During the holiday season in 2019, sisters April Varney-Parrigin and Rita Thomas-Barbery came home to Williamson for Christmas. The sisters paid a visit to the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce and found themselves deep in conversation about the needs of the community. “This started Rita and I talking about the need for specialty shops in the area, and what we could do to ‘be the change’ and assist the community’s growth,” April says. Over the next couple of months, that conversation between the sisters continued to grow.
Making a Commitment to Williamson
The sisters made a commitment to helping improve their town, and to bring it closer to the “good ole days of the 50s, 60s, and 70s”, memories of which, April says, continue to put a smile on the pairs’ faces. Down the line, when The Collective, a retail co-op idea formed by TVCC President Chris Dotson and TVCC Executive Director Randall Sanger, began to blossom, the sisters found themselves quickly becoming a part of something even bigger. “We were approached by the TVCC when The Collective Retail and Artisan Shops was in the planning process,” April says, “and we saw our vision and dream quickly becoming reality!”
That dream was a boutique style shop, offering unique home decor, outdoor living products, and seasonal items, called Twisted Sisters of the Creek LLC. “We are definitely not a big box type of store,” April says. The pair offers all types of decorations, pottery, kitchen items, greenery, and more, depending on the time of year. “If we see something that we fall in love with, it’s likely you will see it in our shop at some point!”
The new shop is constantly bringing in new items, and, according to April, it’s rare to see the same item pass through the store twice. They also offer some handmade items. “We make our own bows, wreaths, and table arrangements,” April says.
Working Together
Working with your sibling might seem like a difficult experience to some, but it’s been a wonderful experience for April and Rita. “It’s a lot of fun to work alongside your sister,” Rita says. “We have some of the same ideas, and we always laugh and argue when they aren’t the same!” April agrees. “It’s fun,” she says of her time working alongside Rita. “I get to see a side of my sister that I had never experienced before. We each have our own creativity and ideas of how to do things.”
The sisters each have their own roles in keeping Twisted Sisters running. Rita had more than 40 years of experience working in retail before she retired, and this allows her to bring in some expertise about setup and product replenishment. “I believe in a customer care approach, where you get to know your clientele and provide those ‘one of a kind’ items they like,” she says.
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