thieves’ windows. With that in mind, she and her colleagues do everything they can to set customers at ease and instill an atmosphere of curiosity and fun. “I welcome them in and tell them the story of the goods,” she explains. “Nothing is off the shelf” she notes, thanks to the discerning eye of her boss, owner former silversmith/artist Lara Barakat.
Lara is passionate about the store’s distinct look. “We’re not just selling a commodity…we work with independent brands, many of whom have never been represented in the United States before,” she explains. She often sports the same looks, bold, monochrome statements with jewelry to match. “My mom saw me wearing something gray. And she’s like, I love when you wear color,” she laughs. Lana has also developed a relationship with the Mass College of Art, hoping to support up-and-coming local designers, conducting professional reviews for the graduating students, and participating in the school’s fashion show committee.
As for how customers might react, Lara echoes her staff which includes two more sales associates and an online professional. “We want to break down any sort of potential intimidation. Somebody comes into a space they’re not familiar with, and some of the brands and the silhouettes [are unknown] so they hesitate.” She and her team set them at ease, appealing to people’s fond memories of childhood dress up and encouraging everyone to try on at least one piece of clothing. “The way we approach it is, you’re welcome to play here,” Lara chirps. “It’s all about exploration and your own sort of discovery. Of doing what feels good to you,” just like delving into an adult version of a dress-up box. The selection of goods helps. “We have a very inclusive approach,” Lara notes, with a range of sizes, shapes, and materials that might appeal to all ages and recently, to all genders as well.
The approach marks her hiring as well. A warm and open-armed manner marked by a sense of fun and a “why the hell not?” attitude are key – and much of the reason she hired Jemesii now thirteen years ago. “I want people who are being authentic…Somebody who has a sense of style somebody that’s passionate about working for small businesses and passionate about sort of the ethos we bring.”
Jemesii more than fits the bill with an upbringing in which she was surrounded by art. Her mother had “an incredible eye for finding beauty in the ordinary – which she captured in her paintings, curated collections and nature photography.” She was a walking illustration of the freedom found in self-expression, whatever form it might take. Jemesii chuckles softly as she remembers her mom saying that the first time her diaper-clad daughter stole her silk pajamas to wear, she knew she was destined to be a “creature of luxury,” unafraid to dress to make a statement. Art school furthered her interest as she designed pieces made up of cast-off materials.
While both Jemesii and Lana sometimes miss their artist roots, they have discovered that promoting creativity through clothes and jewelry on the Hill more than compensates. “I had a woman come in and tell me that for the last 30 years of her life, she hadn’t felt like she was dressing for herself,” Lana recalls. “She told me she came into the store and was like, for the first time in 30 years, I put something on here that made me feel like myself.” Another younger shopper told her she used to shop in low-cost big box stores. “She would buy a wardrobe of clothes that would go into the wash three times and they would be done… She told me, ‘I now understand the value of investing in very quality staple pieces.’”
Beyond the styling, they both adore the connections they have made on the Hill. “I just love working in a community where I know the people, other store workers, and so many of the dogs by name,” Jemesii enthuses. Lana chimes in. “It’s such a wonderful community,” she crows. “Being in a space on a street that has only independent businesses is really rare anywhere. I travel a lot, for personal reasons and for work, and it’s hard to find a place that really supports their small businesses as much as our community does.”
Like many of her retail peers on Beacon Hill, Lana stresses how her customers have held her up, even during the toughest of times, like during the pandemic. “It was our local community that kept us afloat,” she says. “It’s so important what they give. But also, so important what we try to give back. That’s what makes it a community.”
Susanne Beck is a resident of Beacon Hill.