Business Spotlight - Caboodle Gifts

I have to go a ways back to begin talking about the inception of Caboodle.  About ten years ago I became a Leader for a non-profit group called La Leche League.  LLL is a mother to mother support group for women who are or want to breastfeed their babies.  Impending motherhood changes your life.  Many of the women I was interacting with (as well as myself) were dealing with situations where their families went from two incomes to one.  This, of course, has a huge impact on how money is handled and what you are able to do with the money you do have.  Many of these women would explore their creative sides and start crafting gifts for family and friends rather than purchasing something.  Every once in a while these women might trade something they made for something someone else made.  A few even began to sell their items.  I thought it would be so cool if there was a store where these women could sell their items without having to mass produce them.  They could earn an income without having to be away from their families.  I would fantasize about what this store would look like.  It would have a coffee shop attached so these moms could bring their toddlers and be social without worry that their children were too loud or too boisterous.  Then the store included some basic foods that would be organic and have some vegetarian dishes-all at a reasonable price.  Then I thought it would be neat to offer part time jobs to moms where they could bring their babies with them, and again, still be able to earn a little extra money.  This store took on many different “editions”.

Then, nothing happened.  I talked about the idea every so often.  Had people tell me it was great, but nothing happened.  Then about 2 years ago my 12 year old daughter had an expedition at school where they were learning about commercialism, entrepreneurialism and capitalism.  They had to create a business.  They did research, came up with a product idea, refined the item, calculated costs of materials and labor, applied for a small business loan and then created their item for sale at the local First Friday Art Night on Santa Fe.  My daughter and her partner did great.  After paying off their loan they sold several hundreds of dollars worth of their item in a matter of hours.  I was so impressed!  I thought to myself, “If my 12 year old can do this then I can too!”  Within the next month the Universe set in front of me several women in various stages of starting or running their own businesses.  One day in particular stands out for me as three women in a matter of a few hours were talking to me about this store idea I had.  So I called the bank to ask for money and I was completely shocked when they said yes.  I now had the money and the idea and I had to decide if I was really going to do it or not.  The journey began in earnest at the beginning of 2008.  On September 23, 2008 Caboodle opened its doors!

Caboodle looks a little different now than it did in the fantasy stages but it is something I am proud of none-the-less.  Caboodle sells handcrafted items that are local.  Many of the items we carry are one of a kind.  Some can’t be found in any other store.  The gifts in Caboodle are made by stay-at-home-moms, young entrepreneurs and small home-based businesses.  

I really wanted Caboodle to be a part of the community-working together to make the world a better place.  Part of the impetus for carrying only local crafters is the lessened impact on the environment.  Most of the items in Caboodle are delivered rather than shipped.  Boxes and packing materials are reused.  Some of the items we carry are also gentle on the Earth-being a reuse of items that would otherwise go into the landfills.  We chose the location (1515 S. Holly) of the store for its neighborhood also.  Our children attend school two blocks away and we really wanted to be in a neighborhood and part of a neighborhood, not in a giant mall.

To help foster more of a sense of community Caboodle also offers classes in the Back Room.  We have had classes that range from quilting, knitting, card making, drum making, drum circles and spinning your own yarn with a drop spindle.  There is something for all ages.  

At Caboodle you can get a handmade card, stained glass, soy candles, purses and jewelry (among other things) and know that you are supporting your neighbors in their creative endeavors.


Visit Caboodle online or at their store

1515 S. Holly St. (6 blocks N of Evans on Holly)
303-759-3966

Hours: Mon - Sat 10:00 am to 6:00 pm