Ever since Calliope Paperie opened in Natick Center in mid-2016, Natick has been gifted with a breath of fresh air. Those who tour Main street in the gleaming daylight appreciate the brightly colored and positive light that Calliope shines on them. It seems almost as if the owner, Kristina Burkey, has captured a bit of the sun and holds it hostage. But it wasn’t always like this. 

On a normal Sunday on March 19th of this year, an uncontrolled car smashed through Calliope's front window, shattering and destroying her chic and polished display. No one was in the store or hurt at the time, but this sparked a roar of support from the Natick community. People from all over the town came together to help clean up the shop. A “GoFundMe” was created and surpassed its fundraising goal by over $3,000 dollars. People Ms.Burkey didn’t even know were there to help her every step of the way.

Small businesses are the sticky glue that bring towns together. They help to create a supportive community in which people come together to support others.

Every November, right after Thanksgiving, there is an event known as Small Business Saturday. During one of the busiest weekends of the year, people are encouraged to go out and support small businesses around the area. Although I wasn’t in Natick for this year’s SBS, I still thought about the little breath of fresh air on Main Street.

I decided to interview Ms. Burkey and talk to her about her business. Ever since I was little I enjoyed creating hand-made cards for holidays and my friend’s birthdays, so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to get to know an artist and business owner.

Please briefly describe your business in 1-3 sentences.

"Calliope Paperie is a stationary shop specializing in greeting cards, notebooks, and other fun desk accessories made by small businesses and local makers."

Why are you in this type of business/how did you discover this type of business?

"I am in the stationery business because I believe connection is the most important thing we have as human beings. Whether it's joining a friend in joy or grief, it's the connection a card provides that I believe is essential."

What is your education background?

"I have a Bachelor's degree in Communication Arts."

How long have you been in this business?

"Since 2008 when I started by making cards."

How did you get the background skills necessary to run this type of business?

"I guess you could say I am 'self-taught' in business. I worked at a retail store for a couple years and picked up more about business than I thought while I was there and picked up a little more being in an office. By the time I was ready to open my store, I realized I had gained a lot of knowledge from working all these other jobs and at other places."

How does the social, economic, and technological environment of Natick affect your business?

"Natick has a lot of young families and that's who comes through my door most often. Most of what I have requires a sense of humor to really enjoy and I find the residents of Natick in that age group possess that. That's a generalization; I've had people in their 70's laugh and laugh at my sassy cards and people in their 30's be unimpressed, but the general population of Natick has been very receptive to my style."

Who are your competitors?

"I don't really have any. The closest thing would be The Paper Source but we are just not the same store so I don't consider them to be competition at all. Stationery stores, without much in the way of gift things, are very rare around here."

How do you advertise your business?

"Social media only. I use Instagram and Facebook the most. I also have an email newsletter which people sign up for here in the store."

What are the most stressful parts of your job? The most rewarding?

"Buying is my favorite part of owning Calliope but it can also be stressful. I worry 'Am I buying the right things? Am I buying enough things?' I'm still learning all of that balance. I love when people come back and tell me how much a card bought from Calliope was just loved by the recipient or was a much-needed laugh. It's that connection that was forged by a card I had in the store I'm always hoping for."

Who are your customers? Why do they choose you over competitors?

"Everyone is my customer! People come to me for my unique card selection, and fun collection of stationery and office supplies that I work really hard to curate."

What does being a business owner mean to you?

"It's hard but very satisfying. When you work for someone else there will (hopefully) always be a paycheck, there's health insurance, there's always someone else to complain to about what might be going wrong but when you have your own business, that's you. And it's all on you whether or not there's a paycheck. Every day it's another small victory to be able to unlock the door and open. And there is the sense of pride, too, that Calliope is something I BUILT. When someone asks, 'Is this your store?' I get to say 'It is!' and when they say 'I love it!' that's mine to keep."

What is the future of your business?

"I have two main goals for Calliope: to make the Natick store bigger with more workspace and to open a second location somewhere in Boston. After that, who knows!"

Do you have any advice for young adults trying to start or manage their own business?

"If you think you want to open a shop, go work in one. If you want to open a cafe, go work in one. If you want to open a restaurant you have to go work in one. Working for a business like the one you want to start is absolutely essential. You will learn so much. Starting a business is a lot of work and it is not overnight. A lot of people make it look easy, but they have worked for where they are. I have wanted a stationery store almost my whole life and it took me 8 years since I started making cards to finally get to the point where I thought 'I think I can quit my job and do this...' and at the end of the day it will always be a risk. You never know."

Thanks to Ms. Burkey, I got an amazing insight into the mind and life of a small business owner. Next time you’re in downtown Natick, give Calliope a visit and help to support your local small businesses!