Truax & Co.
Selma, AL
Truax & Co., based in Selma, AL, is an antiques and home decor shop offering fine stationery, linens and other home accessories, as well as fine sterling silver and coin silver pieces, china, crystal and other antiques.
Silver expert, Doris Truax began this business in June of 2000 and has been highly successful over the past nine years. As she explains her success, she says 'Customers have told me they think I am Alabama's largest dealer of estate sterling silver flatware.' Customers are the most important aspect of Doris' business. She has always 'let the store grow into what the customers want.' With this customer emphasis, Truax & Co. effectively maintains its agility in an ever-changing retail market.
Doris first came into the Small Business Development Center in Tuscaloosa just prior to starting her store in June of 2000. Her family owns the jewelry store situated adjacent to Truax & Co., so she basically grew up in retail. She knew how to run the day-to-day business, but needed specifics on how to open a business. Although she had such a lengthy background in retail, there were still those unknowns of the actual start-up process. For example, she and her husband sat down to estimate their expenses for their first year and by the end of that year, their expenses were three times their original estimate.
Doris credits the SBDC Director, Paavo Hanninen for outstanding advice about all of the minute details of starting a small business. She explains that he gave 'a lot of advice about those unknowns'. Doris found having a resource that can help answer those specific questions of how to open a small business extremely important to her success and credits the SBDC with helping her successfully open her business.
In the future, Truax & Co. will continue to listen to what the customers want and alter the store to fit those desires. Due to high demand, Doris plans on increasing the new home accessories, while phasing out antique furniture and other low sellers. Doris also plans to continue selling the antique sterling silver and coin silver pieces that have always enthralled her and have helped build her professional reputation.
Truax & Co. presently employs 4 individuals.
Truax & Co.
Doris B. Truax
125 Broad St.
Selma, Alabama 36701
(334) 874-9600
Email: truaxandco@gmail.com
Website: http://www.cyberattic.com/stores/TruaxandCo/catalog.html